How to securely delete other files on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: Full Guide

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is one of the most popular mid-range smartphones, but even its 64/128 GB of memory is eventually clogged with unnecessary files. The "other files" in the "Storage" section of MIUI often take up gigabytes, although the user does not understand what it is and how to remove them. In this article, we will analyze all possible cleaning methods, from standard MIUI tools to hidden functions and third-party utilities.

The problem is that the system doesn't always classify files correctly: Remnants of deleted applications, messenger cache, log files, and even update fragments can fall into the "Other" category. We tested each method on Redmi Note 9 (MIUI 14 firmware based on Android 12) and identified those that have the maximum effect without risk to data.

If you have any questions, check the FAQ at the end of the article, which will explain the typical errors (for example, why the memory is refilled after a day).

1.What are “Other Files” on Xiaomi and Why Do They Take Place

In MIUI, the Other Files category is the garbage can of the operating system, and everything that you can't get into the standard sections (Photos, Videos, Audio, etc.) gets into it.

• 🗑️ Application cache – temporary data that programs have not deleted after use (for example, thumbnails from a gallery or uploaded maps to Google Maps).
• 📁 Residual files are “tails” of remote applications (settings, databases, log files).
• 🔄 Update fragments are undeleted firmware or application update packages.
• 📄 System logs are error reports, memory dumps, and other technical data that Android automatically generates.
• 🔗 Symbolic links are virtual “shortcuts” to files that take up space but are not displayed in the Explorer.

On the Redmi Note 9, this category can grow to 5-15 GB — especially if you are actively using instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), games or frequently update your firmware. For example, after installing MIUI 14 through Ota, the /data folder remains an archive weighing ~1 GB, which the system does not delete automatically.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to delete files from the /system folder manually, it will cause the firmware to crash. Even if you see large files with the.apk or.odex extension, deleting them will disrupt Android.

2. Standard methods of cleaning through MIUI

Start with built-in tools, which are safe and don't require any additional software, and MIUI has three key areas for garbage management:

Clearance through the "Storage"

The easiest method to remove cache and temporary files is:

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Put it on the "Other Files" section.
3. Click on “Clean” (or “Delete Unnecessary Files” in newer versions of MIUI).
4. Confirm the action.

This method removes up to 1-3 GB of garbage, but does not touch deep system files, for example, it will not clear the cache of Google Play Services, which can weigh up to 500 MB.

Optimization through “Security”

The Security app in MIUI has advanced tools:

• 🧹 Deep Cleanup – scans the system for unnecessary files, including remnants of deleted applications.
• 🗃️ Memory management — shows which programs take up the most space (e.g. Facebook or TikTok can have a 1+GB cache).
• 🔍 Duplicate search – Finds repetitive photos, videos, or documents.

To take advantage of:

1. Launch the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to the "Cleanup" tab.
3. Select "Deep Clean" and wait for the scan to be completed.
4. Check all categories and click "Clear".

⚠️ Warning: If debris reappears in the Other Files section after 1-2 days, the problem may be in the background. For example, Mi Video or Mi Music creates cache even when you are not using them. The solution is to disable auto-start for these applications in the battery settings.

Manual cleaning of the application cache

Some programs (such as Instagram or YouTube) accumulate cache in the background to delete it:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Chrome).
3. Slip the Storage" → "Clear the cache".

For mass cleaning:

1. In the same section, click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select "Sort by size."
3. Clear the cache for all applications that take >100 MB.

Backup important data | Check vacant storage |Close all background applications |Connect charger (for long-term operations) |Disable automatic application updates-->

3. Delete hidden and system files (without root)

If standard methods don’t work, try to delete files that MIUI is hiding from the user, and you’ll need a file manager with access to system folders, such as FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer.

3.1 Cleaning the Download folder

The /Download folder is often clogged with unnecessary files that are downloaded automatically:

• 📥 Downloads from messengers (Telegram, Viber).
• 📎 Postal attachments (Gmail, Mi Mail).
• 🎮 Cache games (e.g., PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty leave update files there).

To clean up:

1. Open any file manager.
2. Go to /Storage/emulated/0/Download.
3. Delete all unnecessary files (you can sort by date or size).

3.2 Uninstall the remaining updates of MIUI

After installing the firmware in the /data folder, archives weighing up to 2 GB remain.

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (File Transfer Mode).
2. Turn on the display of hidden folders on the computer.
3. Go to this computer\Redmi Note 9\Internal drive\MIUI\download.
4. Delete files with the.zip extension or names like update_.

Important: Do not delete files from /MIUI/stable - they are needed to restore the system.

3.3 Cleaning up the Google Play Services cache

Google Play services can take up to 1GB of cache that is not cleaned by standard methods.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Google Play Services (Google Play Services).
3. Slip "Storage" → "Space Management" → "Clean all data."

⚠️ Warning: After this operation, some applications (such as Google Maps or Gmail) may reset, and Google-related functions (location, push notifications) will temporarily stop working, and after 5-10 minutes everything will automatically recover.

4.Use of third-party utilities for deep cleaning

If the built-in MIUI tools failed, use specialized programs. We tested 5 popular utilities and selected those that do not require root and work safely on the Redmi Note 9:

We recommend SD Maid – it finds up to 30% more garbage than standard MIUI tools. For example, in the test on the Redmi Note 9 with 16 GB of occupied space, it freed up 2,3 GB (against 1,1 GB in built-in cleaning).

Instructions for SD Maid:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Launch and provide access to the storage.
3. Select the "Basket" tab (CorpseFinder) - it looks for residual files of remote programs.
4. Click "Scan" and delete everything you find.
5. Go to the "Dublicates" tab and delete the duplicate files.

💡

Before using SD Maid, disable autosynchronization of Google Photos and other cloud services, which will speed up scanning and prevent conflicts.

Radical methods: dumping and root

If neither of these methods works, there are two extreme options: hard reset or root rights, both of which have serious consequences, so use them only as a last resort.

5.1 Hard Reset (Hard Reset)

This is the complete removal of all data from the phone, including:

• 📱 Applications and their settings.
• 📷 Photos, videos, music (if not on the list) SD-map).
• 🔑 Google Accounts, Mi Accounts and Passwords.
• 📱 System settings (wallpaper, sounds, network parameters).

How to reset:

1. Back up your important data (via Mi Cloud or Google Drive).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select "Erase all data."
4. Enter the password and confirm.

After resetting, the phone will return to factory settings, and the “Other Files” section will be reduced to 200-500 MB (the minimum amount required for Android to work).

⚠️ Warning: The Redmi Note 9 may lose the Internal Storage partition in the conductor after reset. That's OK, just restart the phone and it will reappear.

5.2. Cleanup with root rights (for advanced)

Root gives you complete control of the system, but it gives you no warranty and increases the risk of a phone being hacked.

• 🗃️ Remove unnecessary system applications via Titanium Backup.
• 🧹 Clear the folder /data/dalvik-cache (Android Virtual Machine Cache).
• 🔧 Disable unnecessary services MIUI (e.g. miui.analytics — statistics collection).

Instructions for getting root on Redmi Note 9:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (requires a Mi Account and wait 7 days).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP) through fastboot:

fastboot flash recovery twrp.img


fastboot boot twrp.img

1. In TWRP, you can use Magisk to get root.

Important: Once you get root, turn off the automatic MIUI update – it can remove root and lock the phone.

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Root rights give you maximum control over the system, but make the phone vulnerable to viruses and deprive Xiaomi of official support.

6.How to prevent the re-accumulation of garbage

To prevent the “Other Files” section from growing again, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Regular cleaning – run Deep Cleaning in the Security app once a week.
• 🚫 Cache Limitation – In your app settings (e.g. YouTube or Instagram), set a cache limit of 100-200MB.
• 📥 Download Control – set up messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) to automatically delete media files after 30 days.
• 🔄 Wi-Fi Updates – Stop downloading app updates over the mobile internet (this will reduce the number of temporary files).
• 🗑️ Cloud usage – Move rarely used files to Google Drive or Mi Cloud.

Also disable auto-run of unnecessary applications:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Launch Management.
2. For each application, select Manual Launch (this will ban background activity).

On the Redmi Note 9, the following programs are especially voracious (it is better to limit them):

• Mi Video – Caches videos even if you don’t use them.
• Mi Browser – saves history and downloads in hidden folders.
• Clean Master – creates garbage by trying to remove it.
• Facebook and Instagram – their cache can reach 1+ GB.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cleaning up Redmi Note 9