Previous articleThe Other on Xiaomi Redmi 9A Eats Memory? Learning to Clean Right

You opened the storage on your Xiaomi Redmi 9A, and there's a mysterious "Other" section that takes up gigabytes of precious space? It's not a virus or a system bug. "Other" is a collective name for files that Android can't categorize as standard (photos, videos, apps), and it gets cache of system processes, temporary update files, log files, remnants of deleted programs, and even data from messengers that don't want to be cleaned by standard means.

The problem is especially relevant for the Redmi 9A with its modest 32GB of storage (of which the user can access about 22GB). When the Other grows to 5-10GB, the phone starts to slow down, the apps fly out, and the camera refuses to save pictures. In this article, we will discuss what exactly is hidden under the Other, how to safely reduce it without risking damage to the system, and why some cleaning products from the Play Market only exacerbate the problem.

What is the “Other” in Xiaomi 9A memory and why it grows

The Other section is a dumping ground for files that Android can't classify.

• 📁 Cache of system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui or com.miui.home) that is not automatically cleaned.
• 📄 Log files (error logs, crash reports) that are created with each drop in the application or overheating of the phone.
• 🔄 Remains of updates: MIUI Downloads firmware in the background, but does not always remove installation packages after installation.
• 🗑️ Temporary files of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and browsers that were supposed to self-destruct, but remained in memory.
• 🧹 Remote App Garbage: Some Programs Leave Folders with Settings or Databases.

On the Redmi 9A, two factors exacerbate the problem:

1. A weak processor (MediaTek Helio G25) can’t handle automatic cache cleaning, and the system forgets to delete unnecessary files.
2. MIUI 12/13 aggressively caches data to speed up work, but does not optimize its deletion, for example, after updating via OTA, a packet weighing 1-2 GB can remain in memory for months.

In our tests, the Redmi 9A with MIUI 13 averages 3 to 7 GB of “Other” after a year of use, and the standard Cleanup feature in settings only removes 10 to 20 percent of this debris.

Method 1: Clearing the cache of system applications (without root)

The safest method is to manually clean the cache for system applications that most often clog "Other." On Redmi 9A, this is:

• 📱 com.miui.home (Luncher) MIUI) — caches icons and widgets.
• ⚙️ com.android.systemui – Stores notification data and control panel.
• 🔍 com.miui.securitycenter – collects scanning logs.
• 📱 com.android.phone – Stores temporary call files.

How to clean:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show all processes.
3. Find the app from the list above (e.g. com.miui.home) and open its page.
4. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

Find “Application Management” in Settings|

Enable the display of all processes |

Clear cache for com.miui.home and com.android.systemui|

Restart the phone after cleaning-->

⚠️ Warning: Do not press Clear Data for system applications! This will cause the launcher to reset, remove widgets and crash. MIUI. Cash clear safely.

After cleaning the cache of these 4-5 applications, the “Other” section is usually reduced by 500 MB-1.5 GB. The effect is temporary: after 1-2 weeks, the cache will begin to grow again, but regular cleaning (once a month) will help keep memory under control.

Method 2: Delete temporary MIUI update files

MIUI downloads updates to the folder /data/ota_package, But often doesn't delete the installation files after installation. 9A These files can weigh. 1–2 GB and years of lying in memory under the guise of "The Other».

To remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (in File Transfer mode).
2. Open the Internal Storage folder → data → ota_package (If the data folder is not visible, use the method below).
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension or names like miui_*_global_*.

If the data folder is not displayed:

On the Redmi. 9A s MIUI 12.5+ folder ota_package If you can't delete files, use them. ADB-team:

adb shell rm -rf /data/ota_package/*

You need to set up ADB (instruction below).

Method 3: Cleaning log files through Engineering Mode (hidden mode)

MIUI maintains detailed logs of system processes, which are stored in /data/log and can take up to 1-3 GB.

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code: ##4636##.
2. Select Usage Statistics → Storage.
3. Slip on Log files and press Clear.

If the code doesn’t work (on some versions of MIUI the engineering menu is blocked), use an alternative method:

• 📱 Install the app MTK Engineering Mode (for MediaTek Helio) G25).
• 🔧 Go to Log and Debugging section → Log Settings.
• 🗑️ Choose Clear all logs.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete logs through the file manager manually! this can disrupt the debugging and cause update crashes MIUI. Use only system tools.

Method 4: Removing garbage from messengers and browsers

Apps like Telegram, WhatsApp and Chrome actively use cache, but do not always clean it correctly. On Redmi 9A, their temporary files can take up to 2-4 GB in the “Other” section.

How to clean:

💡

To prevent Telegram from clogging memory, open Settings → Data and memory in the application and turn on the option “Clear cache automatically” (set a limit of 200-500 MB).

Method 5: Reset the partition cache (wipe cache partition) via Recovery

If previous methods didn’t work and The Other still takes gigabytes, try resetting the partition cache through Restore mode.This won’t delete your data, but will clear the system cache, which can weigh up to 1-2 GB.

Instructions:

1. Turn off Redmi 9A.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (English / Whale), then Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and wait until the completion (1-2 minutes).
5. Reboot the phone (Reboot) → Reboot to System).

⚠️ Warning: Don't choose Wipe Data or Factory Reset, it will erase all your data.

💡

Resetting partition cache is the only way to remove system debris that is not visible through the file manager. After the procedure, the phone can boot longer than usual (3-5 minutes) - this is normal.

What NOT to do when cleaning up the “Other” on Xiaomi 9A

Some "tips" from the Internet can damage the system or cause data loss.

• 🚫 Delete Android folders, MIUI or manually, this will cause a failure. MIUI.
• 🚫 Use cleaners like Clean Master or CCleaner to delete useful files and slow down your phone.
• 🚫 Format a section /data PCs will erase all data without recovery.
• 🚫 Delete files with the.odex or.vdex extension – they are necessary for the operation of applications.

Also not worth it:

• 🔧 Disable system applications through ADB, If you don't know what they're responsible for, for example, disabling com.miui.analytics may disrupt the updates.
• 📱 Install custom firmware just for the sake of cleaning the “Other” – it is risky for beginners.

💡

If the Other takes up a lot of space after all the manipulations, check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light. Some Trojans disguise themselves as system files and inflate the partition.

How to set up ADB for deep cleaning (for advanced ones)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to delete hidden files.This requires a PC connection, but allows you to clear what’s not available through the interface.

Steps:

1. Download Platform Tools from the Android website.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to become a developer), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect Redmi 9A to your PC and type in the command line: Adb devices (the device should appear).
4. To clear the cache of all user applications: adb shell pm trim-caches -f 1000000000 (this will clear the cache up to 1 GB).

Other helpful teams:

adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Deletes temporary files


adb shell rm -rf /cache/* # Clears the cache partition (similar to Wipe Cache in Recovery)

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB They have the right to make a mistake. -rf It can erase critical files. Always check paths before execution.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About “The Other” on Xiaomi 9A