Xiaomi Redmi’s “Other” folder: where to find, how to open and what to do with it

Why the Other folder takes up so much space – and how to find it

Have you ever looked into the storage of your Xiaomi Redmi and wondered why the Other partition takes up gigabytes of memory when you didn’t save anything there? It’s not a system bug — this is how MIUI classifies files that don’t fall into the standard categories (“Images”, “Video”, “Audio”). This folder can hide app cache, temporary update files, messenger data and even remnants of deleted programs.

The problem is that Xiaomi doesn't show the contents of this partition by default in a standard file manager. And if you try to clear the memory through Settings → Storage, the system will only suggest removing a few megabytes — although the real volume of "Other" can be as much as 10-20 GB. Why is this happening? The fact is that MIUI protects some system files from accidental deletion, but does not provide the user with tools to manage them.

In this article, we’ll look at 4 ways to access the Other folder, from simple (through hidden settings) to advanced (using ADB), and you’ll learn which files can be safely deleted and which ones should not be touched so as not to break the system.

Method 1: Using a standard file manager (without root)

The easiest method is to use the built-in Files (or Mi File Manager), but the default folder "Other" is not displayed there. To see it, you need to enable the display of hidden files and system partitions:

1. Open the Files app (the icon with the folder on the desktop).
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper left corner.
3. Select Settings → Show hidden files and turn on the switch.
4. Return to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and scroll down the list. The Other folder can be called Other,.other or MIUI (depending on the firmware version).

If you don't have a folder, don't worry. With the new MIUI 14+, Xiaomi has moved some of the files to a secure /data partition that's not available without superuser rights, so move on to the next way.

Is Hidden Files Included in Manager Settings

Is there a backup of important data (photos, contacts)

Battery charge above 30% (in case of failure)

Are cloud syncs disabled (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)-->

Do not delete files with extensions.db,.xml or folders called com.android.* - this is system data.

• 📁 Downloads folders (if duplicated)
• 🗑️ Files with extension.tmp,.log,.bak
• 🎮 Cash games (folders) Android/obb remote)
• 📱 Backup copies of messengers (for example, Telegram/Telegram Documents)

Method 2: Through storage settings (partial cleaning)

If you don’t need all the files from the Other, but only to make room, use the built-in MIUI tool. It will not show the contents of the folder, but will remove unnecessary data:

1. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
2. Click on the "Other" section (may be called Other Files or Other).
3. Wait for the analysis (may take 1-2 minutes).
4. The system will prompt you to clear the cache, temporary files and application residues. Tick the unneeded items and click "Delete".

Note that this method only removes up to 30-40% of the content of the Other, and the rest of the files remain intact because they are system processes or secure application data.

Once a month

Only when memory ends

Never cleaned.

I tried it, but it didn't work out.-->

Method 3: Use of ADB (for power users)

If the first two methods didn’t work, and the Other folder still takes gigabytes, it’s time to connect ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to access hidden partitions without root permission, but requires care.

First, turn on the USB debugging:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version until the words “You became a developer” appear.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Turn on USB debugging and confirm the action.

Now connect your phone to your PC and execute the commands:

adb shell


su -c "cd /data && du -sh *" | grep -i "other\|miui\|cache"

This command will show the real size of the hidden folders. To delete unnecessary files (for example, cache), use:

su -c "rm -rf /data/local/tmp/*"

⚠️ Attention: Inappropriate use of rm -rf You can delete critical system files. Never run this command in the root directory (/) without specifying a specific folder!

💡

Before working with ADB, back up your data via adb backup or built-in MIUI tools. Go to Settings → System → Backup and save it to Mi Cloud or locally.

Method 4: Applications for storage analysis (alternative)

If you don't want to mess around with ADB, you can use third-party utilities that won't give you as much access as manual methods, but they will help you visualize what exactly ranks in the "Other" section.

• 🔍 Files by Google – shows large and unnecessary files, supports cache cleaning.
• 📊 Storage Analyzer – builds memory usage diagrams by file type.
• 🧹 SD Maid – Finds junk files, duplicates and remnants of deleted applications.
• 🛠️ DiskUsage – displays folders as an interactive map (convenient for finding “heavy” directories).

Example of Files by Google:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Open it and give access to the storage.
3. Go to the "Cleaning" tab.
4. Click “Free space” – the application will automatically find unnecessary files in the “Other” section.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, SD Maid) require root rights to work properly, and without them, they will only show a portion of the files.

What to do if the “Other” folder is filled again

Even after cleaning, the Other section can grow quickly, which is normal — MIUI is using cache to speed things up, but if the folder takes up more than 5GB in a week, you should take action:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic download of media in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram). These files often fall into "Other».
• 🗑️ Clean the cache of games (especially) PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact via Settings → Annexes.
• 📥 Remove unnecessary APK Download folder – these can also be classified as “other files».
• 🔧 Update. MIUI — in new versions of firmware optimized work with cache.

If the problem recurs, check if the particular application is to blame.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the list by data size.
3. Check out applications with a capacity of more than 500 MB – they may save data in “Other”.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with the Other folder, users often make errors that cause system failures.

1. Deleting the entire MIUI folder will cause the shell to collapse, storing themes, fonts and interface settings inside.
2. Clean /data/dalvik-cache – Without these files, Android won’t be able to run apps.
3. Using rm -rf / commands will remove ALL from the device, including firmware.
4. Delete oat and odex files – they are necessary for the operation of optimized applications.

If after cleaning the phone began to brake or get out errors - try:

• 🔄 Restart your device (sometimes the system recovers critical files automatically).
• 🛠️ Reset cache via Recovery (does not delete user data).
• 📱 Reinstall the problem application (if the failure is related to a specific program).

💡

If you're not sure what you're doing, don't delete files manually, use built-in MIUI tools or third-party apps with good reviews.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions