How to completely delete the files “Other” on Xiaomi: a detailed guide

Why Xiaomi is clogged with memory with the “Other” section and what to do about it

Have you ever encountered a situation where Xiaomi Redmi, POCO or Mi suddenly runs out of space, even though you haven't downloaded anything? When you check the storage in the settings, you see that the bulk of it is occupied by the mysterious "Other" section — sometimes up to 10 or 30 GB. It's not the app cache, not the photo or video, but some "invisible" garbage. Where does it come from and how to remove it without harming the system?

The problem is common for all MIUI smartphones (including the latest versions of MIUI 14/15), but few people know that the Other section is not just temporary files, including remnants of deleted applications, system log files, update cache, ART/Dalvik virtual machine data, and fragmented files that Android cannot properly classify. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to clean the Other on Xiaomi, including hidden methods that are not described in the official documentation.

It's important to understand that just clicking "Clean" in the storage settings rarely helps. You have to work systematically, from simple to complex methods. Let's start with safe ways, and then move on to heavy artillery for power users.

Method 1: Cleaning through built-in MIUI tools

The first and most secure method is to use the standard MIUI features, which do not require super-user rights and are suitable for beginners.

• 🧹 Cleaning up garbage in “Safety”: Go to Settings → Annexes → Security → Cleanup. This is where the system scans the device and shows how much space is occupied by unnecessary files (including part of the Other) click on Cleanup and confirm the action. Note: this method only removes surface debris, but does not affect deep system data.
• 📁 Manual cleaning of the app cache: Open Settings → Annexes → App management, select any app (like Google Play Services or Mi Video) and click "Clear Cache." Repeat for all major apps.Cache often hits the "Other" section after updates.
• 🔄 Resetting the cache of system applications: In the same application management menu, find system services like com.miui.system or Android System (names may differ). Their cache can also weigh several gigabytes, but you need to clean it carefully - after a reboot, the device can slow down for 5-10 minutes.

If the Other section has shrunk slightly after this, move on to the next one, and often the problem lies deeper in the system logs and fragmented data.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear application data (Clear Data button) for system services (e.g. Mi Account or Google Play Services) and this may lead to authorization errors and loss of functionality.

Make a backup copy of important data|The charge of the device must be >50%|Close all background applications|Turn off automatic sync (Google, Mi Cloud)|Check the vacant space (needs at least 1 GB)-->

Method 2: Delete log files and dumps through Engineering Mode

One of the little-known sources in the Other section is the log files and memory dumps that the system creates when it crashes or debugs, which can take up to 5-10 GB, but are not displayed in the standard file manager, to delete them:

1. Open the Phone app and type the combination: ##4636##. This will open the Engineering Mode.
2. Go to the Usage statistics tab and find Dumpstate/logcat.
3. Press Delete dumpstate/logcat and confirm deletion. The system will clear all dumps and logs, including those that have been accumulating for months.

If the engineering menu is not available (on some POCO or Redmi Note models it is blocked), try an alternative method:

adb shell rm -rf /data/log/*


adb shell rm -rf /data/tombstones/*

These commands will delete logs via ADB (you need a computer and USB debugging enabled). Be careful: improper use of ADB can damage the system.

Method 3: Cleaning ART/Dalvik cache and optimizing storage

Another invisible memory eater is the cache of the ART virtual machine (or the outdated Dalvik on older versions of Android), which speeds up the launch of applications, but after updating or deleting programs, it fragments and enters the Other section, and you can clean it up like this:

• 🛠️ Using Recovery Mode: Turn off the phone, then press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery. select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data!) will remove the cache ART/Dalvik data-free.
• 🤖 Through ADB (Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line and type: adb shell pm compile -m speed -f All packets. This team will reassemble the cache. ART, It can take a lot of time to delete fragmented data. 10–30 minute.

Once the ART cache is cleared, the device will run slower for the first few application launches – this is normal as the system recovers optimized files.

💡

If the ART device is slowing down after cleaning, give it 1-2 hours to re-optimize, do not restart the phone during this period and do not run resource-intensive applications.

Method 4: Manually remove application residues via File Manager

When you delete an app through Settings, its main files disappear, but often remain:

• 📂 Folders with settings in /Android/data/ and /Android/obb/;
• 🗃️ Configuration files in /data/data/ (Root rights are required);
• 🖼️ Miniatures and cash in /DCIM/.thumbnails.

To remove them manually:

1. Open File Manager (or any other file manager with access to system folders).
2. Go to Internal Memory → Android → Data and delete folders with names of remote applications (for example, com.tencent.mm for WeChat).
3. Check the obb folder – there may be heavy game files (1-2 GB each).

Without root rights, you can’t delete files from /data/data/, but even cleaning /Android/data/ and /obb/ can free up a few gigabytes.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders of existing applications (for example, com.android.vending for Google Play), this will lead to their collapse.

Method 5: Last resort and how to minimize losses

If nothing works, and the Other partition takes up more than 20 GB, the last option is factory reset, which is a radical method, but it is guaranteed to clear all hidden files. Here's how to do it correctly:

1. Backup: Use Mi Cloud or Google Drive to save contacts, photos and notes. Apps can be restored via Google Play, but their settings will reset.
2. Account Untied: Delete all accounts (Settings → Accounts) to avoid being blocked after a reset (especially important for Mi Account).
3. Reset: Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset and select “Delete Everything.” The process will take 5-15 minutes.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore data from the backup immediately – first check whether the “Other” partition is back».
• 📱 Install only the necessary applications (excess programs will clog up memory again).
• 🔧 Turn off automatic download of updates for system applications (Settings) → Annexes → Auto-update).

💡

Factory reset is the only way to completely remove fragmented files, but it should be a last resort, and 80 percent of the time, 1-4 helps.

How to Prevent the Re-Accumulation of the Other

To prevent the problem from returning in a month, follow these recommendations:

• 📵 Limit background activity: In Settings → Battery → Power saving mode, turn off background work for unnecessary applications, which will reduce the number of logs created.
• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly: Use the app SD Maid (requires root) or built-in cleaning utility MIUI once-in-a-week.
• 🚫 Avoid cleaners: Apps like Clean Master or CCleaner often create more trash than they remove.
• 📲 Control Updates: In Settings → The phone. → Update system disable automatic firmware download. Large update files often remain in the Other section after installation.

It's also useful to track which applications are most actively writing in memory.

1. Install DiskUsage Analyzer from Google Play.
2. Start scanning the internal memory.
3. See which folders grow the fastest (especially in /data and /cache).

If you notice that the Other section is growing again, repeat cleaning the dumps (Method 2) or the ART cache (Method 3). Regular maintenance will help avoid radical measures like resetting.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's "Other" section