Xiaomi smartphone owners regularly encounter the mysterious “Other” section of the memory settings, which takes up gigabytes of space — sometimes up to 10-15 GB on devices with 64/128 GB of storage.
In fact, the Other is not a virus or a system bug. It's hidden system files, application templates, log files, MIUI updates, and even fragments of remote programs that the system can't classify. The main problem is that Xiaomi doesn't provide built-in tools to remove them, so users have to act manually. In this article, 5 proven ways to free up memory, including hidden MIUI features and third-party utilities.
It's important to understand that not all files in the Other section can be deleted without consequences, for example, deleting /data/log can cause sensor malfunctions, and cleaning /cache/recovery can cause update problems, and we'll figure out what you can touch and what you should leave so that you don't turn your phone into a brick.
What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Memory and Why Does It Take So Much Space?
The Other section of MIUI is a basket for files that the system cannot categorize as Photos, Videos, Audio or Documents.
- 📁 Log files (/data/log, /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log) — Error logs, memory dumps, crash reports, can weigh up to 3-5 GB on devices with frequent updates.
- 🔄 Remains of Remote Applications – Fragments APK, cache and settings of programs that you have long uninstalled, but the system has not cleaned completely.
- 📦 Temporary update files – packages MIUI OTA, Those who have gone down but have not been /cache/ota).
- 🖥️ System cache Dalvik/ART — optimized data to speed up Android.
- 📱 Backup files – automatic backups of the Mi Cloud or local copies created by the system before resetting.
Why doesn't Xiaomi clean it up automatically? It's about the MIUI architecture: prioritizes stability over space freeing, for example, log files might be needed to diagnose when you call a service center, and Dalvik's cache speeds up the launch of applications. However, in practice, 90% of these files are never used, but continue to take up precious gigabytes.
How to check what exactly takes up space? Install a file manager with access to root folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer) and scan:
/data/log
/cache
/sdcard/MIUI
/sdcard/Download/.thumbnails/data/app-lib
Genshin Impact
Call of Duty Mobile
Method 1: Cleaning through the hidden “Storage” menu in MIUI
MIUI 12-14 has a hidden deep cleaning feature that's not shown in the standard interface, so you can activate it.
- Open the Settings. → The phone.
- Click 7 times on the line "Version" MIUI» (A message will appear saying, “You’ve become a developer»).
- Return to the main settings menu and select the new “Developers” section.
- Scroll down and turn on “Show hidden storage settings.”
- Now go to Settings → Storage → Cleaning – an additional tab will appear “Deep Cleaning”.
On this menu you will see:
- 🗑️ System garbage – temporary files of the Android kernel.
- 📊 Logs and dumps – error logs (can be deleted without risk).
- 🔄 Remains of updates - failed packages OTA.
Warning: Do not delete the System Data section, as this may cause MIUI Launcher to crash or Google Play services to fail.
Backup of important data
Charge your phone at least 50%
Connect to Wi-Fi (if you need to download updates)
Close all background applications-->
Method 2: Manual removal via ADB (no root)
If the hidden menu didn’t work, try removing debris through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that doesn’t require superuser rights, but allows you to clear system folders that aren’t available through the standard interface.
Instructions:
- Install ADB Tools on your PC.
- Turn on "Debugging by" USB» In Settings → For developers.
- Connect your phone to your computer and execute in the command line: adb shell pm trim-caches 1000G # Clears the cache of all applications rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Deletes temporary files rm -rf /cache/*# Clears the system cache (safe!)
To delete log files (if they take >1 GB):
adb shell
su -c "find /data/log -type f -delete" # Requires root, but sometimes works without it
su -c "rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log/*"⚠️ Attention: Command rm -rf /cache/* Can delete files necessary for the next update MIUI. If the phone stops seeing updates after cleaning, reboot it to Recovery mode and select Wipe Cache Partition.
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If ADB Does not recognize the device, try reinstalling Xiaomi drivers USB Drivers or using other drivers USB-cable (preferably original).
Method 3: Using a root-access file manager
If you have root rights, you can manually scan and delete unnecessary files.
- 🛠️ Root Explorer – allows you to edit system folders.
- 🔍 MiXplorer (with root mode enabled).
- 📂 Solid Explorer – supports cloud storage and FTP.
What folders can be cleaned:
| folder | What it keeps. | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| /data/log | Log files of system and applications | Yes (releases 1-3GB) |
| /cache/recovery | Temporary recovery files | Yes (but not before the update) |
| /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log | Debugging magazines | Yes. |
| /data/app-lib | Remnants of Remote Applications | Yes (but check the contents) |
| /data/dalvik-cache | Dalvik virtual machine cache | Only if you're ready to reboot. |
⚠️ Note: Removing files from /data/dalvik-cache This will lead to automatic restart of the phone and re-optimization of applications (may take time). 5-10 Don't interrupt the process!
If you are not sure what to delete, use the “Storage Analysis” feature in MiXplorer to show you which files are taking up the most space and how critical they are to the system.
What happens if you delete /data/system?
Method 4: Resetting cache in Recovery Mode
If previous methods didn’t work, try clearing the cache through Restore Mode.This is a secure way that doesn’t affect user data, but deletes temporary system files.
Step-by-step:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- From the Recovery menu, select the language (if you have a choice) and go to Wipe & Reset.
- Select Wipe Cache Partition (not to be confused with Wipe Data!).
- Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
- Restart the phone (Reboot).
This method removes:
- 🗃️ Cash updates (/cache/ota).
- 📝 Temporary recovery files.
- 🔄 Remains of the application installer.
How much space will you have? Normally 500MB to 2GB, depending on how long you've been clearing the cache. If the "Other" partition takes up more, combine this with the "Other" partition. ADB-cleaning or manual removal of logs.
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Recovery Mode cache resetting is the only officially recommended way Xiaomi has for cleaning up system debris without the risk of data loss.
Method 5: Reinstall MIUI (extreme case)
If the Other takes more than 10GB and is not cleaned by any means, the radical solution is to reflash the phone, which will delete all system files and install a clean version of MIUI, but require a data backup.
How to do this:
- Download the official firmware for your model (select Recovery ROM, not Fastboot).
- Place the firmware file (for example, miui_BLOCKGlobal_V14.0.1.0.TKCMIXM_1234567890_12.0.zip) root.
- Go to Recovery Mode (as in Method 4).
- Select Install update.zip to System.
- Confirm the installation and wait for the completion (it will take 5-15 minutes).
⚠️ Warning: Flashing will reset all settings, but save user files (photos, videos, documents). However, applications and their data will be deleted, SMS Game data via Mi Cloud or Google Account.
After flashing, the Other section will be reduced to 100-300 MB, which is the normal volume for MIUI to work. To prevent it from growing in the future, follow the advice from the next section.
How to Prevent the Reappearance of the Other
To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow preventive measures:
- 🔄 Turn off automatic update download: Go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto download updates and turn off the option. This will prevent the accumulation of failed updates. OTA-packet /cache.
- 📱 Limit the background activity of applications: C Settings → Annexes → Disable Auto Start and Background Activity for unnecessary programs (especially games and social media).
- 🗑️ Clean Dalvik cache regularly: Use the app SD Maid (requires root) to automatically clean the virtual machine's cache. Run it once a month.
- 📊 Monitor log files: Install Logcat Reader and check which apps generate the most logs.Frequent intruders: Facebook, TikTok and Mi Fit.
Additional tip: If you use Mi Cloud, disable Automatic Backup for unnecessary data (such as call logs or SMS).These backups are often duplicated and take up space in Other.
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For Xiaomi models on Android 13+ (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), enable Easy Mode in the battery settings. This reduces the generation of log files and reduces storage load.