Xiaomi’s “Other” section: what it is and how to clean it

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face a situation where the built-in storage is overflowing and standard cleaning tools do not give the desired result. You open the memory settings and see the mysterious category “Other”, which can take up tens of gigabytes, which causes confusion and irritation, because the user does not understand where exactly the free space went.

A MIUI or HyperOS system groupes into this section all files that cannot be uniquely classified as applications, images, video or audio. It is essentially a file system black box that stores cached data, remnants of deleted programs, system logs and temporary messenger files. Understanding the structure of this partition is the first step to effectively managing the space on your device.

Don't panic if the volume of this category has increased dramatically, most often it is the result of active correspondence in messengers or watching online videos. However, you should not ignore the overflow of the section, as this can lead to unstable work of the gadget. In this article, we will discuss in detail the composition of the "Other" and consider safe cleaning methods.

What the “Other” section really consists of

To effectively combat space shortages, you need to know the enemy in person. The "Other" section is not one type of file, but a collection of different data. First of all, this includes the cache of applications. Social networks and messengers such as Telegram or WhatsApp save the photos and videos you have viewed in temporary storage so that they can be uploaded faster when you reopen them.

The second big component is residual files, which when you delete an application, it doesn't always remove all its tails, folders with settings, temporary archives, and error logs can stay in the system for years, and also includes operating system data that is necessary for its stable operation, but not classified as kernel system files.

Offline maps and uploaded content from streaming services deserve special attention. If you used a navigator without the Internet or downloaded movies on Netflix, this data can also be displayed in this category. It is important to understand that not all content in the section is garbage that can be thoughtlessly removed.

• 📦 Social network cache and instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber).
• 🗑️ Residual files of remote applications and games.
• 📄 Error Logs and Temporary System Reports.
• 🗺️ Offline data of navigation applications.

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Use the built-in storage analyzer in the Security section to see a more detailed breakdown by application ranking in the Other category.

Why the volume of the “Other” is constantly growing

Dynamic growth in space in the Other category is a natural process for a modern mobile operating system. The more you use your smartphone, the more data you accumulate. The main driver of growth is messengers. For example, Telegram caches all media files viewed by default, and without manual adjustment, this process can take dozens of gigabytes in a few months.

Another reason is that the Android file system works, because when you install and delete applications frequently, the directory structure can become fragmented, and the system marks the blocks that are free as writeable, but pointers to old data can be stored in service partitions, increasing the volume of the Other, especially on devices that have been in use for more than two years without fully reinstalling the system.

Also worth mentioning are automatic updates: App update files downloaded through Google Play or GetApps sometimes remain cachet even after a successful installation. If you rarely reboot your smartphone, those temporary files are not cleared automatically. The accumulated effect of hundreds of small updates can significantly reduce the available space.

Safe cleaning with standard MIUI and HyperOS

Before you go to any radical measures, you should use the standard optimization tools. MIUI And HyperOS has a powerful Cleanup tool built in that can find and delete secure temporary files without affecting your sensitive data. → Cleanup.

The system will analyze the contents of the memory and suggest removing the cache, advertising files and installer residues. However, standard cleaning is often superficial. For a deeper analysis, go to Settings → Memory. Here you will see a list of applications, sorted by the amount of space occupied. By clicking on a particular application, you can select the option “Clear the cache”.

It's important to distinguish between Clear Cache and Clear All Data. The first operation is secure and only deletes temporary files. The second operation will reset the application to a state immediately after installation, removing your logins, correspondence and settings within this application.

Manual deletion of files through Explorer

For advanced users who want full control of the file system, a manual cleaning method is suitable. You will need a standard Explorer app. Go to the root folder of the device and look at the Android/data and Android/obb directories. This is where most applications store data.

The data folder contains user data and cache. If you delete a folder of a particular application (e.g. com.whatsapp), you lose all data inside it. So be careful. Look for folders with names of remote games or applications that can be deleted without fear. Also check the Tencent folders (for their products) and MIUI.

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/


/storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/

Often at the root of memory lies forgotten ZIP-archive, APK-Installators and folders from long-distant programs. Carefully look at the root list of folders. If you see an app name that's not on your phone anymore, you can delete it safely, and that will free up a significant amount of space that the system previously thought was "Other».

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Deleting folders from Android/data is only safe if you are sure that the application is removed, or if you are ready to lose its local data (save games, offline maps).

Use of third-party file managers and analyzers

Standard Explorer doesn't always show the real picture of the space distribution. To visualize data, you'd better use specialized tools like Files by Google, DiskUsage or Total Commander. These applications build a graphics memory card where the size of the rectangles corresponds to the size of the files.

With these programs, you can instantly detect heavyweights, and it often turns out that half of the space in the "Other" section is occupied by one forgotten film or archive of documents that lies in a hidden folder, and visualization allows you to quickly identify such objects and decide whether to delete them.

When using third-party file managers, make sure you give the necessary permissions to access all files.In newer versions of Android (11 and above), access to the Android/data folder is limited, and the file manager can request special permission through the system window.

Radical methods: Resetting and flashing

If the volume of the Other partition continues to grow despite all cleanup attempts, the yen space reaches critical values (over 30-40 GB), a radical solution may be required. The most effective but time-consuming way is a complete reset to the factory settings (Wipe Data).

This procedure completely removes all user data, settings and applications, returning the smartphone to the “out of the box” state. The “Other” section disappears completely as the file system is reformatted.

Preventing memory overflow in the future

To keep the problem from returning, you need to change your smartphone usage habits: first set up messengers, on Telegram and WhatsApp, set autodelete media files or limit the cache storage period, which will prevent the data folders from growing uncontrollably.

Regularly, at least once a month, review the installed applications, delete the programs that you have stopped using, remember to check the folder after you delete the game. Android/obb It is also useful to periodically reboot the smartphone, as when you reboot some temporary system files are automatically cleared.

⚠️ Warning: Don’t use the dubious Play Market accelerators and cleaners, often the ones that are the source of garbage, create unnecessary processes, and display intrusive ads claiming your phone is infected.

Keep an eye out for system updates. Xiaomi engineers regularly release patches that optimize the file system and caching mechanisms. The current firmware version ensures that system errors that lead to memory leaks will be corrected.

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The best prevention is conscious use: setup autocleaning in messengers and regular manual control of the Downloads folder.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

⚠️ Note: If the “Other” section immediately takes up a large volume after resetting to factory settings without installing applications, this may indicate a hardware memory malfunction or a serious firmware bug.