How to Clean a folder Other on Xiaomi: effective methods

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the mysterious situation when the internal memory of the device is rapidly filled, and standard cleaning tools do not give the desired result. In the storage section, a category called “Other” appears, which can take up tens of gigabytes, causing the system to slow down and inability to install new applications.

This section is a collection of system files, application cache, residual data after deleting programs and temporary files that the MIUI or HyperOS operating system cannot automatically classify. Understanding the nature of this data is key to successfully freeing up space without the risk of losing important personal information.

In this guide, we will detail safe and effective ways to clean this partition using both built-in tools and third-party utilities, and look at methods that require deeper intervention in the device’s file system.

What is hidden in the other section

The Other section is not a specific folder in the usual sense where a user can simply go and delete files, but it is an aggregate value that the system assigns to files that do not fall into the standard categories like Photos, Videos, Apps or Documents.

The bulk of this section is cached data from messengers, streaming services and browsers, for example, Telegram or WhatsApp can store watched videos and images in temporary storage, which over time grows to huge sizes.

• 📂 Social media and messenger cache that is not removed by standard cleaning.
• 💾 Residual files of remote applications, including configuration data.
• 🔄 Temporary system and application update files left over after installation.
• 📁 Error dump files and log files created by the debugging system.

It can also store offline maps of navigation programs and downloaded episodes of TV shows from online cinemas, which are formally owned by applications, but the system classifies them as user-generated content of an unknown type.

⚠️ Before you start a deep cleaning, make sure that important files, such as documents or work projects, are not in hidden folders of system applications.

Use of the built-in Security application

The first and safest step to free up space is to use the MIUI tool, which has access to system partitions and can delete secure temporary files.

Launch the app and select Clean up. The system will analyze the device and suggest removing debris. However, working with the Other section often requires you to go to the advanced cleaning settings.

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Use the Deep Clean feature in the Security app, which scans large files and duplicates, often hidden in system folders.

Some firmware versions offer a “Cache Clear” option that allows you to select specific applications and delete only temporary files without affecting your account details, the most secure method that does not require root rights.

• 🧹 Click on the broom icon for quick cleaning of obvious debris.
• 📱 Select “Applications” for detailed cache analysis of each installed software.
• 🗑️ Use size-sorting to find the most voracious memory consumers.

Regular use of this tool helps keep the Other partition volume within reasonable limits, preventing critical memory filling.

Clearing the cache through application settings

If the automatic means didn't work, you need to move to manual cleaning, which takes longer, but gives you a better result, because you control the deletion process.

Go to the Settings menu, then select Apps and click All Apps. In the list that opens, find the apps you actively use: social networks, browsers, navigators.

Inside each app's menu, look for Warehouse or Memory, and you'll see two buttons here: Clear Cache and Clear Everything (or Erase Data), and it's important to distinguish between these actions: Clearing the cache is safe and only deletes temporary files, while resetting the data will delete your logins, correspondence, and settings within the app.

Pay special attention to messengers. Telegram, for example, better use the built-in settings: Settings → Data and memory → Memory use → Clear cache. This allows you to set up automatic cache cleanup after a certain time.

⚠️ Note: Do not click the “Erase Data” button for banking applications or important instant messengers unless you are sure you remember passwords for re-authorization.

Analysis of storage by third-party utilities

Xiaomi’s standard file manager doesn’t always show the full picture of what’s taking up space. For more detailed analysis, it’s recommended to use specialized analytics apps like DiskUsage or Files by Google.

These programs build a visual memory card, where each square or block is the size of a file or folder, and this allows you to instantly identify hidden directories that occupy gigabytes of space.

Using DiskUsage, you can find folders with names like.thumbdata or a streaming cache that you can't see in a regular Explorer, and deleting such files through a third-party manager is often more effective than the system manager.

Working with Android folder and Telegram cache

One of the heaviest parts of the Other section is often the Android/data and Android/obb folder. It stores game data and app cache. Starting with Android 11, access to this folder is limited, but is possible through SAF-enabled file managers (Storage Access Framework).

In MIUI 12.5 and later, and in HyperOS, the built-in Explorer can restrict viewing of the contents of the Android folder. To circumvent this restriction, you can use the Files app from Google or X-plore, which request full permission to access files.

Telegram deserves special attention, which is famous for its insatiable appetite for memory, it stores all the media files viewed in cache, and it is better to clean up through the settings of the application itself, using the “Clear Cache” function with autodelete settings.

• 🚀 Open the Telegram settings and go to Data and Memory».
• 🗑️ Click on “Memory Use” and select “Clear Cache».
• ⏱️ Set a timer for auto-deleting (for example, 3 days or 1 week).

After this procedure, the Other section can shrink by a few gigabytes instantly, the most effective way to combat the proliferation of garbage in modern smartphones.

Resetting settings as a radical method

If none of the above methods helped significantly reduce the volume of the Other partition and it continues to grow, it is possible that critical file system errors have accumulated in the system or system logs have been corrupted.

In this case, the only effective solution is a complete factory reset, which completely removes all user data, apps and settings, returning the phone to the “out of the box” state.

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

Before performing this procedure, be sure to back up all important data to the Mi Cloud, Google Drive or your computer, as it will not be possible to recover deleted files after resetting.

After resetting and initial system setup, the Other partition usually takes up a minimum volume (several hundred megabytes), which indicates that the file system is working normally.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting is irreversible. Make sure the battery is charged at least to the minimum. 50-60%, to prevent the phone from turning off during the formatting process, which can cause a breakdown.

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A complete dump is a last resort, but often the only way to get rid of systemic garbage accumulation errors that cannot be fixed manually.

Prevention of memory overflow

To prevent the problem of the crowded “Other” section from returning, you need to adhere to several rules of operation of the Xiaomi smartphone: regular maintenance is more important than one-time cleanings.

Try not to store large amounts of files directly in your phone’s memory, using cloud storage or microSD cards (if the device model supports installation), which will reduce the load on internal flash memory.

• 📅 Once a month, audit installed applications and remove unnecessary.
• ☁️ Set up automatic upload of photos and videos to the cloud.
• 🧹 Use the cleaning widget on your desktop for quick access to the cleaning function.

Also keep an eye out for MIUI and HyperOS updates. Xiaomi engineers regularly release patches that optimize the file system and improve memory management algorithms.

Frequently asked questions