How to completely clear the tab “Other” in Xiaomi smartphones: 5 working methods

The Other section of Xiaomi’s storage menu is a black hole for smartphone owners, which can take up tens of gigabytes, but it doesn’t show which files are getting there. Many Redmi, POCO or Mi users are faced with a situation where the memory is 90% full and the Other section has a mysterious 20-30 GB of garbage. Why is this happening?

The fact is that MIUI hides some of the system files under this category: application cache, temporary update files, log files, remnants of deleted programs and even duplicate media files. Cleaning this with standard means is often impossible - the "Clean" button in the storage menu simply does not work. In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways, including hidden MIUI settings and third-party tools that will help you return precious gigabytes.

It's important to understand that not everything that gets into the Other can be deleted without consequences, for example, Dalvik cache files (used to speed up application launches) or /data/app-lib files (software libraries) when forced clean can lead to the crash of applications, so we will act carefully, separating garbage from critical data.

1.What is the “Other” section in Xiaomi and why it clogs

In MIUI, the Other section is a container for files that the system cannot classify as photos, videos, audio or documents.

• 🗑️ Application cache (including hidden cache of system services)
• 📦 Remnants of Remote Applications (Folders) /data/data/ and /data/app-lib/)
• 🔄 Temporary update files (especially after major updates) MIUI)
• 📜 Log files (error reports, memory dumps)
• 🖼️ Duplicate media files (miniatures, previews from the gallery)
• 🔐 Encrypted files (e.g. from Mi Cloud or Google Drive)

The main problem is that MIUI doesn't provide tools to analyze this section in detail. Even in Settings → Memory → Other, you'll only see the total volume, without the ability to choose what to delete. Moreover, the system's "cleaner" (Security App) often ignores these files, considering them "important."

In our experience, the most garbage accumulates after:

• 📱 Updates MIUI (especially with the modification of the version, for example, MIUI 13 on MIUI 14)
• 🔄 Removal of “heavy” applications (games, social networks, instant messengers)
• 📸 Intensive use of the camera (miniatures, RAW-files, Google cache Photos)

💡

If the “Other” section has grown dramatically after the update MIUI, check the folder /data/ota_package/ — There may be some old firmware weighing in 1-3 GB.

Method 2: Cleaning through the hidden “Storage” menu (without root)

MIUI has a hidden menu that shows more details about the Other section than the standard settings.

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Slip on the memory usage schedule (not the “Clear” button!).
3. In the window that opens, select “Other”.
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select **Show internal memory.

Here you will see a breakdown by file type:

• 📁 Application cache (can be cleared without risk)
• 📄 Downloaded files (often duplicated with the Download folder)
• 🔧 System data (remove carefully!)

For cleaning:

1. Check out unnecessary categories (for example, “Cash” and “Downloaded”).
2. Click "Delete" at the bottom of the screen.
3. Confirm the action (the system may request a password from the Mi Account).

Backup important data | Check battery power (minimum 50%) |Close all applications |Disable synchronization with Mi Cloud during cleaning-->

⚠️ Note: Do not delete Android folders, MIUI Or manually, it will lead to a device blinking, and avoid cleaning the Dalvik-cache if you don't know how to repair it.

3. Method 2: Using Files by Google for deep cleaning

Files by Google (formerly Files Go) is a better-than-standard MIUI File Manager app that finds garbage in the Other section.

• 🗃️ Duplicate files (including hidden files)
• 📁 Large files (over 100 MB)
• 🧹 Unnecessary cache (including from Google Play Services)
• 📥 Unused. APK (installer-leave)

Instructions:

1. Install Files by Google from the Play Market.
2. Open the app and go to the “Cleanup” tab.
3. Slip "Free space" and wait for the scan.
4. In the “Other Files” section, select the unnecessary and click “Delete”.

Files by Google finds up to 30% more garbage than a standard MIUI cleaner, thanks to an analysis of /data/local/tmp and /cache folders, which are usually ignored by the system.

Method 3: Manual removal via ADB (for advanced)

If previous methods didn’t work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to clean hidden folders, which requires a PC and enabled USB debugging, but allows you to delete files that are not available through standard menus.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers. Activate USB Debugging.

PC

ADB Tools

Command line.

Terminal

adb shell


su




cd /data




du -sh * | grep -i "cache\|log\|tmp"

This will show the volume of folders with cache and logs.

pm clear --user 0 com.miui.home


pm clear --user 0 com.android.vending

To delete specific folders (such as Google Play Services cache):

rm -rf /data/data/com.google.android.gms/cache/*


rm -rf /data/data/com.google.android.gms/app_chimera/*

⚠️ Attention: Rm teams -rf Removing files permanently. Mistakes in transit (e.g., rm) -rf /data/ instead /data/cache/) You can only use it if you're confident in what you're doing!

5. Method 4: Resetting cache via Recovery Mode (without data loss)

If the Other partition takes up more than 10GB and standard methods don't help, try resetting the cache partition via Recovery Mode.This won't delete your files, but will clear up system debris.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power + Volume buttons up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select the language (volume buttons) and tap "Wipe Data".
4. Select “Wipe Cache” (not “Wipe All Data”).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.
6. Restart the phone (Reboot).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data”.
4. Enter the password from Mi Account (if tied).
5. Wait until it is completed (it will take 5-15 minutes).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro) POCO X3) After reset, you may need to re-activate Mi Account to unlock.Make sure you remember your login and password!

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore the backup immediately – first check if the garbage has reappeared.
• 📥 Install applications one at a time by watching the “Other” section».
• 🔍 Use Files by Google to monitor new invisible files.

7.How to prevent the “Other” section from being refilled

To prevent the “Other” section from growing again, follow these recommendations:

• 📵 Clean the cache regularly (once in a day). 1-2 Security App or Files by Google).
• 🔄 Update. MIUI timely - in new versions optimized work with garbage.
• 🚫 Avoid cleaners from unknown developers (can delete critical files).
• 📁 Store media files on a memory card (if supported).
• 🔍 Check the Download folder for duplicates and unnecessary files.

For automatic control:

1. Install SD Maid (requires root for deep cleaning).
2. Enable the Auto Cleaning function in MIUI Security (Settings → Cleaning → Automatic Cleaning).
3. Limit the background activity of applications in Settings → Battery → Background Limitation.

If you install/remove apps frequently, use APK Extractor to save installers in one place rather than scattering them around the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi’s “Other” section