Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones sooner or later face an unpleasant situation: internal memory is full, although photos and apps seem to have not gone away. In the storage settings, a mysterious category “Other” appears, which can take from 5 to 50 gigabytes, slowly but surely turning the performance of the device into a turtle, this problem is especially relevant for models with a small amount of internal storage, where every gigabyte counts.
Android, in the MIUI or HyperOS shell, has the ability to accumulate temporary files that are not always properly deleted by standard cleaning tools. The user sees a red occupancy scale, but does not understand where exactly his resources went. To understand what is hidden under this name and learn how to effectively manage this space is a task of paramount importance for extending the life of your gadget.
In this article, we will explore the nature of hidden data, analyze the structure of the file system, and propose proven methods for safe cleaning, learn how to distinguish system files from garbage, and understand why a simple reboot does not always help to free up space.
The nature of the emergence of the category “Other” in the Android system
To effectively combat a problem, you need to understand it. The Other category is not one particular file, but a hoard of different types of data that the operating system cannot uniquely classify as media files, documents or installed applications, primarily the cached data of applications that are designed to speed up their work, but grow to giant sizes over time.
Telegram, WhatsApp, YouTube and Spotify store videos, music and images they have watched in hidden folders, and over time, these files are no longer needed, but the system continues to consider them important user data, hiding them in the “Other” section.
In addition, the remnants of remote applications, temporary update files and logs of the system work are included. The MIUI shell has its own indexing features, which causes some system processes to create duplicate thumbnails or temporary copies of files that also settle in this storage.
- 📦 Cache of system applications and services Google Play
- 🎵 Downloaded music and offline maps from navigators
- 📸 Miniatures of deleted photos in the gallery
- 📝 Temporary files of office editors and browsers
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files from system folders through root-righted file managers without understanding their purpose).
Analysis of occupancy: what exactly takes place
Before you start cleaning, it is important to conduct a diagnosis. Xiaomi’s standard storage analyzer often shows only the tip of the iceberg. For deeper immersion, it is recommended to use built-in analysis tools or third-party utilities that visualize the structure of folders, which will allow you to see exactly which application or data type is occupied by the lion’s share of memory.
Often, it turns out that the main “eaters” are not system processes, but user applications that we use daily. Social networks create hundreds of megabytes of garbage in a matter of days of active use. Video calls, autoplay stories and background content loading all put a heavy burden on the drive.
It's also worth checking the download folder. Many users forget they've downloaded heavy loads. PDF-documents, installations APK-files or entire seasons of shows that are no longer needed, often not indexed as "Video" or "Documents" but as other data.
Special attention should be paid to the update files of the system. After successfully installing a new version of Android or shell, the installation package often remains in memory. It can take several gigabytes and lie dead weight, waiting for manual cleaning.
Standard cleaning methods through Xiaomi settings
The fight for free space should always be started with regular funds. Xiaomi has built-in tool “Cleanup”, which is available in the application “Security” or “Services”, which is the most secure method for inexperienced users, as it eliminates the risk of deleting critical system files.
To start the procedure, go to the Settings menu → Memory or open the Security → Cleanup app. The system will scan and suggest removing obvious debris: advertising files, remnants of deleted applications and temporary files. However, this method often only affects the surface layer, leaving the deep cache intact.
A more effective way is to manually clear the cache of specific applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, select a “heavy” app (like YouTube or TikTok) and click Memory → Clear the cache. It is important not to confuse it with the “Clear All” button, which will reset the application to factory status by removing your logins and settings.
- 🧹 Run the standard cleaning through the “Safety” app»
- 📱 Manually clear the cache top-5 heavyweight
- 🗑️ Check the Recycle Bin in Gallery and File Manager
- 🔄 Restart the device to complete background processes
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Periodic reboot of the smartphone (at least once a week) helps the system to reset some temporary files and optimize the work of RAM.
Deep cleaning of messengers and social networks
Messengers are the main culprits behind the “Other” bloat. Telegram, for example, caches all media files viewed by default so that they open instantly when re-watched. Without manually configuring this cache can grow to 10-20 gigabytes or more, occupying a significant part of the internal drive.
Telegram is better done through built-in settings: Settings → Data and memory → Memory Use → Clear cache. Here you can configure autodeletion of the cache, for example, 3 days or a week after viewing, this will save correspondence intact, but make room for old videos and pictures.
WhatsApp works differently. It stores media files in a shared folder that the file manager sees. To clean WhatsApp, you better use the built-in storage management feature: Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Management. Here you can sort files by size and delete the heaviest video files or documents you send.
⚠️ Note: When cleaning your messenger cache, make sure you have a backup of important chats in the cloud if you plan to clear your data completely, not just the cache.
☑️ Messenger cleanup plan
Radical methods: resetting and flashing
If soft practices don’t work and the Other category continues to grow, occupying a critical volume, radical measures must be taken. Hard Reset is the most effective way to return the smartphone to a store-like state, but this step requires full preparation, since all data will be permanently deleted.
Before resetting, make sure to back up your contacts, photos and important documents on your Mi Cloud or computer. Once reset, the system will be as small as possible, and the Other section will be reduced to a few hundred megabytes, which is the norm for a clean system.
In some cases, especially on older models or after unsuccessful updates, it helps to flash the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility. This allows you to completely install the operating system, eliminating any software errors of the file system that could lead to incorrect display of memory.
Risks of total dumping
Comparison of cleaning methods and their effectiveness
The choice of cleaning method depends on how much time you are willing to spend and how big the problem is. Below is a table that will help determine the optimal strategy for freeing up space on your Xiaomi device.
| Cleaning method | Efficiency | Security of data | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cleaning ("Safety") | Low (up to 500 MB) | Tall. | Minimum |
| Cleaning the app cache manually | Medium (1-5 GB) | Tall. | Low. |
| Cleaning messengers (Telegram/WhatsApp) | High (5-20 GB) | Medium (needs backup) | Medium |
| Full reset (Hard Reset) | Maximum (up to 99%) | Low (backup required) | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, manual messaging often produces better results than standard tools, with minimal risk, and radical measures should be applied only when other methods have exhausted themselves.
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Regular preventive cache cleaning once a month is more effective and safer than an emergency full reset once a year.
Preventing overcrowding of storage
To keep the Other problem from coming back, it is important to develop a habit of controlling memory: Don’t let the drive fill up more than 85-90%. When there is a critical shortage of space, the Android system starts to work unstable, and errors can occur when installing updates and saving new files.
Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk allow you to free up space on your device by storing media files in the cloud with the ability to delete local copies, which is one of the most effective ways to keep your memory in order.
It is also recommended to regularly check the Download folder and remove old app installers, many users not even suspect that they are storing dozens of APK installation files that have long since lost their relevance.
- 📅 Check your memory once a month in the settings
- ☁️ Set up sync photos with the cloud
- 🚫 Turn off auto-save media in WhatsApp and Telegram
- 🗑️ Clean the Download folder regularly»
⚠️ Attention: Using third-party accelerator apps (Clean Master and analogues) often backfires, taking up space, displaying ads, and can delete files.