Owners of Xiaomi smartphones, especially popular budget and mid-range models like the Xiaomi 9C, often face a mysterious and annoying situation: a category labeled “Other” suddenly appears or grows into giant storage, which can take up tens of gigabytes, which is critically small for devices with a basic internal memory of 64 or 128 GB.
The user tries to delete files, but the standard Explorer does not give direct access to the contents of this folder, since the MIUI system hides the real paths to the system files. In this article, we will discuss in detail what is hidden behind this label and what are proven ways to safely free up precious space on your gadget.
It is worth noting that the Other is not a virus, but a hoard of cache applications, residual files of remote programs, system logs and temporary data. Secure deletion of this data requires understanding the structure of the Android file system so as not to damage the operating system.
What is hidden in the category "Other" in fact
Before we take any action, we need to understand the nature of this phenomenon: On Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI shell, the category “Other” (sometimes called “System Files”) is automatically generated, which includes data that the system cannot uniquely classify as photos, videos, music or documents.
The bulk of the volume is usually occupied by the caches of messengers such as Telegram or WhatsApp, which store every image and video viewed in hidden folders that the standard memory analyzer perceives as unknown files, and also store data about downloads that were interrupted, and residues after updating applications through Google Play.
Another reason for this category to inflate is error logs and crash reports. If an application crashes frequently, it can generate text-based report files that take up gigabytes over time. Content analysis is impossible without connecting to a computer or using special utilities, since the standard MIUI file manager restricts access to root directories.
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to delete files from system folders manually through root-righted file managers unless you are sure of the purpose of a particular file.Removing critical libraries can lead to a phone bootloop (cyclical reboot.
It's important to note that the volume of the Other category can change dynamically, and after you browse the Internet or watch high-resolution videos, it can grow, and after cleaning the cache, it can decrease, but often the data just accumulates, requiring user intervention.
Cleaning through the built-in “Safety” application
The easiest and safest way for every Xiaomi 9C owner to use is a regular optimization tool. Xiaomi preinstalles the Security app, which has access to hidden memory, and allows you to remove some of the debris without risking damage to the system.
To get started, run the Safety app on the home screen. Click on the Cleanup button. The system will scan and suggest removing obvious debris. However, to work with the Other category, go deeper. Select the Cleanup (broom icon) and wait for the analysis to finish.
After scanning, click on the Remove button in the Recommended section. Next, scroll down to the Big Files or Recents section. It often hides bulky video files from messengers that the system mistakenly or intentionally put into Another. Deep cleaning allows you to see files larger than 10 MB that can be safely deleted.
☑️ Verification by built-in means
Also in the Security app is Acceleration, which closes the background processes and clears the RAM, which indirectly affects temporary files, and regular use of this tool helps keep the volume of the Other within reasonable limits, although it does not solve the problem radically.
Using Developer Mode and Debugging over USB
If standard methods didn't help to make room, you can use a more advanced method, which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and using a protocol. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method allows you to access the file system at a level that is not accessible to the average user.
The first step is to activate the developer menu. Go to Settings, select About Phone, and quickly click 7 times on MIUI Version. You will see a message that says "You've become a developer." Then go back to the main settings menu, find Additional, and select Developer.
In the developer menu, find and activate the USB Debugging Switch. When you connect your phone to your PC with a cable, select File Transfer Mode. On the smartphone screen, you'll see a request for debugging permission -- confirm it. Now the computer sees the device in debugging mode.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
To work with files through ADB, you'll need a program on your PC, like Android Debug Bridge, which can run a command to clean Dalwick's cache and system cache, which often makes up the lion's share of the Other.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command forcibly trims the cache of all applications to the lowest possible value, a secure operation that does not delete personal data, but can significantly reduce the amount of space it occupies, and once you execute the command, it is advisable to restart the device.
Analysis of storage using third-party snails
When MIUI's built-in tools don't give you the full picture, specialized analysis apps come to the rescue. They visualize the file system by showing which folders take up the most space. Xiaomi 9C is great for programs like DiskUsage or Storage Analyzer.
Once you install the app, give it the necessary permissions to access all the files, and it builds a graphics card, and you'll see that the Other category actually consists of a lot of small folders, most often folders with the names.android,.cache, or folders of specific applications, like com.telegram.messenger.
Once you find a three-dimensional folder, you can go inside and delete specific files. For example, in the messenger folder, often there is a video or image folder where all media files ever received are stored. Selective deletion allows you to save important documents but delete heavy videos.
Using these tools gives you an idea of which application is the main memory eater, and it often turns out that one particular application that you rarely use stores gigabytes of temporary data, so it is easier to uninstall and re-install the application.
Comparison of Memory Cleaning Methods
To make it easier to choose a strategy for dealing with memory overcrowding, we have compiled a comparative table of methods, each of which has its own advantages and risks that should be considered by owners of Xiaomi 9C.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security annex | Low/Mediocre | Minimum | Absent. |
| Cleaning up the app cache | Medium | Low. | Minimum (exit from accounts) |
| ADB teams | Tall. | Medium | Absent. |
| Third-party analyzers | Tall. | Medium | Medium (human factor) |
| Full reset (Factory Reset) | Maximum | Tall. | Total loss of data |
As you can see from the table, the safest methods are only temporary or partial. Radical measures, such as a full reset, guarantee the result, but take time to restore settings and applications. The choice of method depends on your willingness to take risks and have free time.
It is also worth mentioning that regular prevention is more effective than dealing with the consequences: periodic cleaning of cache and deleting unnecessary files will prevent the category “Other” from growing to critical size.
Radical method: complete reset to factory settings
If nothing helps and the memory is 99% full, which already slows down the Xiaomi 9C, the final argument is a complete reset, which will return the phone to the “out of the box” state, completely clearing the “Other” partition and all other partitions of user memory.
Before starting the procedure, make sure to back up all the important data. Use Mi Cloud, Google Photos or copy files to your computer. After resetting, you can not recover deleted files.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Select Erase All Data. The system will ask you to enter the unlock password and the Mi Account password. Once confirmed, the process will begin, which will take a few minutes.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure the battery level is at least 50-60% Interrupting the process due to battery discharge can damage the phone's software.
Once you reboot, you'll get a clean system, and the Other category will be as small as possible, and it's the perfect moment to re-install only the right apps and not clog up your memory with any software.
Prevention and useful service advice
To prevent the memory shortage problem from returning too often, it is recommended to adhere to several operating rules of Xiaomi 9C. First of all, watch the settings of messengers. In Telegram and WhatsApp, you can configure autodeletion of media files.
For example, on Telegram, go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. Set the option “Storage Media” to “3 days” or “1 week” and this will automatically delete old files from the cache, freeing up space in the “Other” category.
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Use the Easy Mode or Lite version of the apps. They take up less space and create less cache, which is especially true for budget smartphones.
Also worth checking the Downloads folder periodically, often downloading APK installation files that are no longer needed after installing programs, or documents that were up to date a month ago, which are a quick way to get free space.
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Regular manual check of messenger folders and setting up autodelete the cache more effective than any one-time cleanings.
Keep in mind cloud storage, too: Moving photos and videos to the cloud keeps the gallery empty, which also has a positive effect on the overall memory balance of the device.