Xiaomi’s ‘Other’: What are these files, why do they take up so much space, and how to delete them

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage settings and found that the Other partition is tens of gigabytes long, even after you delete all the photos, videos and apps, this mysterious item continues to inflate, eating up precious space. What's the catch?

The fact is that MIUI hides the Other under system caches, temporary files, remnants of deleted applications, log files, and even hidden messenger data, which the manufacturer has purposely combined into one category so as not to confuse the user — but this creates the illusion of “unmanaged garbage,” in fact, most of these files can be safely cleaned, and some even useful to save for stable smartphone operation.

In this article, we will go into detail: what exactly is included in the Other, why this section grows over time, and what tools will help reduce it, from built-in MIUI functions to third-party utilities, and also find out in which cases it is strongly recommended not to touch these files, so as not to break the system.

What’s hidden under the “Other” item in Xiaomi’s storage

Xiaomi’s official documentation describes the Other as System Data and Cache, but in practice, there are many more file types.

• 📁 Application cache and systems: temporary files that are created to speed up the operation of programs (for example, thumbnails of images in the gallery or map data in Google Maps).
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications: Not all files are erased when uninstalled – often settings, databases, or cache remain.
• 📜 Logs: error logs, crash reports, and diagnostic information that the system collects for debugging.
• 🔄 System Updates: Built but not installed packets MIUI or security patches.
• 📱 Messenger data: Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store media files, stickers and backups of chats here.
• 🖼️ Miniatures and Previews: Miniature copies of images and videos that the gallery creates for quick viewing.

Interestingly, the composition of the Other may differ from MIUI to MIUI, for example, in MIUI 14, Google Play Services cache was added to the cache, and in HyperOS (starting in 2026), some files were moved to a separate category called System Data, and to know exactly what is taking up space on your device, you will need to analyze through special utilities.

According to internal tests Xiaomi, the average “Other” takes from 5 to 15 GB on smartphones with 128 GB of memory. But on devices with active use of messengers and games, this figure can grow to 20-30 GB. And even a full reset to factory settings does not always solve the problem – some files are restored from backups of the Mi Cloud.

Why the Other section grows over time and how to stop it

The main reason for the "Other" to blow up is the automatic creation of cache and logs without cleaning them later.

1. Active use of instant messengers: Telegram and WhatsApp cache all media files from chats, even if you did not save them.
2. Frequent application updates: Each update leaves a trail in the form of older APK versions and temporary files.
3. Heavy graphics games: titles like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile create gigabytes of cache for textures.
4. System failures and errors: When an application crashes, MIUI generates a report (log) that is not deleted.

Another common cause is file system errors, for example, if you interrupt copying files from your PC to your phone, the system may mark them as "damaged" but not delete them, and these "zombie files" take up space but don't show up in the standard Explorer.

⚠️ Attention: If after cleaning the Other after 1-2 days it took several gigabytes again, the problem may be a virus or malware. Some Trojans masquerade as system files and actively generate garbage.

How do you stop the growth?

• 🔧 Turn off autoload media in the settings of messengers.
• 📥 Set cache limit for individual applications (in Settings) → Annexes → [Name of name] → Warehouse).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone regularly – this clears up some temporary files.

💡

If you install/delete games frequently, use the Cleanup function after deletion in Mi File Manager.

How to see what exactly takes place in the “Other”

The standard Storage section in MIUI settings only shows the total volume of the Other, but does not disclose details. To see specific files, you will need third-party tools or hidden system features.

Method 1: Mi File Manager (Engineered Explorer)

1. Open Mi File Manager (Folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the "Category" section» → «Other».
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Storage Analysis."
4. Wait until the scan is completed (it can take 5-10 minutes).

The system will show the distribution by file types: cache, log files, APK, etc. Unfortunately, Mi File Manager does not always correctly classify data, especially on older versions of MIUI.

Method 2: Storage Analyzer (Google Play app)

A more detailed analysis is provided by third-party utilities, for example:

• 📊 Storage Analyzer & Disk Usage – shows files as a diagram.
• 🔍 Files by Google – has a built-in “waste cleaner».
• 📂 SD Maid – Finds Remnants of Remote Applications.

These programs require permission to access the storage, but do not need root rights.

Method 3: Through ADB (for advanced users)

If you are ready to work with the command line, connect the phone to the PC and do:

adb shell du -h -d 1 /data | sort -h

This command will show the folder size in /data (where most user data is stored). Look for suspiciously large directories like /data/log or /data/dalvik-cache.

💡

The heaviest folders are usually associated with instant messengers and games, and start cleaning them if you want to free up as much space as possible.

Safe Ways to Clean the Other Without Root Rights

If you don't want to risk system stability, use these methods. They don't require superuser rights and they don't damage important data.

1. Cleaning the app cache

The easiest way is:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Telegram or Chrome).
3. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».

For mass cleaning:

• 🧹 Use the settings. → Warehouse → Cleaning (broommark).
• 📱 In Mi File Manager, select “Dumping».

2. Delete downloaded messenger files

Messengers are the main memory eaters, to clear their cache:

• 💬 In Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Clear the cache.
• 📱 On WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → Management (remove unnecessary media).

Also check the folders:

• /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/Telegram Images
• /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media

Remove unnecessary files manually.

3. Reset system cache (without data loss)

This operation deletes temporary MIUI files, but does not affect your photos or apps.

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the item "Storage" and select "Clear the cache system".
3. Confirm the action.

After a reboot, the phone can run a little slower for the first 10-15 minutes, which is normal as the system recovers cache.

Clear the cache of all applications|Remove media from messengers|Reset the system cache|Check the folders. /Download and /DCIM trash|Start analysis in Mi File Manager-->

Radical Methods: What Can Be Done With Root Rights

If the standard methods didn't work, and the Other still takes tens of gigabytes, you'll have to use advanced tools, and note, these methods require root rights and can lead to unstable phone performance if used incorrectly.

1. Removal of dalvik-cache

The /data/dalvik-cache folder contains optimized versions of applications to speed up their launch, and you can clear it, but after that:

• 🔄 The phone will reassemble the cache the next time each application is launched (slowdown).
• ⚠️ Some programs may be dropped until the cache is restored.

Cleaning command (root required):

su


rm -r /data/dalvik-cache/*




reboot

2. Cleaning up the folder /data/log

This is where the log files are stored, and they can be deleted without serious consequences, but new ones will appear in a few days.

su


rm -r /data/log/*




rm -r /data/anr/*




rm -r /data/tombstones/*

3. Removal of Remote Application Remains

Use SD Maid (CorpseFinder section) or the command:

su


find /data/data -type d -name "*" | grep -v $(pm list packages | sed 's/package://' | tr '\n' '|') | sed 's/|$//'

This command will find folders in /data/data that do not belong to the installed applications.

⚠️ Note: Delete files in /system or /vendor This can cause a phone to "brick" (completely inoperable) and never clear these sections unless you're sure you're doing something: /data/misc — It contains critical system settings; /data/adb — debugging; /data/property — system variable.

What NOT to remove from the Other (risks and consequences)

Not all files in "The Other" are safe to erase.

• 🚫 folder /data/app: stored APK Deleting the installed applications will lead to their disappearance.
• 🚫.odex and.oat: optimized code for fast software, without which apps will crash.

Also avoid cleaning:

• 🎮 Game data (e.g, /data/data/com.miHoYo.GenshinImpact) — It will lead to a loss of progress.

If you accidentally delete something important, try to recover data via DiskDigger or Recuva (you will need to connect your phone to a PC — MIUI Often overwrites deleted files.

How to prevent the re-accumulation of garbage

To prevent the Other from growing again, follow these guidelines:

1. Set up automatic cleaning: 📱 B Settings → Warehouse → Cleaning up, turn on the option “Autocleaning». 🔄 In Mi File Manager, activate Smart Cleanup (once a week).
2. Limit cache for "gluttonous" apps: 🎮 For games: in Settings → Annexes → [Game] → Storage set a cache limit (e.g. 500MB). 📷 For social networks: turn off autoloading videos on Facebook, Instagram.
3. Use cloud services: ☁️ Transfer photos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud. 📁 Archive rarely used files in Zip and move to PC.

Also useful:

• 🔄 Once a month, rebooting your phone clears up some temporary files.
• 📵 Do not install applications from unknown sources – they often leave debris behind.
• 📊 Monitoring Storage with Storage Analyzer.

If you’re actively using instant messengers, consider a dedicated microSD card (if your Xiaomi model supports memory expansion), and move media files from chat rooms to save internal storage.

Frequently asked questions