How to Clean Up Xiaomi’s “Other”: 7 Ways to Work + Hidden Tricks

Have you ever looked into your Xiaomi memory settings and seen the Other partition take up gigabytes of space, but didn't know what it was and how to free it? You're not alone. This mysterious section is one of the most common causes of memory shortages on Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones. Unlike photos or apps, The Other doesn't have an obvious source, and standard cleaning methods often don't work.

In this article, we’ll break down what’s hidden under the term “Other” in Xiaomi’s memory, why this section grows to incredible sizes (sometimes up to 10-20 GB!), and what methods really help clean it – from basic to advanced, including hidden MIUI features. You’ll also learn what actions can irreversibly damage the system, and how to avoid typical errors when manually cleaning.

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

The “Other” section of MIUI is a kind of “junk box” of the operating system, where files that do not belong to the standard categories (photos, videos, applications, etc.) fall.

• 🗑️ Cache of system applications (including updates) MIUI, Google Play Services, Xiaomi Cloud)
• 📁 Logs and error dumps (created when applications or systems fail)
• 🔄 Temporary files from the installer APK, updates and backups
• 📊 Application databases (e.g. Telegram, WhatsApp, Xiaomi Community)
• 🔒 Encrypted files (remains from deleted applications or updates)

On devices with MIUI 12-14, the Other section is often expanded due to the F2FS file system that Xiaomi uses to optimize performance, which can fragment small files, making them “invisible” to standard cleaning tools, and MIUI actively caches data to speed up work, but does not always delete them correctly.

According to XDA Developers, on Redmi Note 10 Pro and POCO X3 Pro, the Other can take up to 15-20% of the total storage capacity after 6-12 months of use, and even after resetting to factory settings, some of these files remain — they are stored in protected partitions that are not available to the user.

Dangerous Myths About Cleaning The Other: What You Shouldn't Do

Before we move on to cleaning methods, we will examine common errors that can lead to data loss, system failures, or even a device blink:

⚠️ Note: Delete files from the folder /data/data or /system Without root rights, it will cause irreversible damage. MIUI. These sections contain critical application and system data.

• 🚫 Formatting of the section /cache Recovery will remove the update cache, but it won't affect the main files of the Other, and even on some models (e.g. Redmi). 9A) This can reset the network settings.
• 🚫 Using a root-access file manager to delete “all in a row” – many files in “Other” are linked to the work of Google Play Services and the use of a file manager. MIUI. Removing them will cause synchronization errors and notifications of failures.
• 🚫 Cleaning through an adb shell without understanding commands is a wrong command like rm. -rf /data/* erase all user data without recovery.

Another popular myth is that the Other can be cleared by simply moving files to a memory card. In fact, MIUI does not allow you to transfer system files to an SD card, and attempts to circumvent this restriction through ADB or Magisk often lead to a loss of warranty.

Also, don’t believe the promises of “magic” apps like Clean Master or SD Maid — they can only remove surface debris, but they won’t affect deep system files, and some of these utilities create cache themselves, exacerbating the problem.

Method 1: Standard cleaning through MIUI settings

Let’s start with the most secure method, which does not require root rights or additional tools. MIUI 12-14 has built-in tools to clean cache and unnecessary files:

1. Go to Settings → Memory (or Storage).
2. Click on the “Other” section – the system will scan the files.
3. Select “Clear” (if the button is active).
4. Go to App Cache and click “Clear All”.

However, this method often only clears 10-30% of the garbage, because MIUI hides some of the Other files from the user so as not to disrupt the system, such as the Google Play Services cache or MIUI update files are not deleted by standard means.

For deeper cleaning:

1. Go back to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort the applications by size and manually clear the cache from the most “heavy” (for example, Facebook, Telegram, Xiaomi Community).

Check the “Other” section in Settings→Memory | Clear the cache of all applications |Remove unnecessary APKs from the Download |Reboot the device after cleaning-->

Method 2: Manually delete hidden files (without root)

If the standard cleanup didn’t work, you can manually delete some files through the built-in file manager or Google Files.

For removal:

1. Open your files (or Google Files).
2. Enable the display of hidden files (in file manager settings).
3. Go to the specified folders and delete unnecessary files.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from folders /Android/obb For installed games, it will lead to their collapse. Also, do not touch files with the extension.odex or.vdex, they are critical for the operation of applications.

If you use Google Files, use the Cleanup feature to find duplicate files, large media files, and unnecessary APKs. However, this tool does not see the Other system files, so its effectiveness is limited.

Method 3: Cleaning through ADB (for advanced users)

If you’re ready to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can remove some of the system debris without root rights, a method that’s suitable for users who have used ADB at least once and understand the basics of the command line.

First, turn on the USB debugging:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.

Now connect your phone to your PC and execute the commands:

adb shell


pm clear com.miui.cleanmaster #Cache cleanup MIUI Optimizer




pm clear com.xiaomi.market #Cache cleanup Mi App Store




rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* # Delete temporary update files

These commands will delete the cache of system applications and temporary files, but will not affect user data. Be careful with the rm command - improper use of it can erase important files.

After you execute the commands, restart the device. Usually this method frees up 1-3 GB of space, but does not guarantee a complete cleanup of the Other.

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If neither method worked, and the Other takes more than 10GB, you may have to resort to a complete reset, which is a radical way, but it is guaranteed to clean up all unnecessary files.

Before discharge:

• 📱 Backup important data (photos, contacts, messages).
• 🔐 Make sure you remember the password from your Mi Account – you will need confirmation after the reset.
• 📋 Write down your Wi-Fi settings and other personal data.

For discharge:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 8 Pro, POCO F1) After the reset, it may be necessary to unlock the bootloader if it was blocked, which will result in the deletion of all data again!

After a reset, the Other usually takes no more than 500MB-1GB, but will grow again over time. To slow this process, turn off automatic updates of unnecessary applications and regularly clean the cache.

Method 5: Using Custom Recovery (TWRP) for deep cleaning

For users willing to take risks, custom Recovery (TWRP) can clear sections that are not available by standard methods.

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (will result in data resetting!).
• 🛠️ Ability to work with fastboot and ADB.
• 📥 Compatible version TWRP for your model.

If you meet these requirements, follow the instructions:

1. Install TWRP via fastboot flash recovery twrp.img.
2. Download to TWRP (Power + Vol Up buttons).
3. Go to Advanced → File Manager.
4. Delete the contents of the folders: /data/system/package_cache /data/dalvik-cache (Dalvik's cache) /data/log (logistic)

Reboot to the system.

This method can free up up to 5 GB of space, but has risks:

• 🚨 There may be some malfunctions in some applications.
• 🔄 After cleaning dalvik-cache, the first turn on will take 5-10 minutes.
• 📵 Certain functions MIUI (For example, topics may require reconfiguration.

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Before installing TWRP, check compatibility with your model on the XDA Developers forum. For example, this version is suitable for the Redmi Note 10 Pro (specify the current link).

How to Prevent the Spread of the Other in the Future

To prevent the Other from taking up gigabytes of memory again, follow these tips:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates of unnecessary apps on Google Play.
• 📥 Delete. APK After installation, they remain in the Download folder.
• 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Memory.
• 🚫 Don’t use memory “optimizers” – they often create more trash than they clean.
• 📊 Monitor large files with Google Files or SD Maid.

It’s also helpful to disable unnecessary system applications (but not remove them!):

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find apps like Mi Video, Mi Music, Cleaner.
3. Click "Disable" (not "Delete"!).

If you frequently install custom firmware or modifications, use the Magisk Module Universal DM-Verity ForceEncrypt Disabler to avoid creating unnecessary logical partitions that fall into the Other.

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Regularly cleaning the cache and disabling unnecessary system applications will reduce the growth of the Other by 40-60% without drastic measures.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory "Other" in Xiaomi