How to completely remove the folder “Other” on Xiaomi Redmi 9: from cache to system garbage

The “Other” folder on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is one of the most mysterious and annoying features of MIUI. It can take up from 5 GB to 20+ GB of memory, but does not display specific content in the standard file manager. Users often face a situation where free space on a smartphone is running out, and this section is the culprit. What is the reason for its appearance and can it be safely deleted?

In fact, "Other" is a collection category for files that the system cannot automatically classify.

• 📁 Application cache (including hidden data of messengers and social networks)
• 🔄 Temporary update files MIUI Google Play
• 🗑️ Remains of Remote Applications (Incorrectly Cleaned Data)
• 🔒 System Logs and Dumps (Created When Failed)
• 🎮 Game files (e.g. Genshin Impact cache or PUBG Mobile)

In this article, we’ll break down 5 working ways to clean the Other folder on Redmi 9, including hidden settings. MIUI, utilization ADB-Importantly, some methods require super-user rights, but we will also provide secure alternatives for users without root access.

1.What is the "Other" folder and why does it grow

The MIUI’s Other folder is not a physical directory, but a virtual category that the system uses for files that don’t fit into the standard partitions (Images, Videos, Audio, etc.) and the main reasons for its growth are:

• 🤖 Automatic cache creation: Applications (especially social networks and instant messengers) save temporary data to speed up work, for example, Telegram can store up to 5 GB of cache media files.

Fun fact: On Redmi 9 with factory firmware, the Other folder often takes up more space than on custom firmware (e.g., Pixel Experience), which is due to MIUI's aggressive caching policy.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete the “Other” folder through the File Manager → It's a virtual category, and deleting it will only cause the system to crash. You have to clean the specific files inside it.

2. Method 1: Cleaning the application cache through settings

The safest method is to manually clean the cache for each application, which does not require root rights and does not damage user data (photos, messages, game saving).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Scroll down the list – the heaviest apps will be at the top.
4. Select an app (like Facebook or Telegram) and click Clear cache.

Pay special attention to the following applications (they most often accumulate cache):

• 📱 Google Play Services (can take up to 1 GB)
• 💬 Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber (media files)
• 🎮 Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty (cache texture)
• 🌐 Browser (Chrome, Mi Browser) – history and temporary files)

Backup important data |Close all applications |Connect charger |Contact free space after cleaning-->

⚠️ Note: Do not clear data (Clear data) for system applications (such as Settings or Phone) – this may cause a crash MIUI. Clean only the cache.

If the cache returns quickly after cleaning, try limiting the background activity of the applications:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select the application and set a Background activity limit.

3. Method 2: Using a built-in MIUI cleaner

MIUI It has a built-in garbage cleaning tool – “Cleaner”** (Security). → It deletes temporary files, cache residues and unused data, but often skips deep system files.

How to use:

1. Open the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to the Cleaner tab.
3. Press Deep Clean and wait for the scan.
4. Select all items (especially Residual Files and Application Cache) and click Clear.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Doesn't require root rights.
• ✅ Safe for the system.
• ✅ Remove up to 1-3 GB of garbage at a time.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Does not clear the cache of some system applications.
• ❌ Can skip files of games and large messengers.

💡

If the size of the Other folder hasn't changed after cleaning, reboot the phone. MIUI sometimes doesn't update the vacancy data right away.

Method 3: Delete temporary MIUI update files

When updating firmware MIUI system downloads packages into a folder /cache and /data/ota_package, But it doesn't always delete them once they're installed. 2–3 GB and appear in the "Other" section».

To remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version, then go back to Additional Settings → Developer Options → Debugging by USB).
2. On PC, open the command line and type: adb shell su rm -rf /cache/* rm -rf /data/ota_package/*
3. Reboot the phone.

If you do not have root rights, use an alternative method:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top corner and select Remove the downloaded package.

⚠️ Note: Do not manually delete files through the file manager in folders /system or /vendor. This can lead to a blink (complete inoperability) of the device.

5. Method 4: Manual cache removal of games and heavy applications

Games and some apps (like TikTok or Instagram) store gigabytes of data in custom folders, which MIUI categorizes as "Other" -- for example, Genshin Impact can take up to 15GB on a device.

How to find and clean these files:

1. Open the File Manager → Internal memory.
2. Go to the Android → data folder (if not, turn on the display of hidden files in the manager settings).
3. Find folders with the names of games or applications (for example, com.miHoYo.GenshinImpact).
4. Remove the cache folder inside (don’t touch files – there may be saves!).

For popular games, paths to cache:

If the game starts to slow down after cleaning the cache, it just recreates the files it needs the next time it runs. That's okay.

💡

Cleaning the game cache does not delete saves or accounts. All progress is stored in the cloud or in the files folder.

6. Method 5: Advanced cleaning with ADB (no root)

If previous methods didn’t work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) for deep cleaning, which doesn’t require root rights, but allows you to remove system debris that is not available through standard settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.
2. Connect Redmi 9 to USB and enable USB Debugging (see Method 4).
3. Open the command line in the ADB folder and type: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
4. Follow the instructions for cleaning: adb shell pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Clean up the standard adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.downloads # Clean up the adb shell pm clear com.android.vending # Clean up the Google Play cache adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files
5. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

These commands delete:

• 🧹 Google Play Store and Google Services Cache.
• 🗑️ Temporary download and update files.
• 🔄 Remains from the work of system utilities MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Do not use the adb shell pm clear command for system applications like com.android.settings or com.miui.home.

7.Extreme measures: reset to factory settings

If the Other folder takes up more than 10GB and no methods help, the last option is hard reset, which will delete all data from the phone, including apps, photos and settings.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup copy: 📸 Photos and videos – copy to PC or cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud). 💬 Messages – Export through Settings → Google → Backup. 🎮 Save games – check if they are linked to an account (Google Play Games, Mi Account).

Settings → About the phone → Reset settings → Erase all data

Clear it all up.

After restarting, set your phone as new.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Deletes all unnecessary files, including hidden debris.
• ✅ Corrects File System Errors.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Requires a complete reconfiguration of the phone.
• ❌ Risk of data loss in case of incorrect backup.

💡

After reset, don't restore the data from the backup immediately. First, check if the Other folder has appeared again. If not, install the applications gradually to identify the culprit.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the "Other" folder on Redmi 9