Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often face the unfortunate situation of having built-in memory overflowing, and storage analysis shows that the lion’s share is taken by the mysterious “Other” section, which can grow to tens of gigabytes, absorbing space for photos, apps and system updates. Android classifies all files that can not be uniquely attributed to known types of data, such as images, videos, audio or documents.
Why does this problem arise on the shell of MIUI and HyperOS? The fact is that aggressive optimization and specific algorithms for working with the file system often lead to the fact that the application cache, remnants of deleted programs and temporary update files are marked as “unknown”: the user sees that only a few hundred megabytes are free, and the phone starts to run slower, and new applications stop installing. The “Other” section can take up to 40-50% of the total available memory of the device if it is not cleaned regularly.
In this article, we'll look at proven methods to safely remove excess and return gigabytes of free space, and we'll not use the dubious software-cleaners that are often the source of garbage themselves, but instead use built-in tools and proven manual methods. You don't have to be an expert in programming, you just follow the steps carefully enough.
What is hidden in the “Other” section really?
Before we start taking radical measures, we need to understand the nature of this data, because the file system of a smartphone is designed to group objects into types, if a file has no extension or type is not defined by the system, it goes into a pile, most often there are cache of messengers, temporary files of streaming services and error logs.
Special attention should be paid to messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which store photos and videos viewed into hidden folders that a standard Xiaomi memory analyzer may not recognize as media files, resulting in gigabytes of correspondence and channels viewed taking up space in the “Other” section, although technically they are media.
⚠️ Warning: Before deleting any files from system folders, make sure they are not critical to operating system operation. MIUI.
Also in this category often fall files left over after a failed firmware update or installation of applications from unknown sources (APK-The system forgets its original purpose and labels it as unknown data. Understanding the structure helps you choose the right method of cleaning.
Here are the main data types that most often inflate this section:
- 📦 Cache of Google System Applications and Services.
- 📦 Temporary files of operating system updates.
- 📦 Debugging logs and error reports.
- 📦 Residual files of remote games and programs.
Technical details of the file system
Cleaning through the built-in “Safety” application
The easiest and safest way to start dealing with overcrowded memory is to use Xiaomi’s regular tools**. Each smartphone of this brand has a Security app preinstalled, which has a built-in cleaning tool that scans the device for junk files, duplicates and large unwanted objects.
Launch the app and select “Clean up” and the system will quickly analyze and suggest removing the cache files. However, standard cleaning often only affects the surface layer. For a deeper analysis, click on the “Junk” icon or go to the storage settings through the app menu.
It's important to note that MIUI Cleaner algorithms are sometimes too conservative and afraid to delete files that the system might need, so once the system is cleaned automatically, the volume of the Other partition may decrease slightly, requiring manual intervention.
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Run a deep cleanup through the Security app at least once a week to prevent a critical mass of temporary files from accumulating, which eventually turn into Other.
If the automatic mode didn't work, try the App Management feature inside the same security section, where you can sort programs by memory size and identify the space eaters, and it often turns out that one social network application stores more data than the rest of the system.
Manual cleaning of app cache and messengers
The most effective way to combat bloated partitioning is to manually cache heavy apps. Social media, browsers, and navigators tend to accumulate huge amounts of temporary data. To get to them, go to Settings → Apps → All apps.
In the list, find the most "heavy" programs (usually Instagram, TikTok, YouTube). Go to the application information and select "Storage" and here you will see two buttons: "Clean" and "Delete" and we are interested in cleaning the cache.
☑️ Manual cleaning algorithm
Be careful: the Clear all data button will reset the app to factory status by removing your logins and settings. The Clear cache button is secure and only deletes temporary files. It is the cache that most often hides in the Other section.
In Telegram, for example, you can set up automatic cache cleaning. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use and set a Cash timer for 3 days or a week. This will prevent future partition growth.
| Type of application | Where to look for a cleanup | Safety of cleaning | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browsers (Chrome) | Settings → History → Clean | Safe (logins will fly) | High-pitched |
| Messengers | Inside the application (Data and memory) | Safe. | Very tall. |
| Games | Phone settings → Applications | Resetting Progress Without a Cloud | Medium. |
| Social media. | Phone settings → Storage | Safe (cache only) | High-pitched |
Using a File Manager to Find Hidden Files
A MIUI or HyperOS regular Explorer can hide some system folders, but with simple manipulations, you can access all files. Open the Explorer app, click on the menu (three bars) and turn on the hidden files.
Now go to the Internal Storage root folder, look for folders with app names you haven't used in a long time, or folders with remote game names. Often developers leave their databases and logs there, and manually deleting those folders is a surefire way to reduce the volume of "Other."
Pay special attention to Android/data and Android/obb folders. These are restricted in newer versions of Android, but file managers like Total Commander or FX File Explorer can request special permission.
⚠️ Attention: In the folder Android/data Deleting the contents of a particular application folder (such as a navigator map) will result in loss of offline maps or game progress.
It's also worth checking the DCIM/.thumbnails folder, which stores thumbnails of your photos, and if you have thousands of photos in a gallery, this folder can weigh a few gigabytes, and it can be safely cleaned, but it will start filling up again over time.
Resetting: A radical method of removing the “Other”
If none of the softer methods worked and the Other continues to grow, occupying a critical volume, the last viable option is a full factory reset, which completely removes the user-level operating system and returns the phone to the “out of the box” state.
Before starting the procedure, make sure to back up all important data. Reset will delete everything: contacts, photos, apps and settings. After reset, the Other section usually takes up the smallest possible volume (about 2-4 GB), since there is no user debris in the system.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The phone will request confirmation and password from your Mi Account. The process will take 5 to 15 minutes, after which the device will restart.
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Full reset is the only way to ensure 100% of the debris and system errors that caused the Other section to inflate, but requires a full backup of the data.
After a reset, don't rush to restore a backup of apps and data through Mi Cloud or Google if you're not sure if it's "clean." Often, the very files that caused the problem are returned along with the backup, and you'd better set your phone up as new and install the apps again.
Prevention: How to prevent the appearance of excess debris
To keep the Other problem from returning in a month, you need to change your smartphone usage habits, regular memory hygiene is more important than periodic cleanings, and avoid storing huge archives of documents and old app installations in your phone's memory.
Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk allow you to free up space on your device by leaving access to media files over the Internet. Xiaomi also runs Mi Cloud, which can automatically clean the gallery after synchronization.
Xiaomi engineers are constantly improving the algorithms for working with memory in new versions of MIUI and HyperOS. The update can fix a bug that led to incorrect file accounting.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install questionable antivirus and accelerator apps from advertising. Often they themselves are the source of junk files and intrusive advertising, taking place in the "Other" section».
Compliance with these simple rules will help your Redmi or POCO work quickly and consistently for many years. Memory is a valuable resource, and competent management of it prolongs the life of a smartphone.