“Memory Other” on Xiaomi smartphones: what it is, why it grows and how to clean

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi storage settings and found that the lion's share of memory is occupied by the mysterious "Other" section? 10, 20, or even 30 GB - and it's not clear where they went: system files? Cash? Garbage? Or is it a virus? Spoiler: probably nothing criminal. But it's not worth ignoring this "black hole": it can eat precious space, slow down your smartphone and even cause malfunctions.

In this article, we will explore what exactly lies beneath Xiaomi’s Other (including MIUI and HyperOS models), why this section grows over time, and how to safely clean it without the risk of turning your phone into a brick. And you will also learn which files you can’t touch under any circumstances — even if they take up half the memory. Ready to get back gigabytes?

What is “Memory Other” in Xiaomi and why it takes up so much space

The “Other” section of Xiaomi’s storage menu is a kind of “junk box” for files that the system cannot uniquely categorize as “Photos,” “Video,” or “Apps,” and everything that doesn’t fit into standard folders, from temporary update files to bug logs and even remnants of deleted programs, falls into it, essentially a “gray cardinal” of memory that can weigh as many megabytes as tens of gigabytes.

The main “culprits” of the expansion of the section:

• 📁 Cache of system applications (such as Mi Browser, Mi Video or GetApps) that is not automatically cleared.
• 🔄 Remains of updates MIUI/HyperOS — Firmware packages that have been downloaded but not installed (or partially installed).
• 🗑️ Logs and dumps of memory (.log,.dmp files) that are created when crashes or diagnostics occur.
• 🧩 Dalvik-cache files – optimized data to speed up applications (especially relevant after updates).
• 👻 «Zombie files: Remote applications that left behind folders in the /data/data or /sdcard/Android.

Interestingly, Xiaomi with HyperOS (new firmware instead of MIUI) can take up 15-20% more space than older versions, due to a change in the structure of temporary files storage and more aggressive caching to speed up the interface.

How to Check What’s in the Other Section of Your Xiaomi

Before you delete something, you need to understand which files are eating up memory, and there are a number of ways to do this, from built-in tools to third-party utilities.

Method 1: Built-in storage analyzer

1. Open the Settings → Storage.
2. Tap the “Other” section (or “System Data” in newer versions of MIUI/HyperOS).
3. The system will show the distribution by categories: cache, downloads, temporary files, etc.

Method 2: Advanced analysis with Files by Google

• 📱 Install Files by Google (free and secure).
• 🔍 Run a storage scan - the utility will show hidden folders like /data/log or /cache, usually invisible.
• 📊 In the Cleanup section, you will see files that can be deleted without risk (e.g. duplicates or old ones). APK).

Method 3: Manual examination through ADB (for advanced)

If you’re ready to dig deeper, connect your phone to your PC and follow the command:

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

This will show the TOP-20 folders occupying the most space in the /data system partition. Be careful: deleting files from here without understanding can lead to system failure!

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If you see a folder in the team results /data/app-lib It's a few gigabytes, which is OK, and it stores libraries for installed applications, and you don't have to touch them.

Which files in the “Other” section can be deleted and which can not be deleted

Now the most important question is, what can be safely cleaned and what is best left alone? Below is a checklist with permitted and prohibited activities.

🧹 Application cache (via Settings) → Annexes → Warehouse)

🗑️ folder /sdcard/Download (If there are no files in the right place)

📂 Temporary update files (/cache and /data/ota_package)

📝 Logs and dumps (.log,.dmp in) /data/log)

🎬 Miniatures and sketches (/sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails)

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What to remove (risk of system damage):

• 🚫 Files in /data/dalvik-cache — They're needed to run applications.
• 🚫 Folders. /data/app and /data/data — It stores installed programs and their data.
• 🚫 Files with the.odex or.oat extension are optimized code for Android.
• 🚫 Any files in /system — This is a system partition that requires root rights to be changed.

⚠️ Attention! If you see a folder in the "Other" section /data/media/0 A few gigabytes in size is not garbage, but your user data (photos, videos, documents) that the system failed to properly classify!

Step-by-step: how to clear the “Memory Other” on Xiaomi

So here's a safe algorithm that can help you make room without risking your phone.

Step 1: Cleaning the app cache

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size (shoot three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Select apps with large cache (e.g. YouTube, Telegram, Mi Browser) and click Clear Cache.

Step 2: Delete temporary update files

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If there are failed service packs, remove them through three points in the menu ("Delete Service Pack").
3. Check the /sdcard/Download/rom folder through the file manager, as there may be old firmware.

Step 3: Cleaning Logs and Dumps

You will need to use Files by Google or Root Explorer (if you have root):

1. Move to the /data/log or /sdcard/MIUI/debug_log.
2. Delete all files with extensions.log,.txt,.dmp.
3. If the /data/anr folder weighs a lot, it can also be cleaned (there are reports of app hangs).

Step 4: Reset Dalvik cache (advanced method)

If your memory is still busy after cleaning, try resetting the Dalvik-cache:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power to enter Recovery.
3. Choose Wipe & Reset → Wipe Dalvik Cache.
4. Reset the device.

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Dalvik-cache reset does not delete your data, but speeds up the system by reassembling the application cache.

What to do if the memory of another grows again

Cleaning up is good, but what if the Other section gets inflated again a week later? Here are some preventive measures to help keep your memory in check:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic update downloads in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙️) → Downloading.
• 🚫 Stop background activity of unnecessary apps through Settings → Battery → Application power management.
• 📱 Use the “Lite” versions of applications (e.g. Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite) that cache less data.
• 🗃️ Move heavy applications to a memory card (if supported) via Settings → Annexes → Move it to SD.
• 🔍 Check your storage regularly with Files by Google or SD Maid (requires root).

If the problem comes back systemically (for example, after each MIUI update), it may be a firmware bug.

1. Check if the fix has been released on Xiaomi’s official website.
2. If the bug is confirmed (see forums like 4PDA or XDA-Developers), wait for the patch or roll back to the stable firmware version.

Xiaomi’s Hidden Folders That Eat Memory: Where to Look and How to Clean

Xiaomi has a few “secret” folders that don’t appear in the standard file manager, but can take up gigabytes. Here’s where to look for them and what to do with them:

How to access hidden folders?

• 📁 Use Files by Google (shows system files without root).
• 🔧 Or install Root Explorer (requires superuser rights).
• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC and use it. ADB (adb shell ls /data).

⚠️ Attention, folder. /data/com.android.providers.media It contains a database of media files, and if you delete it, the gallery and the music player will stop working until the system rebuilds the database (it can take up to an hour).

Myths about the “Memory of another”: what not to do

There are many "advices" on the Internet that not only don't help, but can also hurt.

Myth 1: “You need to format the /data partition to clear the Other”

❌ Reality: Formatting /data It's like completely resetting your phone (deleting all apps, settings and files) and it's an extreme measure that you should only resort to if other methods haven't worked.

Myth 2: “Delete the /cache folder and the memory will be free.”

❌ Reality: Folder /cache It cleans automatically when you restart it, and it's pointless to manually remove it, and the system will restore it the next time it's turned on.

Myth 3: “Apps like Clean Master will help clean up the Other”

❌ Reality: Most cleaners only remove surface cache and often slow down the system by working in the background.

Myth 4: “If the Other takes up a lot of space, the phone is infected with a virus.”

❌ Reality: 99 percent of the time, it's not a virus, it's a system file. Viruses are usually disguised as apps, not hidden in "The Other." You can check the phone through Malwarebytes or Xiaomi's built-in Security.

Myth 5: “Flashing your phone will fix the problem forever”

❌ Reality: If you install the same version MIUI/HyperOS, The other part will return as it was, and the flashing only helps if the problem is in corrupted system files.

FAQ: Frequent questions about “Memory of the Other” on Xiaomi