How to completely remove the “Other” in the memory of the Xiaomi smartphone: a step-by-step guide

Why the Other Partition Takes Gigabytes of Memory on Xiaomi and How to Fix It

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage settings and found that the Other partition is 10, 20, or even 30 GB of precious memory? And neither photos, nor apps, nor even browser cache explain this expense. This is a typical problem of devices on MIUI, Xiaomi’s proprietary shell, where system files, logs, temporary data and app debris are hidden under the mysterious category of Other.

Unlike Samsung or Google Pixel, where memory is more transparently distributed, Xiaomi (especially the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 models) often “forgets” to clean temporary files after updates, backups or background processes. As a result, users face a lack of memory, although there is seemingly nothing superfluous on the phone.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to remove “Other” on Xiaomi, from simple (via built-in tools) to advanced (using ADB and manually removing hidden folders). Each method is tested on current versions of MIUI 14/15 and is suitable for most brand models. Importantly, some actions require root rights or a PC connection, we will warn you about this in advance.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through Settings – does it work?

The first and most obvious step is to use the built-in cleaning utility, but many users complain that the Other is only reduced by a few megabytes once it's launched. Why is this happening?

The fact is that standard cleaning in MIUI removes only:

• 🗑️ Application cache (but not all!)
• 📁 Temporary download files
• 🔄 System Error Logs (not always)

She's not touching it.

• 📂 Backup folders (MIUI/Backup)
• 🔧 Update files (download_rom)
• 🖥️ Virtual Machine Data (Xiaomi HyperOS)

To make the most of this method:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Slip on “Clean” (or “Free space” in new versions).
3. Choose “Deep Cleanup” (if available).
4. Check all items, including “System cache” and “Unnecessary files”.
5. Press "Clear."

Close all applications in the background|Connect your phone to charge.|Create a backup copy of important data|Check the vacant space before and after cleaning-->

⚠️ Attention: If the volume of the Other has not decreased after cleaning, then the problem lies in the system files that are not deleted by standard means.

Method 2: Manually remove hidden folders through file manager

Much of the “junk” in the “Other” section is hidden from the user’s eyes, files that MIUI creates for backups, logs, and temporary data, but does not delete after use, and you’ll need a file manager with access to system folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer) to find them.

Follow the instructions:

1. Install MiXplorer from XDA Developers (not available on Google Play).
2. Open the manager and enable the display of hidden files (Settings → Show hidden files).
3. Go to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/).
4. Delete the following folders (if any): MIUI/Backup — backups of system settings; download_rom — squash; Android/data/com.xiaomi.market/files/download — cache of Mi App Store; Android/obb/com.miui.gallery — Temporary gallery files; lost.dir files recovered after crashes.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete Android folders, DCIM Or Pictures in its entirety, which will lead to loss of personal data, and avoid folders called miad (Advertising data Xiaomi) — their removal can cause disruptions in the work of branded services.

Once a week.|Once a month|Only when the place ends.|Never clean.-->

Method 3: Using ADB to remove system debris

If manual cleaning didn’t work, it’s time to connect to ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that allows you to delete files that aren’t available through the standard interface, but requires a PC connection and basic command line knowledge.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools;
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on Xiaomi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB);
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Follow the commands to delete cache and temporary files: adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Cleaner adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files adb shell rm -rf /cache/* # Clean up the cache system
5. To remove logs (requires root): adb shell su rm -rf /data/log/*

💡

If the adb shell su command doesn’t work, your Xiaomi doesn’t have root permissions, so use only commands without su to avoid damaging the system.

⚠️ Note: Removing files from /data/log/ This can cause you to lose the error logs you need to diagnose problems.

Method 4: Reset the cache via Recovery Mode (without data loss)

If previous methods didn’t work, try clearing the partition cache through Recovery Mode.This won’t delete your files or apps, but will reset temporary system data that may take up gigabytes in the Other section.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up at the same time (on some POCO models - Power + Volume down).
3. Wait for the Mi Recovery logo to appear.
4. Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
5. Select “Wipe Cache Partition” (or similar on Chinese firmware).
6. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
7. Reboot your phone (Reboot System)

💡

Cleaning the cache through Recovery Mode is the safest way to remove system debris without the risk of data loss, but it won’t help if the Other takes up space because of backups or update files.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse “Wipe Cache Partition” with “Wipe Data” – the second action will completely reset your phone to factory settings, deleting all your data!

Method 5: Complete resetting of settings (last resort)

If none of these methods worked, and the Other still takes tens of gigabytes, the last option is a full reset, a radical solution that will put the phone back out of the box by removing all the data, including:

• 📱 Installed annexes;
• 📷 Photos and videos (if not saved on the SD-map);
• 🔑 Accounts and passwords;
• 📄 Documents and downloads.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Back up your important data through Settings → Google → Backup or Xiaomi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Delete all data”.
4. Enter. PIN-code (if required) and confirm.
5. Wait for the reboot (can take up to 10 minutes).

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore data from backup MIUI — It may contain the same “junk” files;
• 📥 Install applications selectively, avoiding unnecessary ones;
• 🔧 Turn off automatic backup in Settings → Accounts. → Xiaomi Cloud.

💡

If the Other starts to grow again after the reset, check the settings of Xiaomi Cloud. disable the synchronization of unnecessary data (such as call records or SMS), as they also take up space in the Other section.

How to prevent the “Other” from being refilled

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

1.Control backups

• 🔧 Turn off automatic backup in Settings → Accounts. → Xiaomi Cloud → Backup.
• 🗃️ Manually delete old backup copies in MIUI/Backup monthly.

2. Limit the app cache

• 📱 B Settings → Annexes → App management select heavy apps (e.g. Facebook, TikTok) and click Clear cache».
• 🔄 Use lightweight versions of apps (e.g. Facebook Lite).

3.See the updates

• 🔄 After each update MIUI check the folder download_rom and delete old firmware files.
• 📡 Turn off automatic update downloads in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙️) → Downloading.

4.Use alternative file managers

• 📁 Install MiXplorer or FX File Explorer for regular check of hidden folders.
• 🔍 Set up a search by file size (e.g., “show files”) > 100MB»).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's "Other" section