The situation when the internal memory of a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone is overflowing with a mysterious “Other” section is familiar to many users. This section can take up tens of gigabytes, blocking the installation of applications and downloading photos. Android does not always correctly classify temporary files, leaving them in this hidden category, which creates the illusion of space shortage.
In this guide, we will discuss safe and efficient ways to free up space. Partition cleaning requires care not to delete important data, but you can not ignore the problem. Overflowing memory leads to slowdown of the interface and possible malfunctions in the operating system.
Before we start taking any drastic measures, we need to understand the nature of the origin of these files, most often the remnants of remote applications, messenger cache and system logs, and the right approach will allow us to return gigabytes of free space without having to carry the device to the service center.
The Nature of the Other Section in MIUI
The MIUI “Other” section is a repository for files that the system cannot uniquely attribute to photos, videos, audio or documents, including archives, APK installation packages, streaming cache and temporary update files, and content analysis shows that the lion’s share of the volume is occupied by garbage accumulated over months of use.
Special attention should be paid to messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which often save the media files viewed in hidden folders, which the conductor considers an unknown type of data, without manual cleaning, these files will continue to grow, taking up more and more space on the drive.
Why doesn't the system delete it itself?
System logs and error reports also contribute to this problem. If an application crashes frequently, it can generate reports that add up to gigabytes of data. Understanding folder structure helps to effectively combat overflow.
Basic cleaning with built-in facilities
The first step is to use the regular Cleanup tool, which is built into the Security app and is available on all Xiaomi smartphones, which is secure and does not require deep knowledge of the file system.
Run the Security app and select Cleanup. The system will analyze the device and suggest removing debris. However, the standard scanner often skips the Other section files. For a deeper cleaning, click on the Garbage Cleanup icon inside the Memory section in the settings.
- 📱 Open the Security app on the home screen.
- 🧹 Click on the “Clean” button and wait for the analysis to be completed.
- 🗑️ Select the category “Recent” or “Cache” if the system offers deep cleaning.
- ✅ Confirm the deletion of selected files.
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Use the built-in cleanup regularly to prevent a critical mass of junk files from accumulating, which are then harder to remove.
It is important to note that standard tools don’t always see the cache of specific apps like TikTok or Instagram.They require a separate approach through app settings.Manual cache verification often gives a better result than automatic mode.
Storage analysis and search for large files
To identify the specific culprits of memory overflow, we recommend using a built-in storage analyzer that visualizes the location and allows you to find hidden volumetric files. Go to Settings → Memory and wait for the graph to be built.
Here you'll see a breakdown by category. If the Other partition is a significant part, try sorting files by size. Often, at the root of the internal memory or in the Download folder, there are forgotten videos or archives that the system has not recognized.
| File type | Where to find | Can be removed |
|---|---|---|
| Files.tmp | Temp folder | Yes. |
| Logs of error | System folders | Yes. |
| Cash cart. | Google Maps / Yandex | Yeah (boots again) |
| APK installers | Download folder | Yes. |
Use a file manager, such as Xiaomi’s File Manager or a third-party Total Commander. Enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings, which will allow you to see folders that start from the point where application data is often hidden.
Cleaning the cache of applications and messengers
The largest cache is accumulated by social networks and instant messengers. Telegram, for example, stores all the photos and videos viewed in the device’s memory, unless auto-cleaning is enabled, which is the main source of the “Other” section growth.
To clean up, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find a heavy app (like Viber or YouTube) on the list. Go to Memory and click Clear Cache. Importantly, don't confuse it with Clear Everything, which will reset the authorization.
- 📂 Go to the settings of a specific messenger.
- 💾 Find the Data and Memory section or the Storage section».
- 🗑️ Select “Clear Cache” (not your correspondence history!).
- 🔄 Install autodelete media files (for example, after 3 days).
⚠️ Attention: Clearing the data (not the cache) will result in logging out of your account and removing local app settings.
After the procedure, the volume of the Other partition should be significantly reduced, and if this does not happen, it is possible that the files are blocked by the processes of the system, in which case it will help to restart the device before rechecking.
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users, a USB debugging and computer-based cleaning method is available, and this allows you to remove system debris that is hidden from the average user, and you'll need a PC and an ADB Tools platform.
Activate Developer Mode by pressing the build number 7 times in Settings → About the phone. Then turn on "Debugging by" USB». Connect the smartphone to the computer and in the command line enter a command to clean the cache of the package installer:
adb shell pm clear com.android.packageinstallerYou can also delete temporary files from system directories, but that requires Root rights, which void warranty, and without superuser rights through ADB, you can only clear the cache of specific packets whose names you know.
☑️ Preparation for cleaning through ADB
This is effective when standard methods are powerless, but it requires technical literacy, and a mistake in the command can lead to the removal of system components.
Radical measures: Resetting to factory settings
If nothing helps and the Other section keeps growing, the last option is a complete reset, which puts the phone back out of the box, guaranteed to remove all the software debris, and backing up the data before that is critical.
Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” The process will take 5 to 15 minutes. Once turned on, the phone will be clean and the “Other” section will take up the smallest possible volume.
⚠️ Warning: All photos, contacts and apps will be deleted. Be sure to backup your computer or the Mi Cloud before resetting.
After reset, do not restore apps from backup immediately, as you can return the “garbage”: it is better to configure the phone as new and download the apps again from Google Play.
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A complete reset is the only solution that guarantees 100% cleanup of the Other section if the cause is file system errors.
Prevention of memory overflow
To keep the problem from returning, change your smartphone usage habits. Check your download folder regularly and delete unnecessary files. Use cloud storage for photos and videos by enabling the “Free Space” feature in Google Photos.
Install analyzer applications that will warn you of duplicates or large files. Keep an eye out for MIUI updates, as newer versions often fix memory errors.
- 📅 Check the “Downloads” section once a week».
- ☁️ Set up sync photos with the cloud.
- 🚫 Turn off auto-save statuses in messengers.
These simple rules will keep the device in a fast state for years to come, and the memory of a smartphone is a resource that needs maintenance, just like any other component of technology.