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

The Other folder on Xiaomi Redmi Note smartphones is one of the most mysterious and annoying features of MIUI firmware. It can take up 5 to 30 GB of memory, but does not display its content in a standard file manager. Users often face a situation where free space is running out, and the system persistently points to this folder as the main “eater” of memory. What is the reason for its appearance and how to safely delete it without risking damage to the system?

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods of cleaning the Other folder, from simple (manual cache cleaning) to radical (reset to factory settings). Particular attention will be paid to the Redmi Note 10/11/12 models and MIUI 12-14 firmware, since the memory algorithms are different in them, and you will learn which files can be deleted without consequences, and which ones can not be touched categorically - even if they take several gigabytes.

What is the Other folder and why does it appear on the Redmi Note?

The Other folder (or Other in the English version of MIUI) is a system container in which the firmware drops files that do not fall into the standard categories (Images, Videos, Audio, etc.)

• 📁 App cache (including Google and Xiaomi system services)
• 🔄 Temporary update files (OTA, MIUI, Google Play)
• 📄 Logs and dumps (error reports, system logs)
• 🔐 Encrypted data (e.g. files) DRM streaming)
• 🤖 Remnants of Remote Applications (Incorrectly Uninstalled) APK)

The main problem is that MIUI does not provide tools to view the contents of this folder through a standard File Manager. Moreover, even third-party applications like ES Explorer or Solid Explorer often do not see it completely due to the limitations of Android resolutions. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ with MIUI 13, the “Other” folder can take up to 15 GB, but only display 2-3 GB in memory analytics.

Why doesn't the system clean it automatically? Because some of the files in Other are used by active processes, like the Google Play Services cache or Mi Cloud data can be blocked for deletion while the app is running in the background, and Xiaomi deliberately hides some files so that users don't delete critical firmware components.

Method 1: Manually cleansing the application cache (without root)

The safest method is to remove the cache for individual applications. This does not require superuser rights and is suitable for all Redmi Note models (from Note 7 to Note 12 Turbo).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Scroll down the list – the heaviest apps are usually at the bottom.
4. Select an app (e.g. Google Play Services, Mi Video, Facebook) and click Clear Cache.

Pay special attention to the following applications (they most often clog the “Other”):

• 📱 Google Play Services (cache can weigh 1-3 GB)
• 🎥 Mi Video / Gallery (miniatures and metadata)
• 📘 Facebook/Instagram (story cache and video)
• 🎮 Game Turbo (if you play games, there can be up to 500MB of garbage in the game)

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache for Settings (com.android.settings) and System UI (com.android.systemui. This can cause a malfunction of the interface.

After cleaning, restart your phone and check the size of the Other folder in Settings → Memory. If there is no change, move to the next way.

Method 2: Delete temporary update files (MIUI and Google)

One of the main memory eaters in the Other folder is update files. MIUI firmware and Google services download update packs in the background, but they don't always delete them once installed. These files can take anywhere from 500 MB to 2 GB and last for years.

To find and remove them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Open the Internal Storage →.OTA folder (hidden, turn on hidden files).
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension or names like update.zip, miui_*.zip.
4. Go to Internal Storage → Download →.com.google.android.apps.staging and remove all content.

Also check the following folders (paths may vary depending on the MIUI version):

⚠️ Note: If you are using the Beta version MIUI, Do not delete files from /data/ota_package, If you're not sure if the update is installed, it could result in you losing the ability to roll back to a stable version.

💡

Before you delete update files, check the current version of MIUI in Settings → About Phone. If it matches the file name in the.OTA folder, you can safely delete it.

Method 3: Using ADB for deep cleaning (no root)

If manual methods don't work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a debugging tool that allows you to delete system files without superuser permissions, which is suitable for power users and requires you to connect your phone to a PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times), then Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb devices (should display your device).
4. Give a command to clear the cache of all user applications: adb shell pm trim-caches -f 1000
5. To remove dumps and logs, type: adb shell rm -rf /data/tombstones/* adb shell rm -rf /data/anr/*

These commands delete:

• 🗑️ Cache of all applications (including system)
• 📜 Error Logs (Tombstones) - Drop Dumps)
• ⏳ Files. ANR (app-hang reports)

⚠️ Note: Do not use the command adb shell rm -rf /data/dalvik-cache/* — This will damage the system and require a flashing. /system rootless.

💡

ADB It allows you to clear up to 30% of the contents of the Other folder, but does not touch files blocked by the system (for example, it can be used to remove the contents of the Other folder, DRM-keys or data).

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (radical method)

If the Other folder takes up more than 10GB and isn’t cleaned by other means, the last option is a full reset, which will delete all data, including accounts, photos and apps, but return the phone to a “clean” state.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Disable Mi Account (if tied): Settings → Xiaomi Account → Sign out.
3. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Erase all data.
4. Choose to erase everything and confirm the action.

After discharge:

• 🔄 The folder “Other” will weigh 100-300 MB (the minimum required volume for the system to work).
• 📱 The phone will be as new as the new one, but all settings and data will be lost.
• 🔐 Reference to Mi Account will remain, but you will need to re-enter.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi Note models (such as Note 10 Pro) may require a reset of the bootloader.If you have previously unlocked it, make sure you have a persist and modem backup.

Method 5: Unlock the bootloader and custom firmware (for advanced)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, unlocking the bootloader and installing custom firmware (like Pixel Experience or LineageOS) will completely solve the problem with the Other folder. On pure Android (without MIUI), this folder simply does not exist - instead, it uses a standard storage system.

The advantages of this method:

• ✅ The “Other” folder disappears forever.
• ✅ Free space increases (2-5 GB more than in the MIUI).
• ✅ Xiaomi’s background processes that consume memory are disappearing.

Cons:

• ❌ Lose the warranty (if the phone is guaranteed).
• ❌ The risk of “bricking” with incorrect firmware.
• ❌ The company functions will not work MIUI (For example, the Game Turbo or Second Space).

If you decide to take this step, follow the official instructions for unlocking the bootloader from Xiaomi:

https://en.miui.com/unlock/

After unlocking, you can install TWRP and flash custom recovery.

💡

Before you run your firmware, check the compatibility of custom firmware with your Redmi Note model on the XDA Developers forum. For example, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G will suit the Pixel Experience Plus firmware based on Android 13.

What NOT to do when cleaning the “Other” folder

Many "advice" from the Internet can damage the system or cause data loss, and this is strictly forbidden:

• 🚫 Delete files from /system without root, this will lead to a bootloop (cyclic reboot).
• 🚫 Format a section /data through TWRP, If you don’t backup, you’ll lose all your data, including IMEI.
• 🚫 Use “memory cleansers” from Google Play (such as Clean Master or CCleaner) – they often delete useful files.
• 🚫 Remove the Android folder at the root of the storage – it stores app data, including game saves.
• 🚫 Disable system applications through ADB (for example, pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.analytics – this can disrupt the work MIUI.

Also avoid “magic” commands from the internet like:

adb shell su -c "rm -rf /data/*"

This command will delete all user data, including photos and messages, but will not touch the Other folder, as it is partially located in protected sections.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the folder “Other” on Xiaomi