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

The Others section in Xiaomi Redmi 9 memory is one of the most mysterious folders for users, taking up gigabytes of space, but not showing specific files that can be manually deleted. In this article, we will discuss what exactly is hidden under the term Other, why this partition grows over time and how to clean it without harming the system.

The main problem is that MIUI automatically assigns app caches, temporary files, deleted program residues, system logs, and even update fragments to the Other. On Redmi 9, with its modest 32-64 GB of storage, this garbage can take up to 10-15 GB, which is critical for users who store photos, videos, or install heavy games. We tested all working methods, from standard MIUI tools to advanced commands through ADB.

What is the “Other” in Xiaomi Redmi 9 memory and why it takes up so much space

In MIUI, the Others section is a container for all files that the system cannot categorize as standard (photos, videos, audio, documents, applications).

• 🗑️ Application cache – temporary data that programs save to speed up work (for example, thumbnails in the gallery, messenger cache).
• 📁 Residual files – “tails” from remote applications that have not been completely cleaned.
• 📜 Log files of the system - error logs, crash reports, debugging data (especially a lot of them accumulate after updates). MIUI).
• 🔄 Update fragments – undeleted firmware packages that have downloaded but not installed.
• 👤 Account data – synchronization cache of Mi Account, Google and other services.

On Redmi 9, the problem is compounded by the fact that the smartphone is often used as the primary device for photo/video, and also due to the features of the F2FS file system, which fragments small files more than ext4.

Another nuance: MIUI hides some of the Other files from the user to prevent the accidental deletion of critical data. /data/system/package_cache It can weigh a few gigabytes, but you can't see it without root rights. ADB.

Method 1: Cleaning the application cache through MIUI settings

The safest and easiest method is to remove the cache for all applications, which will not affect personal data (photos, messages, accounts), but will free up from 1 to 5 GB of space, depending on the intensity of smartphone use.

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 – at the bottom there will be applications with the largest cache (usually messengers, social networks, browsers).
4. Put it on the app → Storage → Clean the cache.

To speed up the process, you can use the function “Cleaning all cache”:

1. Go to Settings. → Memory.
2. Click Clean in the Cash section (usually a bin button).
3. Confirm the action.

Slip three points in "Application Management" and sort by size|Clear the messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber)|Check browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser) – their cache can weigh 1-2 GB|Remove the cache of games (especially if you are playing heavy Genshin Impact projects)-->

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse Clear cache and Clear data! The second action will delete all the settings of the application, including logins and saved files (for example, in games this will lead to loss of progress).

Method 2: Removing garbage through the built-in Security app

MIUI has a built-in deep cleaning tool called the Security app, which scans the system for unnecessary files, including:

• 🗃️ Residual files after uninstallation of applications.
• 📥 Unused. APK-Files (remainders from installing programs).
• 📊 Failure reports and system logs.
• 🔍 Duplicate photos and screenshots.

How to use:

1. Open the Security app (if it isn’t on your desktop, search through search).
2. Go to the Cleaning tab (broom icon).
3. Press Deep Clean and wait for the scan to be completed.
4. Check all categories (especially Residual Files and System Garbage) and click Clean.

💡 Useful tip: After cleaning, restart the phone, which will help the system correctly recalculate the occupied space in the "Other" section. MIUI Incorrect memory data before rebooting.

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If the “Other” section has not decreased after cleaning, check the Downloads folder – heavy files (for example, videos from messengers) are often downloaded there, which the system refers to the “Other”.

Method 3: Manually clean through file manager (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can manually delete some of the Other files through the file manager, using a standard Files app or third-party tools like Solid Explorer (which requires root permissions to access system folders).

Where to look for garbage:

• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data — You can delete folders of programs that you deleted long ago, but their data is left.
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb — Game files (e.g. additional resources for Genshin Impact or PUBG). If the games are deleted, these files can be cleaned.
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Download — Downloaded files that the system may attribute to “other».
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails — Photo and video miniatures (you can delete them, they will be restored automatically).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files in folders /system, /data or /vendor You can't root, you can crash, and you can't touch files with.odex,.apk or.so extensions in your system directories.

Critical information: The /data/app-lib folder on Redmi 9 often contains residual files from older versions of applications that take up to 1-2 GB. It can only be cleaned through ADB or root-rights.

Method 4: Cleaning through ADB (for advanced users)

If previous methods didn't work, the most radical way is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a debugging tool that allows you to remove system debris that is not available through a normal interface.

Step-by-step:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive on your computer.
2. On your phone, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.
4. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC and in the command line (Windows: cmd, Linux/macOS: Terminal) do:

adb devices


adb shell




pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster # Clearing the cache of the Security app




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary files




rm -rf /data/log/* # Clearing Logs (requires root)




exit

To remove the cache of all applications, use immediately:

adb shell pm trim-caches 256M

(where 256M is the cache limit, you can specify more, for example 512M)

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf No root rights will only work on a part of the folders. ADB It can cause data loss or system failure. If you're not sure, skip this method.

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ADB allows you to clean up to 3-5 GB of garbage that is not available through standard MIUI tools, but requires caution - one error in the command can delete critical files.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If the Other takes up more than 10GB and no methods are working, it leaves the phone completely reset, which will delete all data, including apps, photos and settings, but return the device to a "clean" state, and on Redmi 9, the reset is done like this:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the phone will be like new – no trash in the Others section.

🔹 What to do after a reset:

• 🔧 Restore data from the backup selectively (do not restore system settings – they can clog memory again).
• 📱 Install only the necessary applications (excess programs will quickly fill the cache).
• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Memory.

⚠️ Note: Redmi 9 may have Mi Account activation error after reset if the phone was linked to the account!

How to prevent the re-accumulation of “other”

To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow these recommendations:

• 📵 Clean the cache of messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) once every 1-2 weeks – they accumulate gigabytes of garbage.
• 🚫 Avoid installing applications from unverified sources (APK-Files often leave residual debris behind).
• 🔄 Update regularly MIUI — In new versions, the work with cache is optimized.
• 📁 Use Google Drive (Mi Cloud) for photos and videos instead of local storage.
• 🛑 Turn off automatic download of media files in messengers (settings) → data-storage).

You can also install third-party memory monitoring tools, such as Files by Google or SD Maid (the latter requires root permissions to work properly), which show which files are in the Others section.

💡 Useful tip: If you install/remove games frequently, use the app cloning function in the app. MIUI (So, the debris from the temporary applications will not accumulate in the main memory.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the “Other” section on Xiaomi Redmi 9