How to completely remove the “Other” on Xiaomi Poco X3: disassemble hidden files and clean up memory

Owners of Xiaomi Poco X3 sooner or later face a mysterious “Other” section in the memory settings, which takes up gigabytes of space for no apparent reason. The system shows that there is critically little free space left, but neither photos, apps nor cache explain where these gigabytes went. In this article, we will understand what exactly lies under the “Other” category on your smartphone, why standard cleaning methods do not work, and how to safely delete unnecessary files without risking damage to the system.

The problem is not new: Xiaomi users (especially on devices with MIUI 12/13/14) often complain that the Other grows to 10-20 GB, although the actual data is much less used, the reason for this is the features of Android and MIUI, which create temporary files, log files, backups and cache of system processes, but do not always delete them correctly. We tested all the current cleaning methods on the Poco X3 (including the Poco X3 NFC and Poco X3 Pro models) and selected only those that actually work.

It’s important to understand that the “other” on Xiaomi is not garbage, but a collection of system files that Android and MIUI consider important but do not fall into the standard categories (applications, media, documents). These can include OTA updates, memory dumps, debugging artifacts, and even hidden application folders that do not appear in the file manager. Trying to delete them manually without understanding the mechanism can lead to failures — so we will go through each method in detail.

What is the “Other” in Xiaomi Poco X3 memory and why it takes up so much space

MIUI’s Other category is a garbage bin for files that the system cannot uniquely categorize as media, documents or applications.

• 📁 Temporary application files (such as undeleted Telegram, WhatsApp, or game caches).
• 🔄 Log files and dumps (error logs, crash reports, debugging data).
• 📦 Remnants of Remote Applications (Folders) /data/data/ and /obb/, which have not been completely cleansed).
• 🔗 Symbolic links and duplicate files created by the system for compatibility.
• 📡 Update files OTA (Even after installing the firmware, they can remain in memory).

On Poco X3, the problem is compounded by the fact that MIUI actively uses file system compression (DM-Verity function), which causes some files to be duplicated or fragmented. For example, after a firmware update, old versions of system libraries can remain in memory as “spare” ones, taking up to 2-3 GB. In addition, Xiaomi defaults to backing up data to the cloud, and even if you disable it, local copies can be saved.

Another invisible memory eater is the Dalvik/ART cache, which is an optimized version of the apps that Android creates to speed up work. On the Poco X3 with 6/8 GB of RAM, this cache can grow to 1-1.5 GB, but the system does not show it in the standard cleaning menu.

⚠️ Note: If the “other” is more 15 GB on Poco X3 s 64/128 GB of memory, this may indicate file system damage (for example, due to a sudden power outage during data writing).In this case, a conventional cleaning will not help - you will need a factory reset or flashing.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through MIUI settings

Start with the simplest method, the built-in MIUI cleaning utility, which deletes some temporary files but often leaves behind “heavy” artifacts.

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Click on the "Other" section (may be called "Other" depending on the MIUI version).
3. Tap “Clean” or “Delete unnecessary files”.
4. Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

This method usually releases 100 to 500 MB, but rarely more. If the volume of The Other hasn't changed, move on to the next one.

MIUI 13/14 has a Deep Clean feature that analyzes files more thoroughly to activate it:

1. Press the “Other” section in the memory menu for 2-3 seconds.
2. Select “Deep Clean” (if the option is available).
3. Wait for the scan to be completed and delete the proposed files.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files with.odex,.vdex or.oat extensions manually – these are components Dalvik/ART, The damage to the apps will cause the smartphone to reboot cyclically.

Method 2: Clear Dalvik/ART cache and temporary files via Recovery

If standard methods don’t work, try clearing the Dalvik/ART cache and cache partition via Recovery Mode.This is a secure way that doesn’t affect user data, but requires a reboot.

1. Turn off the Poco X3.
2. Press the Volume Up + Power buttons before the MI logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select the language (if required) then:
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Choose Reboot. → Reboot to System.

Once restarted, the system will recover the Dalvik/ART cache, which can free up to 1-1.5 GB of memory. If this method does not help, move on to more radical measures.

Method 3: Delete hidden files via ADB (for advanced users)

If you're ready to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can manually delete unnecessary files that MIUI doesn't show.This method requires connecting your smartphone to your PC and basic command line knowledge.

First, turn on the USB debugging:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Turn on "Debugging by" USB» and confirm the action.

Now connect Poco X3 to your computer and execute the following commands in ADB Shell:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/log/*




rm -rf /data/tombstones/*




rm -rf /data/system/dropbox/*




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*




rm -rf /data/media/0/Android/data//cache/

These commands are deleted:

• 📜 Log files of the system (/data/log/).
• ⚰️ Failure dumps (/data/tombstones/).
• 📦 Cache apps from hidden folders.
• 🗑️ Temporary files in /data/local/tmp/.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in folders /data/app/, /data/data/ or /system/ — Also, do not touch files with the.db extension, as damage to them can disrupt contacts, messages and other critical functions.

After completing the commands, restart the smartphone:

reboot

This method can release up to 2-3 GB, but it requires caution. If you are not sure about your actions, skip it.

Method 4: Remove OTA update residues and firmware duplicates

Xiaomi often leaves update files (OTAs) in memory even after they are installed, which can take up to 1-2 GB and are not displayed in a standard file manager.

1. Connect Poco X3 to your PC and activate file transfer mode (MTP).
2. Open Windows/macOS Explorer and go to Internal Storage →.OTA (it is hidden – turn on the display of hidden files).
3. Delete all files with.zip,.bin or.img extensions.
4. Also check the Internal Storage → Download →.OTA folder.

If there is no.OTA folder, try to find update files by name:

• 🔍 Look for files that start with miui_ or fw_.
• 🔍 Check the folders. /cache/ and /data/ota_package/ Root Explorer (if you have root access).

Another source of junk is firmware duplicates that are created when updates fail, and can be stored in:

• /sdcard/MIUI/backup/
• /sdcard/Download/rom/
• /data/media/0/MIUI/ota/

Deleting these files is safe, but if you plan to roll back to a previous version of MIUI, save them to your PC.

💡

Before you delete the OTA files, take a screenshot of their names or copy them to a separate folder on your PC. If the smartphone starts to behave unstable after cleaning, you can restore the deleted files.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If neither method worked, and the Other still takes more than 5-10 GB, the last option is a complete reset, which will delete all user data, but return the smartphone to a “clean” state.

Before discharge:

• 📱 Backup important data (photos, contacts, messages).
• 🔐 Make sure you know the username and password from your Mi Account (required to unlock after resetting).
• 🔋 Charge your smartphone at least 50 times%.

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”.
3. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 10-15 minutes).

Once reset, the Other should be reduced to 100-300MB, which is normal for a clean system, and if the problem comes back after a while, it could indicate:

• 🛠️ Damage to the file system (reflashing required).
• 📲 Application-specific conflict (try to remove recently installed programs).
• 🔄 Error in the current version MIUI (Check for updates).

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI After the reset, you may have a "failed to check the device" error, which is due to the linking of the Mi Account to the phone, so you need to enter the account information from which it was previously activated to unlock the smartphone. If you don’t remember your password, use the restore function on Xiaomi’s website.

💡

Factory reset is the only way to completely remove the Other if it's caused by system errors, but it's not a panacea: if the problem is in the firmware itself, it will come back after the data is restored.

How to Prevent the Spread of the Other in the Future

To prevent the Other from taking up gigabytes of memory on your Poco X3, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Memory. → Clean (once every 1-2 weeks).
• 🚫 Turn off automatic backup in Mi Cloud if you are not using it.
• 📥 Delete. APK-files after installing applications (they remain in the Download folder).
• 🔧 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version – new firmware fixes errors with the cleaning of temporary files.
• 🛡️ Use lightweight alternatives to standard apps (e.g. Files by Google instead of Google) MIUI File Manager).

It is also worth limiting the background activity of some applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Facebook, Instagram or Telegram).
3. Turn off "Autostart" and "Background Activity".
4. Clear the cache and data (if the app is not behaving stable).

If you frequently install/remove games or heavy apps (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile), use the Cleanup After Deletion feature in MIUI Security:

1. Open the Security app.
2. Go to the Cleanup» → «Deep cleaning».
3. Activate the option “Delete residual files after uninstallation”.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About the Other on Xiaomi Poco X3