How to Remove 'Other' on Xiaomi Redmi 9: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the internal memory of the device is filled with a mysterious section called “Other”. Especially relevant is the question of how to remove “Other” on Redmi 9, because this model, with the not the fastest memory eMMC, is very sensitive to filling storage. When this partition grows to tens of gigabytes, the system starts to work slowly, applications fly out, and new photos and videos simply have nowhere to save.

The Other section is not a system error, but a collection of temporary files, application cache, residual data after deleted programs, error logs and fragmented update files. Standard cleaning tools often show only a superficial result without affecting deep debris deposits. In this article, we will discuss proven methods that will help to safely free up space without losing personal data.

Before we start taking drastic measures, it is important to understand the nature of data accumulation. System cache and logs can take up a significant amount of time if not cleaned for months. In addition, some applications, especially messengers and social networks, create their own hidden folders, which the standard memory analyzer does not always correctly classify. Understanding the structure of files will help to avoid the accidental deletion of important information.

Analysis of the contents of the “Other” section

The first step before any intervention is diagnostics, you need to visually assess what exactly occupies space. Standard MIUI conductor doesn't always give a complete picture, so it's better to use specialized utilities or built-in analyzer, which will allow you to identify "heavyweights" - applications that consume the most memory resources.

Pay attention to the folders of messengers. Telegram and WhatsApp are known for their gluttony: they save every photo and video viewed in a cache that can eventually weigh 5-10 GB. It is also worth checking the folder Android/obb and Android/data, where the data of games and programs are stored. Deleting these folders can lead to a reset of progress in games, so act carefully.

⚠️ Warning: Before deleting any files from system folders, make sure these are not important documents or save games. Android/data It can lead to loss of application settings.

For deeper analysis, you can use third-party applications like Files by Google or DiskUsage, which build a visual memory card by showing the largest files as blocks, which helps you instantly find forgotten video files or archives that hide in the back of directories and masquerade as system debris.

Cleaning through standard MIUI settings

The safest way to remove the Other from the Xiaomi Redmi 9 is to use built-in optimization tools. Xiaomi has provided basic functionality for device maintenance that is available without installing additional software, ideal for regular maintenance and does not require technical knowledge.

To start, open the Security app (green zipper icon). Select Clean. The system will scan and suggest removing temporary files. However, this is only a surface cleanup. For a deeper analysis, click on the Memory Management icon or go to Settings → Memory. Here you will see a detailed breakdown by category.

In the list of apps, find the ones that consume the most space, often social networks or video services. When you click on a particular application, you will see the "Clear Cache" button. Importantly, don't confuse this with the "Erase Data" button, as it will completely reset the application to factory status by removing your logins and settings.

• 🧹 Open “Settings” and go to the “Applications” section».
• 📱 Select “All Apps” and sort the list by memory size.
• 🗑️ Click on the “heavy” app, select “Memory” and click “Clear Cache».
• 🔄 Repeat the procedure for top-5 most extensive programs.

Another effective method is to clean through the Advanced Settings menu. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Memory. You can often find hidden temporary files that are not visible in normal mode. It is also worth checking the Downloads section where the APK installation files may have been left from old updates.

Manual deletion of files through Explorer

If the automatic tools fail, you have to work manually. Standard MIUI Explorer allows you to (view) the file system, but for full operation it is better to download File Manager+ or a similar tool that has access to all partitions. Manual deletion gives you full control, but requires care.

First, check the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails. It stores thumbnails of your photos and videos, and over time, this file can grow to a few gigabytes, and if it is safely deleted, it will only lead to the next time you open the gallery, the thumbnails will be recreated, but the space will be freed up instantly. MIUI/Gallery/cloud/cache.

Many users forget about the Download folder, which can contain old documents, game installers and saved images from browsers, find files with the.apk,.zip or.rar extension that you no longer need, and delete them, which often allows you to quickly free up 1-2 GB of space.

⚠️ Warning: Never delete files from the root directory unless you are 100% sure of their purpose. Deleting system libraries can lead to a device bootloop (cyclical reboot.

Special attention should be paid to the folders of social networks inside Android/media or Android/data. For example, on Telegram you can find the folder org.telegram.messenger/files, where all the received files are located. By deleting the contents of the video or photo folder inside the messenger directory, you clean the cache of the messenger without affecting correspondence.

Using a computer for deep cleaning

Connecting your smartphone to your PC is one of the most effective ways to remove the Other on Redmi 9, especially when the memory is packed and the phone is slow. The computer allows you to see the file system in the palm of your hand and use powerful analysis tools that are not available on a mobile device.

To connect, use File Transfer (MTP) mode. After you connect to My Computer, your device will appear. For analysis, I recommend using the free WinDirStat or TreeSize Free utility. These programs build a detailed memory card, showing which files are taking up space, even if they are hidden from a standard Windows Explorer.

Once you find large files, you can delete them directly from your computer, which works especially well with media files and documents, and you can also clean your Android/obb folder through your PC by removing the cache of heavy games you're not playing anymore, which often frees up 2-3GB per game.

After cleaning, be sure to safely remove the device. On your smartphone in the notification curtain, click "Disable". USB-This will prevent possible damage to the file system, which is especially important for the eMMC type memory installed in Redmi 9.

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Use archiving: Before deleting large folders with photos or documents on your computer, archive them in the archive. ZIP-format and save it to a cloud drive or a flash drive, which will free up space on the phone, saving data.

Resetting settings as a radical method

If none of the previous methods helped reduce the Other partition and it continues to take up absurd volume (for example, 20-30 GB on 64 GB of memory), it is possible that the file system is damaged or there are persistent errors in it, in which case the only effective solution is a complete reset to the factory settings (Hard Reset).

This procedure will completely delete all data from your phone, including contacts, photos, apps and settings. It is critical to make a full backup before you start. Use the Mi Cloud, Google Drive cloud, or just copy all important files to your computer. Once reset, the Other section will disappear and the memory will be clean.

To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The system will request the unlock password and Mi Account password. The process will take 5-10 minutes, after which the phone will turn on as new. This is guaranteed to solve the problem of the bloated “Other” section.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure the battery is at least 50% in charge before starting the reset. interruption of the process due to discharge may result in the device being completely inoperable.

After the first turn on, take your time to restore all applications from the backup at once. Better install them again as needed. Often, automatic recovery returns their junk cache along with the applications, negating cleaning efforts. A clean installation ensures that you do not return the problem back.

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Hard Reset is the only 100% way to fix file system logic errors, and the Other partition takes up an abnormally large amount of space.

Prevention of memory overflow

To prevent the Other from returning in a month, you need to change your smartphone usage habits.The Xiaomi Redmi 9 is a reliable device, but its memory requires care. Regular maintenance takes a couple of minutes a week, but saves you from a lot of problems in the future.

Set up automatic cleaning in the Security app. Go to the cleaner settings and set the frequency, for example, every 3 days. Also in the messaging settings (Telegram, WhatsApp), turn off auto-save media files to the gallery, which will prevent duplicate files and clutter system folders.

• 📅 Check the download folder once a week and delete the unnecessary ones.
• 📸 Clean the gallery basket regularly, it also takes up space.
• 🚫 Do not store music or movies on your phone unless you need them.
• 🔄 Update apps only through the official store, avoiding modified versions.

Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk allow you to free up space on your device with a single button, leaving access to media files over the Internet. For Redmi 9, with its limited internal storage, this is a vital feature.