Previous articleThe Other Eats Memory on Xiaomi: How to Clean Hidden Files Without Risk

You open up Xiaomi’s settings and you see that the Other section** takes up 10, 15, or even 20 GB of precious memory — and neither photos, apps, nor cache explain where the gigabytes went. This problem is familiar to owners of MIUI smartphones from Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi of all generations, from the budget Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi’s flagship 13 Ultra. Unlike the cache or app debris, the Other is not cleaned by standard means — it is not even visible in the file manager.

In this article, we will discuss what exactly is hidden under the “Other”** in Xiaomi’s memory, why the system does not show these files to the user, and how to safely delete them – from simple methods (via embedded tools) to radical ones (using ADB). Also, we will find out which files can be safely erased, and which can not be touched in any case – this will lead to a MIUI failure or loss of personal data. If after reading you have questions, check the FAQ section – there are cleared typical errors and myths.

What is the Other in Xiaomi’s Memory and Why Does It Take So Much Space?

The Other section** of MIUI is the black box of the system, where files that do not belong to the standard categories (Applications, Images, Videos, etc.) are placed.

• 📁 System log files (.log,.dmp) – error logs, memory dumps, crash reports. MIUI Actively creates them for diagnosis, but does not automatically remove them.
• 🔄 Temporary update files – firmware residues, packages OTA, which have not been cleaned after installation.
• 🗑️ Remnants of Remote Applications – Folders /data/app-lib/ or /data/data/, which have not been completely erased.
• 📱 Cache of system services, such as Google Play Services or Mi Cloud, which is not visible in the standard file manager.
• 🔐 Encrypted data – files that MIUI hides for security (e.g. Mi Account or Find Device).

Why is The Other growing to an incredible size? There are three things about MIUI:

1. Aggressive Logging: The system records the slightest events (from opening the app to changing the brightness of the screen), but does not clean old logs.
2. Incomplete removal of applications: even after uninstallation via Settings → Applications remain “tails” in /data folders.
3. Hidden Updates: MIUI downloads firmware and updates in the background, but does not always install them (for example, if space or battery is not enough).

On Xiaomi with 64 GB of memory, the “Other” can take up to 30% of the total volume, and on devices with 128 GB and above – up to 15-20 GB. This is not a mistake, but a feature of MIUI, but it can be corrected.

How to Check What’s in the Other’s Place

Before you clean the Other, you need to understand what files are stored there. The standard file manager from Xiaomi doesn't show them, but there are workarounds.

Method 1: Storage Analyzer (without root)

Storage Analyzer (or similar applications like DiskUsage) scans memory and shows hidden files, even without superuser permission.

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Start the scan (may take 5-10 minutes).
3. Look at the diagram: folders /data/log/, /data/system/ or /cache/ are usually the Other.

🔍 What to look for:

• 📄 Files with the extension.log,.tmp,.bak – they can be deleted.
• 📦 com.miui. or com.xiaomi. folders – often contain unnecessary cache.
• ⚠️ Miad (advertising module) or mipush (push notifications) folders – their cleaning can disrupt the work of services.

Method 2: ADB (for Advanced)

If you're ready to work with the command line, ADB will show you the full memory structure. Connect your phone to your PC and do:

adb shell


su




du -sh /data/* | sort -rh | head -n 20

This team will top-20 file /data/, Do not manually delete anything unless you are sure of the purpose of the file!

💡

Before scanning through ADB, back up important data. A team error can result in file loss.

5 Ways to Clean Up Xiaomi’s “Other” Without Root

If you don’t have superuser rights, these methods will help free up 3-10GB of memory without risking system stability.

1. Cleaning through "Storage" in settings

The safest, but least effective way to do this is to:

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Slip on "Other"** (may be called Other Files).
3. Click Clean or Remove (if the button is active).

🔴 Limitation: MIUI It will show only a portion of the files (usually no more than 1-2 GB).

2. Removal of the cache of system applications

Many MIUI services (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Music, Security) accumulate gigabytes of cache that are not visible in a standard manager:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size (shoot three points at the top right).
3. Select system applications (e.g. Downloads, Gallery, Security) and click Clear Cache.

Clear the cache in the Gallery | Delete the data in Downloads |Erase the cache of Mi Video and Mi Music |Erase Security (except Antivirus)

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3.Removing old MIUI updates

The system stores firmware packets in a folder /cache/ or /data/ota_package/. To remove them:

1. Open File Manager → Categories → Memory of the device.
2. Enable the display of hidden files (in the menu on the right).
3. Go to the cache folders, ota_package or downloaded_rom Delete files with the.zip extension.

4.Cache reset in Recovery Mode

This will delete temporary system files, including a part of the Other:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Power + Volume Up to Enter Recovery.
3. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (not to be confused with Wipe Data!).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: This method does not delete personal data, but may reset some settings (e.g. regional settings).

5 Use of the Files by Google application

Files by Google is better than a standard manager for finding garbage:

1. Install and open the application.
2. Go to the Cleanup section.
3. Select Unnecessary Files or Duplicates and delete them.

💡

Without root, you can clean up no more than 30-40% of the Other, and you need superuser rights or ADB to clean it completely.

Radical Methods: Cleaning the Other with root or ADB

If the standard methods didn't work, and the Other still takes 10+GB, you'll have to use advanced tools, and these methods require caution, because an error can lead to data loss or a device blink.

Method 1: Manual cleaning with Root Explorer

With root rights, you'll have access to all the folders.

🔹 How to clean:

1. Install Root Explorer (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /data/ and delete the contents of the folders from the table (except for the forbidden ones).
3. Reboot the phone.

Method 2: Clean through ADB (no root, but unlocked)

If you have an unlocked bootloader, you can use ADB to delete unnecessary files. Examples of commands:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.analytics # Cleanup of MIUI Analytics


adb shell rm -rf /data/log/* # Delete logs (requires root)




adb shell rm -rf /cache/* # Cache cleanup

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf No root will work. Don't delete folders like /data/data/ — This will cause a phone reset!

How to prevent the “Other” from being refilled

Cleaning up the memory is a temporary solution, so that the Other doesn't grow back, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic logging:
• 🚫 Stop background activity of unnecessary applications:
• 📥 Monitor updates MIUI:
• 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly:

💡 Tip: If your Xiaomi has less than 128GB of storage, consider buying a microSD (for models with support) or porting apps to the map via Settings → Annexes → Move it to SD.

Frequent Mistakes in Cleaning the Other and How to Avoid Them

Many users make critical mistakes in trying to free up memory, and this is something that should never be done under any circumstances:

⚠️ Attention: Deletion of folder /data/data/ It's the equivalent of Wipe Data in Recovery.

• ❌ Format a section /data manually erased all user data.
• ❌ Delete files with the.odex or.apk extension /system/ — It's gonna crash. MIUI.
• ❌ Use cleaners like Clean Master – they often delete the right files and show false optimizations».
• ❌ Clean Dalvik-cache without restarting – the phone may stop turning on.

🔧 What to do if the phone is slurred after cleaning?

1. Reset the device.
2. If bootloop appears, go to Recovery and select Wipe Cache.
3. In extreme cases, reset via Fastboot: fastboot erase userdata fastboot reboot.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions