Many Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners face the unfortunate situation of a mysterious section called “Other” appearing in storage, which can take up tens of gigabytes, leading to constant notifications of space shortages and device slowdowns. Users often do not understand the nature of this data and are afraid to delete it for fear of damaging the system.
In fact, the Other category is a hoard of system cache, temporary application files, residual data after updates and even deleted photos. Cleaning this section is a safe and necessary procedure to keep your gadget healthy. In this article, we will discuss effective ways to free up space without losing important personal data.
Before we start taking drastic measures, we need to understand what exactly takes up space. Standard MIUI tools don't always display content correctly, so sometimes a manual approach is required. Xiaomi uses a specific file system that requires attention to detail when cleaning. Let's look at the main reasons for the expansion of this partition.
Causes of the growth of the “Other” section in memory
The main reason for filling the storage with junk files is the active use of instant messengers. Telegram and WhatsApp store the received photos and videos in hidden folders, which the system does not always classify as media files. Over time, this data accumulates, taking up gigabytes of useful volume, and even if you look at the picture in the chat and forget about it, it remains in the cache of the application.
The second factor is the way systems work, the way browsers work, Google Chrome and other browsers save pages for quick access, which creates a huge amount of temporary files, and you get error logs, location data, and other telemetry, and if you rarely do deep cleaning, that data is added to that "Other" section.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files manually through file managers from Android system folders unless you know exactly what they are intended for.
Cleaning cache through standard MIUI tools
The easiest and safest way to start the fight for space is to use the built-in Security app, a tool designed by Xiaomi manufacturers specifically to service the system, and it can find residual files that the average user may not notice.
To start, open the Safety app on the home screen. Click the Cleanup button or the broomstick. The system will scan and suggest that temporary files be deleted. However, standard cleaning often only affects the surface layer of debris.
Inside the app, look for the Deep Clean section, and here the memory analyzer will show files larger than 25 MB, old ones. APK-Be careful, there may be important documents that you downloaded but didn't move.
☑️ Standard cleaning algorithm
Remember to repeat this procedure regularly. MIUI has the feature of accumulating cache faster than other Android shells. If you use your smartphone actively, weekly prevention will help avoid overflowing the Other section.
Storage analysis with the Files app
If standard methods don't work, you can look at more advanced tools, like Google's Files app or Explorer, which allows you to see the real folder structure, and it allows you to find specific sources of garbage.
Open the file manager and go to the Analyzer category. Here, the data is diagrammed. Pay attention to the Apps section. Often, that's where most of the data that the system has classified as Other is hidden. Click on the lead app, like Instagram or TikTok.
You'll see a breakdown into "App Size," "User Data" and "Cash." By clicking on "Clear Cache," you'll delete temporary files without touching your accounts and settings. It's a secure operation that often frees up 1 to 5 GB of space instantly.
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Use Files by Google to automatically search for duplicate photos and screenshots, which are also often hidden in the Other section.
Also worth checking in the Explorer is the Android/data folder. In newer versions of Android, access to it is limited, but through the built-in Xiaomi Explorer you can see the content. Look for folders of remote games or applications - sometimes their data is left hanging dead weight.
Working with garbage in messengers
Messengers are the main culprits behind memory overflows. Telegram, for example, caches all media files viewed by default so that they open instantly when re-viewed, a feature convenient for speed but disastrous for the storage capacity of budget smartphones.
To solve the problem on Telegram, open the app's settings, then go to Data and Memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the Cached Files slider. Click Cache Clear. Moreover, set an automatic cleanup, such as "3 days" or "1 week," which will prevent the accumulation of garbage in the future.
On WhatsApp, the situation is similar. Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The app will show the files that take up the most space. You can choose chats with lots of media and remove attachments selectively. Don't delete all correspondence if it's important to you, clean only heavy videos.
| Annex | The path to cleanup | Safe? | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telegram | Settings -> Data and memory | Yes. | High-pitched |
| Settings -> Storage | Yes. | Medium. | |
| Viber | More -> Memory | Yes. | Medium. |
| Phone settings -> Applications | Yes. | High-pitched |
Once the messenger cache is cleared, the “Other” section should be significantly reduced, and if it does not, then the problem lies deeper, in system accumulation or indexing errors.
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who haven't been helped by standard methods, there's a way to debug through USB. This method requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and using the command line, and it allows you to remove the system cache that's not available to the average user.
First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and press 7 times on the MIUI version. Then, in the advanced settings, turn on “Debugging USB.” Connect the phone to your PC and install ADB drivers.
adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.downloads
adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gmsThese commands clear the cache of the bootloader and Google services, which often inflate the "Other" section. Be careful: using ADB commands requires accuracy. Entering the wrong command can lead to resetting or removing important system components.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-commands to remove system applications can lead to "bricking" of the device. Use this method only if you are confident in your actions.
Radical method: Reset to factory settings
If none of the above methods helped reduce the Other partition, it is likely that the file system has accumulated critical errors or fragmentation, in which case the solution would be a complete reset, which will return the phone to the “out of the box” state.
Before starting the procedure, be sure to back up all important data. Photos, contacts and documents can be saved to Google Photos or to your computer. Once reset, it will be easy to recover data from your Xiaomi Cloud or Google cloud account, but local files will be lost.
Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” The process will take 10 to 30 minutes. Once turned on, you will get a clean system where the “Other” section will occupy the minimum possible amount of space allocated for system needs.
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A complete reset is the only guaranteed way to remove file system errors that are not visible to the user but take up space.
After reset, don't install all the apps at once, install them gradually and keep an eye on the growth of the "Other" section, which will help identify the culprit app if the problem happens again.
Prevention of memory overflow
To keep the problem from returning, you need to develop digital hygiene habits. Check Downloads regularly. Many users have been storing APK installation files, old presentations, and random pictures there for years, which automatically end up in the Other.
Use cloud storage. Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Xiaomi cloud allow you to store photos and videos online, leaving only thumbnails on the device, which significantly reduces the load on internal memory and prevents the proliferation of garbage categories.
Also keep an eye out for system updates. Xiaomi periodically releases patches that optimize the file system. Installing the current version of MIUI can fix bugs that cause the occupied space to be miscalculated.