The problem of overflowing the “Other” partition in the storage of a smartphone is a classic situation for owners of devices based on MIUI. Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi 9 often notice that the free space disappears for no apparent reason, and the system shows a mysterious gray block, occupying gigabytes. This section accumulates all the files that the operating system cannot uniquely classify as images, music, videos or documents.
The accumulation of this digital garbage has serious consequences: the smartphone starts to run slower, applications can fly out, and installing updates becomes impossible due to lack of space. Cleaning the cache and removing excess data is not just a way to free up space, but a necessary measure to maintain the stability of the gadget. Let's figure out what is hiding inside and how to safely get rid of it.
In this article, we will look at proven cleaning methods, ranging from standard system tools to more advanced tools. The “Other” section on Redmi 9 is often inflated precisely because of the cache of messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp, which the system does not consider user files, you will learn to effectively manage the memory of your device.
What's in the "Other" section of Redmi 9
Before we start radical action, we need to understand the nature of this data. In the Android operating system that Redmi 9 uses, the Other section (sometimes called System Data) is generated automatically, which includes temporary files left over from applications, error logs, remnants of deleted programs and, of course, cache.
Telegram and WhatsApp have a habit of saving all received media files to their internal folders, which the system perceives as part of the application, not as a gallery, and can store data streaming services, offline maps of navigators and temporary browser files.
- 📁 Temporary files and logs of system processes that have not been deleted automatically.
- 📦 Cache of installed applications, including game and social media data.
- 💾 Residual files from long-deleted programs, occupying disk space.
- 🎵 Downloaded tracks and videos from online services (Spotify, YouTube, Yandex.Music).
Sometimes the volume of this partition can reach 10-15 GB, which is a critical indicator for the budget Xiaomi Redmi 9 with its limited internal memory. Understanding the structure of these files helps you choose the right cleaning method without deleting important data.
Basic cleaning through standard MIUI facilities
The safest and first step for a Redmi 9 owner is to use a built-in cleaning tool. Xiaomi has a useful security utility that allows you to quickly get rid of some of the garbage, which does not require installing third-party software and minimizes the risk of accidental deletion of important system files.
To get started, open the Security app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. Click on the Cleanup button. The system will quickly analyze and prompt you to delete the garbage files. However, to get to the Other section, you need to click on the Deep Cleanup icon or go to the storage management.
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Use the Deep Clean feature regularly, at least once a week, to prevent critical overgrowth of the Other section.
In the menu that opens, look at the categories Big Files, Application Files, and Recent Deletions, where heavy objects that are classified as Other are often hidden. Take a closer look at the lists, and you can find forgotten screen videos or APK installation files.
⚠️ Warning: When using deep cleaning, carefully check attachments in messengers. The system may suggest removing important work documents or personal photos that you sent to yourself or colleagues.
It’s also worth checking the settings of the storage itself. Go to Settings → About Phone → Storage. This is where the system visualizes the memory. By clicking on the “Other” category (if it’s clickable in your version of MIUI), you can sometimes access a more detailed list of files for manual deletion.
Analysis of storage using third-party snails
Xiaomi’s regular tools don’t always show the full picture. For a more detailed analysis of what exactly occupies space in the “Other” section of Redmi 9, it is recommended to use specialized analysis apps, which build a visual memory card, allowing you to see the real size of the folders.
One of the most popular and secure utilities is Files by Google or DiskUsage. Once you install an app like this, you'll see a diagram where each sector corresponds to a specific folder. You'll find that, for example, an Instagram cache folder takes up 2GB, although this isn't always obvious in the app's settings.
Using these tools, you can identify bloated databases, and it often happens that an application has already been deleted, but its data folder is left dead weight at the root of internal memory, and removing such orphan folders safely and efficiently frees up space.
When working with third-party file managers, it is important to be careful: Do not delete folders whose names you do not know, especially if they are in system directories. Focus on folders at the root of the store that have application names (for example, com.whatsapp, Telegram, Yandex).
Manual cleaning of the cache of messengers and social networks
As mentioned, the lion’s share of the “Other” section on Redmi 9 is accounted for by instant messengers. Telegram is the absolute leader in memory consumption, as it stores all the photos and videos viewed in cache by default.
Go to the settings of the messenger itself. In Telegram, the path looks like this: Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use. Here you will see the "Clear Cache" button. You can press it boldly, your correspondence and files in the cloud will not go anywhere, they will simply download again if necessary, freeing up gigabytes of space.
For WhatsApp, the situation is a little different. In this app, the cache is cleared through your phone settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → WhatsApp → Memory. Press the Clear Cache button (do not confuse it with Clear Everything or Delete, otherwise you will lose correspondence!).
☑️ Checklist of cleaning messengers
A similar procedure is worth doing for Viber, Instagram and browsers. In Chrome or standard MIUI Browser, go back in history and select Clear History, making sure that the box is next to Images and Other Files.
⚠️ Note: Clearing the data (not cache) in messengers will result in a full logout from the account and deleting the local history of correspondence if it was not stored in the cloud.
Regularly checking these settings will keep the Other section within reasonable limits, and it is recommended to disable autoload media in the mobile data settings so that the phone does not download extra when you are not connected to Wi-Fi.
Using PC and debugging mode for deep cleaning
If the software methods did not help and the “Other” section still takes up a critically large amount of space on the Xiaomi Redmi 9, you can use a computer. Connecting your smartphone over USB allows you to see the file system in more detail and delete files that are hidden from the eyes of mobile utilities.
To do this, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI version. After that, a new section will appear in the menu "Additional" (or "Advanced Settings"), where you need to find "For Developers" and enable "Debugging by USB".
adb shell pm clear com.android.cacheConnect your phone to your computer with a cable. Select file transfer mode (MTP). Open internal memory on your PC and carefully examine the contents. Look for folders called tmp, temp, cache or folders with the names of remote games. These can be safely deleted through Windows Explorer or macOS.
Should you use ADB to remove system debris?
It is also convenient to find and delete files with the.apk (application installers) and.log (error reports) extensions through your computer, which often inflate the volume of the Other. Simply type in.apk or.log Explorer and sort the results by size.
Therefore, after cleaning on the PC, it is worth checking the storage again.
Cardinal measures: Reset to factory settings
When neither method helps reduce the volume of the Other partition on Redmi 9 and it continues to grow, there may be an accumulation of errors or damaged sectors in the file system, in which case the most effective, albeit radical, solution is to completely reset the device to factory settings.
This procedure completely removes all data from the phone, returning it to the “shop-like” state. The “Other” section is guaranteed to be cleared, as the file system will be formatted again.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The system will request confirmation and password from the account. The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will restart and require initial setup.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Risk of data loss | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cleaning | Low (10-200MB) | No. | Very easy. |
| Cleaning up the app cache | Medium (1-5 GB) | Minimum | Easy. |
| Third-party utilities | High (up to 10 GB) | Medium. | Middle-Average |
| Reset to factory | Maximum (100%) | Total loss. | Long time. |
After a reset, take your time to restore all the applications from the backup. Try using a clean phone for a couple of days. Often, it turns out that one particular application caused the garbage to surge, and re-install it will create a problem again.
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A complete reset is the only guaranteed solution if the file system is damaged by logical errors that are not removed by a regular cleaning.
Preventing memory overflow in the future
To prevent the problem with the “Other” section on your Xiaomi Redmi 9 from returning too quickly, it is worth changing your smartphone usage habits. First of all, this concerns setting up automatic download of media files. Turn off auto-save to the gallery for all messengers.
Check Downloads regularly, at least once a month, and they often accumulate there. PDF-files, images and documents that you no longer need, but which the system refers to as user files or "Other" if they have a specific format.
- 📅 Set a schedule for cleaning the cache every two weeks.
- ☁️ Use cloud storage for photos and videos, including the “free space” function».
- 🚫 Avoid installing “accelerators” and “cleaners” from unverified sources, they create garbage files themselves.
Also watch for updates to the MIUI system. In new firmware versions, Xiaomi often optimizes memory and fixes bugs that lead to incorrect display of storage volume.
⚠️ Warning: Do not fill the phone’s internal memory “to the end”. For Android and the “Other” section to work correctly, there should always be a minimum of 10-15% free memory of the total.
Compliance with these simple rules will allow your Redmi 9 to run quickly and steadily throughout its life, and the mysterious “Other” section will no longer be a source of concern.