Storage “Other files” on Xiaomi: how to find and remove excess

Many Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners are facing an unpleasant situation sooner or later: notifications of space shortages appear more often, although user photos and videos have already been transferred to the cloud. When you analyze memory in detail through standard system settings, it becomes clear that the lion’s share of free space is occupied by a mysterious partition called “Other files” or “Other”, this partition can grow to tens of gigabytes, sometimes occupying up to 40-50% of the total volume of the internal drive, which critically affects the performance of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system.

The nature of this data is rooted in the way Android works, which accumulates temporary files, app cache, logs of errors and remnants of remote programs. If you don’t regularly prevent it, your smartphone starts to run slower, applications can shut down spontaneously, and the system will constantly demand to vacate space. Understanding what exactly is behind this designation is the first step to effectively managing your device’s memory.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to clean up your system debris safely, look at built-in analyzer tools and third-party utilities, and touch on the issue of manually deleting files through your computer. The Other section often contains a messenger cache like Telegram and WhatsApp that is not deleted during a standard cleanup. The right approach will allow you to return gigabytes of free space without risking damaging important data or disrupting the firmware.

What is hidden in the “Other” section really?

Before we start taking drastic measures, we need to understand the structure of the data that the system classifies as “Other” — everything that we can’t identify as apps, images, videos, audio or documents — including cache files, temporary update files, system logs, and, most importantly, messenger data — and often users don’t even realize that social networks and communication apps are the main memory eaters.

Special attention should be paid to the cache of streaming services and browsers. When you watch videos on YouTube or listen to music on online services, the device saves parts of streaming content for faster re-download. Over time, this data can take several gigabytes.

• 📦 Application cache: temporary data that speeds up programs but grows over time.
• 💬 Media files messengers: hidden folders with photos and videos from Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber.
• 📝 System Logs: Error reports and action history that are automatically generated.
• 📂 Residual files: data from long-deleted games and programs.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to delete files from system folders manually unless you're sure they're intended.Deleting critical libraries can lead to a cyclical smartphone reboot or data loss.

It is important to note that the volume of the Other partition is dynamic: it can grow dramatically after a system update or a heavy app is installed, and then slowly decrease as you use the phone. However, without user intervention, this process is extremely slow and inefficient. To maintain optimal operation, Xiaomi requires periodic monitoring of the content of this partition.

Use of built-in storage analyzer

The safest and first tool to use for Xiaomi is the built-in storage analyzer, which is integrated directly into the MIUI shell, and allows you to visualize the memory allocation, you need to go to the settings, select About phone and click on Storage, or find the Security app and select the Cleanup tool, where the system will offer to remove obvious debris, but to work with the Other section you need a deeper analysis.

Inside the analyzer, you'll see a color diagram where the "Other" section is usually marked in gray or green. Clicking on this sector, the system will prompt you to clear the application cache. This action is safe and will not lose personal correspondence or account settings, but will free up space occupied by temporary files. Standard cleaning often removes only the surface layer of debris, so to achieve maximum results, it is recommended to use the "Deep Clean" function if it is available in your firmware version.

The analyzer can sort files by size, which helps to find forgotten videos or archives that can also be counted in the category “Other” if their type was not determined correctly. Regular use of this tool helps to keep the situation under control and prevents critical memory filling.

• 🔍 Visualization: visualization of occupied space by category.
• 🗑️ Secure Deletion: Systems will not delete systemically important files.
• 📊 Sorting: the ability to find the most voluminous files and applications.

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Use the built-in “Accelerate” function in the “Security” application before starting the analyzer – this will close the background processes and allow you to more accurately estimate the cache volume.

Cleaning the cache of messengers and social networks

The most common reason for the growth of the “Other” section is messengers, especially Telegram and WhatsApp. These applications have the feature of saving all media files viewed to a cache that the system often does not recognize as “Photo” or “Video”, but refers to other data. In Telegram, for example, the cache can reach tens of gigabytes if the settings do not set a limit or automatic cleaning. To clean, you need to go to the settings of the application itself, find the item “Data and memory” and select “Memory Use”.

Inside the messenger settings, you'll see the Clear Cache button, and it's important not to confuse it with the Clear All Data button, because the last action will delete your correspondence and require you to log in again. Clearing the cache is safe: all your photos and videos will remain in the messenger cloud and will be re-uploaded if you want to browse. WhatsApp's procedure is similar to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management.

After cleaning up, you may notice that the Other partition has decreased by several gigabytes instantly, which is the most effective way to combat the space shortage for active users of social networks, and it is recommended that you install automatic cache cleaning in your messenger settings, for example, every 3 days or week, so that the problem does not accumulate in the future.

⚠️ Note: When cleaning the messenger cache through the phone settings (not the app itself), there is a risk of removing important temporary authorization files. Always use built-in cleaning tools inside Telegram or WhatsApp.

Removing Residual Files and Folders Manually

If automatic means don't work, you can manually delete files through Explorer. This requires a file manager with access to hidden folders, such as Xiaomi's built-in Explorer or third-party FX File Explorer. At the root of internal memory, you should pay attention to folders with the names of remote applications or games. Often after uninstallation of the game, its cache folder (usually located in Android/obb or Android/data) remains dead weight.

When working with folders in Android/data Be very careful. In newer versions of Android, access to this folder is limited, and the system can request special permission. Only delete folders whose names correspond to already deleted applications. If you are in doubt, it is better to leave a file than delete the system component. It is also worth checking the Download folder, where installations often accumulate. APK-files that are no longer needed.

For advanced users, hidden file mode is available, and if you turn it on in the Explorer settings (usually three dots in the corner of the screen), you can see files with a dot at the beginning of the name, and you can see logs and temporary files created by various services, but you should only delete them if you are sure of their origin.

Memory Analysis via Computer and ADB

For the most in-depth analysis and cleaning, you can connect your smartphone to your computer, but the standard file transfer (MTP) mode does not always display the real size of the system partitions and may show incorrect data about the Other folder. A more effective method is using USB debugging and ADB tools, which requires pre-activation of the developer mode.

To enable debugging, go to Settings → About Phone and click 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version). Then the Extended Settings will show a Developers option where you need to activate Debugging USB. By connecting your phone to your PC, you can use ADB commands to identify large files. For example, the adb shell dumpsys meminfo command will show memory information, but for disk analysis it is better to use third-party utilities on PCs that can work with ADB, such as Android Disk Usage.

adb shell ls -lsh /sdcard/ | sort -rn | head -n 20

This command will list the 20 heaviest files or folders at the root of the internal storage. By analyzing the output, you can find forgotten archives or logs that occupy the space. Beware: ADB commands give broad permissions, and erroneously deleting the system file through the command line can lead to the need to flash the device.

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Using a computer and ADB is the best, but requires technical knowledge, and for most users, built-in tools and messaging are enough.

Prevention and automation of cleaning

To keep the problem of crowded “Other” section from returning, it is important to introduce a habit of regular prevention. Modern Xiaomi smartphones allow you to automate some of the processes. In the “Security” application, you can set a schedule for automatic cache cleaning. In addition, you should review your cloud storage habits. Set up automatically uploading photos to Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud, followed by deleting local copies will significantly relieve memory.

It is also recommended to check the list of installed applications regularly. Often we install programs "on a one-time basis", forgetting to delete them. Each application continues to generate logs and cache, even if you do not use it. Once a month, take 5 minutes to review the installed software, which will help keep the system clean and ensure stable operation of the device throughout its life.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t install questionable accelerator apps from the Play Market. They are often the source of ads and junk files themselves, taking up more resources than they save.

In conclusion, the Other section is not a system error, but a feature of the Android file system. Proper cache management and timely digital space hygiene will allow you to forget about the lack of memory. Use built-in MIUI tools, control messengers and do not be afraid to delete unnecessary things so that your smartphone works quickly and without failure.