How to completely remove the folder “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi: from manual cleaning to system tricks

Xiaomi Redmi’s Other folder is one of the most puzzling and annoying features of MIUI, which takes up gigabytes of memory but doesn’t display its contents in the file manager, and standard cleaning methods often don’t work, and users are faced with a situation where, when space is scarce, the system insists that the Other weighs 10-20 GB, even though there are no visible files.

Compounding the problem, Xiaomi does not document this section properly. The official instructions mention that it stores app cache, temporary files and system process data, but in practice the folder grows to illogical sizes - especially after MIUI updates or resets. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to clean the Other, including hidden settings, ADB commands and even manual removal via TWRP (for advanced users).

It's important to understand that not all of the contents of The Other can be deleted without consequences. Some of the files are critical to the system, and cleaning them can lead to failures. So we'll start with the safest methods and gradually move on to radical measures, with detailed warnings at each stage.

What is the “Other” folder on Xiaomi Redmi and why is it growing?

In MIUI firmware, the Other folder (Other in English) is a container for files that the system cannot classify as photos, videos, music or documents.

• 🗃️ App cache (including Google Play Services cache, which can weigh several gigabytes).
• 📁 Temporary files from system processes (e.g., error logs or memory dumps).
• 🔄 Residual data after deleting applications (some programs leave “tails” in the form of configuration files).
• 🔒 Encrypted files (e.g. Mi Account or Xiaomi Cloud data).
• 🛠️ Update files (packet residues) OTA, which did not leave after installation).

The main reason for the growth of the Other is the malfunction of the cache cleaning mechanism in MIUI. For example, after updating the firmware, the system must automatically delete temporary files, but often this does not happen. In addition, some applications (especially social networks and messengers) create cache in protected partitions that are not visible to the user through the standard file manager.

Another nuance: on a dynamic memory Redmi (like the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G), part of the Other can take up an extended /data partition that the system reserves for future needs. This is normal behavior, but it masks the real amount of unnecessary files.

⚠️ Note: If the Other folder is less than 2-3 GB, it is not recommended to clean it. This can be a critical cache of system applications, the removal of which will lead to slowdown of the smartphone.

Method 1: Clearing the cache through MIUI settings (the safest method)

Start with the simplest, built-in MIUI tools, which won’t delete all the contents of The Other, but will help you free up 1 to 5 GB without risking the system.

Open Settings → Memory → Cleanup (or Storage → Cleaner in the global version). Here you will see a list of applications with the cache size. Click on the Clean button at the bottom of the screen, the system will delete unnecessary temporary files. However, this method does not affect deep system data.

For more thorough cleaning:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by size (click on the three dots in the top right corner → Sort by size).
3. Select apps with a large cache (such as Facebook, Telegram, Google Play Services) and click Clear Cache.
4. For system applications (e.g. com.miui.gallery), you may need to click on “Storage” → “Clean Data”.

Close all applications in multitasking

Connect the charger (the process can take 5-10 minutes)

Check the vacant space before and after cleaning

Do not interrupt the process even if the smartphone is heated.-->

Once cleaned, reboot the device, so that the system can recalculate the space in the Other folder, and sometimes after rebooting, the Other's volume decreases by 10 to 30 percent without any additional action.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear system application data (e.g. com.android.phone or com.miui.home) unless you are sure of the consequences. MIUI.

Method 2: Use a file manager with root rights (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can try to manually delete files from Other, which requires a file manager with access to system folders like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer, and root rights (most Redmis require them to be obtained through unlocking the bootloader).

Algorithm of action:

1. Install the file manager and give it root rights.
2. Go to the root directory (/) and open folders: /data/data – application data is stored here; /data/system – system settings and cache; /cache – temporary update files; /data/log – system logs (can be deleted completely).

com.miui.

com.android.

cache

.odex

.apk

Pay special attention to /data/app-lib, which often leaves tails from remote applications, which can be deleted. Also check /data/dalvik-cache, but only clean it if you are sure that you will not disrupt the system.

💡

Before you manually delete files, back up via TWRP or Mi Cloud to help restore the system if something goes wrong.

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (without root but with PC)

If root is not available, but you have a computer, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to clean the cache of system applications, a method that is safer than manually deleting files, since it does not affect critical data.

Instructions:

1. Download and install Google’s Platform Tools.
2. Turn on USB debugging on Redmi: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then go back to Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging on USB.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute in the command line: adb devices (the name of your device should appear).
4. Run a command to clear the cache of all applications: adb shell pm trim-caches 1000G (this will forcibly clear the cache of all user and system applications).
5. To clear a cache of a particular application (e.g. Google Play Services): adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms

Once you have completed the commands, restart the device.This method often frees up 1-3 GB in the Other folder, as it removes the cache that is not visible through standard settings.

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (radical method)

If the Other folder takes up more than 10 GB and previous methods did not help, the last option is a complete reset, which will delete all user data, but return the system to its original state, where the Other will occupy a minimum volume (usually 500 MB-1 GB).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Back up your important data via Mi Cloud or Google Drive.
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
3. Select Clear Everything (do not use the Save My Files option, as it leaves a part of Other).
4. After reset, don’t restore the data from the backup immediately – first check how much the Other takes up. If it is acceptable (up to 1-2 GB), you can return the files.

Step-by-step:

1. Install TWRP for your Redmi model (instructions are available on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forum).
2. Boot to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up when turned on).
3. Go to the “Wipe” section → “Format Data” and type in yes for confirmation.
4. After formatting, reboot to TWRP and install a clean MIUI firmware (preferably the latest stable version).
5. Do not restore data from backups right away – check the volume of Other first.

This method deletes all data without recovery, including files in internal memory, but it is guaranteed to solve the problem of the bloated Other, since it completely recreates the /data partition.

💡

Formatting via TWRP is the only way to remove “stuck” update files (OTAs), which often take up 5–10 GB in the Other folder and are not deleted by standard methods.

How to prevent the “Other” folder from growing again?

To prevent the problem from returning, follow these recommendations:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Memory. → Cleaning (once every 1-2 weeks).
• 🚫 Do not install applications from unverified sources – they often create hidden files in system folders.
• 📱 Turn off automatic app updates in Google Play – some updates leave garbage in the “Other».
• 🔒 Use lighter versions of apps (e.g. Facebook Lite instead of the main client).
• 🔄 Periodically reboot the smartphone – this clears temporary files from RAM.

You should also disable unnecessary system services:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → System Applications.
2. Find Mi Video, Mi Music, Mi Browser and other pre-installed programs you don’t use.
3. Click on “Disable” or “Delete Updates” (if the option is available).

If you notice that The Other is growing again, check which app is to blame with Storage Analyzer (available on Google Play), which shows which programs occupy the most space in hidden sections.

Once a week.

Once a month

Only when memory ends

Never cleaned.

Another option-->

Frequent Questions About the “Other” Folder on Xiaomi Redmi