Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the device’s internal memory is full, although there is enough free space in the gallery and the list of applications. The storage analysis system shows a frightening diagram where the lion’s share is occupied by a sector called “Other” — this is not a counting error or a virus, but a system feature of the MIUI or HyperOS shell that summarizes all files that do not fall into standard categories like “Apps”, “Images” or “Audio”.
This section cannot be ignored, because overflowing internal memory leads to a critical slowdown in the interface, problems with installing updates, and even the inability to make calls or take new pictures. System cache can grow to tens of gigabytes if not controlled in a timely manner. In this article, we will discuss in detail what this volume is made of, why it arises, and how you can safely return free space to your gadget.
The Anatomy of the Other: What the System Hides
When you see the “Other” category in the storage settings, the system effectively admits that it cannot classify certain files according to its standard templates, primarily cached data from messengers like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Viber, which store the history of correspondence, photos and videos sent in their closed directories, which the standard analyzer does not see as “Media Files”.
In addition, this category often includes remnants of remote applications, temporary browser files and, most importantly, data from offline maps of navigation systems. If you use Yandex.Navigator or Google Maps with uploaded city maps, these gigabytes of data are also counted as “Other”. Technically, the “Other” section is the collection of all files whose MIME-Type does not match predefined categories of memory analyzer MIUI.
Another source of filling is system update files that were not deleted after installation, and logs of various services, sometimes files that are left over from resetting or transferring data from an old phone, and understanding the structure of this data is the first step to a competent cleaning without the risk of removing something important.
📊 What is the most important part of the “Other” section on your Xiaomi?
Cash. Telegram/WhatsApp
Offline maps of the navigator
System Logs and Updates
I don't know, just taking up space.
Why does memory fill up so quickly?
The main reason for the rapid growth of the volume of “Other” lies in the algorithms of modern applications. Social networks and messengers tend to store as much data locally as possible to speed up its loading when re-referred. Cache accumulates exponentially: if you are in dozens of channels and chat rooms, where videos and “circles” appear daily, they are automatically stored in hidden folders.
The second factor is the features of the file system and the way applications are updated. APK-The files may stay on the system for a while, and streaming services like Spotify, YouTube Music or Yandex.Music, which save tracks for listening without the Internet, also contribute. DRM-Encryption and for the system look like unidentified data.
The impact of streaming services on memory
Music and video apps often create clipboard copies that can weigh hundreds of megabytes (FLAC One hour of listening can take up to 500MB of temporary space, which is not always cleared automatically.> The third aspect is the work of the shell itself. MIUI. The system backs up settings and temporary files to speed up the interface, and if the phone is actively used, those files don't have time to be deleted, creating a snowball effect. This is especially noticeable on models with a small amount of internal memory, where even 10% of the occupied space can block the operation of the device. Do not immediately resort to third-party programs, as standard tools Xiaomi well know the structure of their folders. → Memory (or Advanced Settings) → Memory in older versions MIUI). Here you will see a detailed breakdown and a “Cleaner” button. The built-in Cleaner tool is able to find and delete unnecessary files, but often it acts superficially. For a deeper analysis, click on “Other” in the category list. The system will prompt you to clear the application cache. Please note that cleaning the cache does not delete your personal correspondence or photos, it only erases temporary files that the applications will create again if necessary. 🗑️ Cache Clearing: Deletes temporary files, speeding up applications but not touching personal data. 📦 Removal APK: Finds application installation files that are already installed and no longer needed by the system. 📷 Duplicate analysis: The built-in algorithm finds similar photos and screenshots that occupy space. It is important to regularly check the Recycle Bin section in the gallery and in the Files app. The photos deleted from there often continue to be listed as "Other" until they are permanently erased. It is also worth checking the settings of offline download in messengers, disabling saving media files to the gallery, if such an option is available. ☑️ Daily Memory Hygiene Check Telegram cache in application settings Clean the cart in Gallery and Files Delete old screenshots Check downloads in browser: 0 / 4 The leader in the capture of space in the category “Other” is always Telegram. This application stores the entire history of media files locally. To effectively clear memory, it is not enough to simply delete the chat. You need to go to Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use. You can use Clear Cache to select a time period, such as All Time or Last 3 Months. WhatsApp is similar, but file management is more detailed. Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. The system will show a list of chats sorted by volume. You can selectively delete large videos or documents from specific dialogues without deleting the correspondence itself. This allows you to free up gigabytes, save text history of communication. Don't forget YouTube and Instagram Stories, especially if you are actively using the video and you are also taking advantage of the video. Cleaning the data of these applications through system settings (Applications) → All applications → [Name of name] → Clearing the cache often gives a better result than the internal settings of the programs themselves. Radical measures: reset and manual deletion If standard methods did not help and the "Other" section still takes up the lion's share of memory, you will have to resort to more radical methods. One of them is manually searching for heavy folders through the file manager. MIUI Or third-party folders like Total Commander, you can sort folders by size, system_update The most efficient, but also the most time-consuming way is to completely reset to factory settings. Before this procedure, make sure to make a full backup of the data to the Mi Cloud cloud or to your computer. After the reset, the phone will return to the "out of the box" state, and the "Other" section will be minimal.However, if you immediately restore the backup of the applications with all their data, the problem may return (1-2 GB) No Minimum cleaning of messengers Average (3-10 GB No (unless you delete chats) Average Deletion of offline cards High (up to) 5 GB) No Low Reset to factory Maximum (frees everything) High (needs a copy) High When manually deleting files, be extremely careful. Deleting system folders can lead to unstable phone operation. ⚠️ Warning: Never delete folders with Android names, MIUI, system or files with the.apk extension, which you are not sure of the origin of. To prevent the problem of "place of storage is different" from returning regularly, you need to implement the habit of periodic prevention. First, use cloud services. Set up automatic synchronization of photos and videos with Google Photos or Yandex.Disk with the “Free space” function, which deletes local copies of already uploaded files. Second, control the settings of offline mode. Don’t upload maps of entire countries to your navigator if you only need one city.In music services, limit the quality of downloading tracks over the mobile network or turn off autoloading playlists. 📅 Weekly ritual: Allocate 5 minutes once a week to check the Memory section». ☁️ Cloud Storage: Move your photo and document archives to the cloud, leaving only the current one on your phone. 🚫 Disable Auto Updates: Turn off automatic app updates over the mobile network to avoid downloading excess in the background. Following these simple rules will keep the system clean and avoid sudden reports of space shortages at the most inopportune time. Remember, a full memory is not only an inconvenience, but also a factor that shortens the life of your smartphone's storage. Why does the memory fill up quickly after cleaning? It's due to the active background activity of the applications. Messengers and social media instantly cache the content you're viewing, and the system creates new logs and temporary files as it works, and regular cleaning is the only way to keep it under control? Yes, the.thumbnails folder in the DCIM directory can be deleted, it contains thumbnails of images for the gallery. The system will recreate it the next time you run the gallery. However, it is easier to use the built-in cache cleaning function of the gallery to avoid possible display errors. Does the "Other" section affect the speed of the phone? Yes, directly. When the internal memory is full by more than 85-90%, the speed of writing and reading data drops. This leads to interface friezes, long launch of applications and brakes when shooting video. Freeing space in the "Other" section of the display. Does the "Other" affect the speed of the phone? If you use third-party names, choose proven names like Files by Google or SD Maid, avoiding questionable accelerators.