Xiaomi’s “Other” folder takes up gigabytes of memory – how to clean up without risk?

You opened your storage settings on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, and you saw that the mysterious “Other” folder takes 10, 20, or even 50 GB? This is a typical problem for smartphones on MIUI, where the system hides under this item the cache of applications, temporary files, update remnants and even debris from deleted programs. Unlike obvious categories like “Photo” or “Video”, the content of “Other” is not visible to the user directly – but it often becomes the main cause of memory shortage.

In this article, we'll not just list the standard tips like "clean up the cache," but we'll take a look at the unique MIUI 14/15 techniques that work even when the usual methods don't work, you'll learn how to find hidden files, which system data can be deleted without consequences, and which can be touched dangerously, and why, after upgrading to a new version of MIUI, the Other folder suddenly swells to incredible sizes and how to prevent it.

What is the “Other” folder on Xiaomi and why is it growing?

The MIUI “Other” folder is the operating system’s garbage box, which contains files that are not standard categories (photo, video, audio, etc.) and includes:

• 🗑️ Application cache – temporary data that programs save for fast operation (for example, thumbnails in a gallery or data from messengers).
• 🔄 Update remnants – firmware files that have downloaded but not installed (especially relevant after update failures).
• 📁 System logs – error logs, memory dumps and debugging information that MIUI collect.
• 👻 Remote application files – some programs leave behind tails in the form of configurations or databases.
• 🔗 Symbolic links – virtual shortcuts to files that the system creates for compatibility.

The main problem is that MIUI doesn't always sort files correctly, like downloads from a browser can go to "Other" if the extension isn't recognized, or the Google Play Services cache inflates to several gigabytes due to synchronization errors, and after major updates (like MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), the system often doesn't clean old temporary files, and they accumulate for years.

⚠️ Note: If the Other folder takes up more than 30% of the total memory, this may indicate a failure in the media provider, the system process responsible for indexing files. In this case, a simple cache cleaning will not help: you will need to reset the media storage settings (instruction below).

How do you check what is in the “Other”?

Before you clean it, you need to understand what files are being stored. MIUI has hidden tools for analyzing the storage, but they're hidden deep in the settings. Here's how to find them:

1. Open the Settings. → About the phone and 5 times click on "Version" MIUI», activate the developer mode.
2. Return to the main settings menu and go to Additional → For developers → Storage.
3. Stick to Memory → Analysis of the storage and wait for the scan to be completed (it can take 5-10 minutes).

The system will show a detailed report, where you will highlight:

• 📊 Application cache (usually 1–5 GB, but can inflate up to 10 GB)+ GB due to bugs).
• 📦 Application data (here can hide gigabytes from Telegram, WhatsApp or games).
• 🔧 System data (logs, dumps, update residues).

If you see in the report that more than 50% of the space is occupied by System Data, it is a sign that MIUI is not clearing temporary files after updates, in which case only manual cleaning through ADB or resetting media storage will help.

Method 1: Clearing cache and application data (without root)

Start with the safest method, cleaning the cache and data of individual applications. This does not require superuser rights and will not damage the system, but can free up 1 to 10 GB of memory.

How to clean the cache of all applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort by size.
3. Open each app from the top of the list (usually Google Play Services, MIUI System, Gallery) and click Clear Cache.

How to clean your application data (caution!):

Some programs (such as Telegram or VK) store media files in their cache to delete them:

1. In the same Application Management menu, select the desired application.
2. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
3. Attention! This will delete all uploaded files (photos, videos, stickers) and you will have to re-download them.

⚠️ Note: Never clear the data of the com.android.providers.media or com.miui.gallery applications through ADB — This will cause you to lose all the media on your device, and these apps are responsible for indexing photos and videos.

Clear the cache of Google Play Services | Delete the Gallery data (cache only!) | Check Telegram/WhatsApp for junk files | Clear the cache of MIUI System-->

Method 2: Remove the remnants of MIUI updates

One of the main reasons for the Other folder to inflate is the undeleted firmware files, which each time the MIUI updates downloads a 1.5-3GB packet, but once installed, it doesn't always clean it up, and over time, several of these files accumulate, taking up tens of gigabytes.

How to find and remove old firmware:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Open the internal memory and go to the.MIUI folder (it is hidden – turn on the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings).
3. Delete all files with the.zip extension and names like miui_HMNote10_V14.0.1.0....
4. Also check the folder. downloaded_rom — Updates that are downloaded but not installed.

If you have Xiaomi with an unlocked bootloader, you can go further:

adb shell


su




rm -rf /data/ota_package/*




rm -rf /cache/ota/*

These commands will delete all temporary update files from the system folders.

Why does it work? MIUI Stores firmware in two places: in user memory (.MIUI) and in system sections (/data/ota_package). The average user sees only the first folder, but even cleaning it can free up the folder. 5–15 GB.

💡

If the Other folder hasn't shrunk after you delete the firmware, reboot the phone. MIUI sometimes doesn't update the storage data in real time.

Method 3: Reset media storage (if the "Other" takes >30%)

If the Other folder has swelled to an incredible size (for example, 40 GB on a 128 GB phone), it is likely that the failure occurred in the media provider, a service that indexes files, in which case resetting its settings helps:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three points at the top and select Show System Processes.
3. Find a Media Storage and open it.
4. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and Clear the cache.
5. Reboot the phone.

What happens after the dump?

• 🔄 The gallery will temporarily become empty (files will remain in place, but they need to be indexed again).
• 📱 Some apps (such as music players) may “forget” your playlists.
• ⏳ The re-indexing process can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour (depending on the number of files).

⚠️ Warning: If after resetting Media Storage, the phone starts to brake or overheat, it's normal - it's re-indexing. Don't interrupt the process! If after 2 hours the lags have not passed, check the free space: perhaps files are not indexed due to lack of memory.

Method 4: Manual garbage removal via ADB (for advanced ones)

If standard methods don’t work, and the Other folder still takes tens of gigabytes, you’ll have to connect to your phone via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and minimal technical skills, but allows you to delete files that are not available through a normal interface.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included Developer Mode and Debugging by USB phone-on.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
3. Obtain superuser rights (if the phone is rooted): adb shell su
4. Delete the temporary system files: rm -rf /data/local/tmp/* rm -rf /data/log/* rm -rf /cache/*
5. Clear the cache of all user applications (without deleting data): pm trim-caches -1 G (where G is the maximum cache size that can be cleared).

What files can be deleted through ADB?

⚠️ Note: Never delete files from folders /data/data or /system without knowing exactly what they're doing, it could cause the system to break down and need to flash it.

💡

ADB is a powerful tool, but it's dangerous. If you're not sure about the team, you should first check it on unnecessary files or backup it.

Method 5: Formatting as a new (last resort)

If none of the methods worked, and the Other folder still takes up half the memory, the last option is a complete reset, which will delete all the data from the phone, but return it to the factory state, where the Other will take up no more than 1-2 GB.

How to reset your phone without losing important data

1. Make a backup copy: 📸 Photos and videos – copy to PC or cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud). 📱 Contacts – sync with Google Account. 💬 Messages – export through apps like SMS Backup & Restore.

Settings → About the phone → Reset settings → Erase all data

Formatting as new

Wait until it is completed (it will take 5-15 minutes) and reset the phone.

What does formatting mean as new?

• 🧹 Complete section cleaning /data, where all user files and settings are stored.
• 🔧 Re-building the Structure of the Storage, which eliminates indexing errors.
• 📉 The Other folder will be reduced to a minimum size (usually 500 MB-1 GB).

After the reset, take your time to recover the data from the backup! First check if the Other is inflating again. If the problem is back, one of the restored applications (most often Telegram, VK or large-cache games) is to blame.

How to prevent the “Other” folder from inflating in the future?

To prevent the “Other” folder from taking up gigabytes of memory again, follow these rules:

• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly – at least once a month, go to Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🚫 Don't interrupt the updates. MIUI — If the firmware is downloaded but not installed, the files will remain in memory.
• 📥 Control downloads – files without extension (such as from Telegram) often end up in “Other».
• 🛠️ Use light firmware if you have a weak phone (e.g. Redmi) 9A), set up MIUI Lite or custom firmware like Pixel Experience.
• 🔍 Monitor Storage – Install applications like Files by Google or SD Maids that show hidden files.

If you install and remove apps frequently, turn on autocleaning the cache:

1. Go to Settings → Storage → Cleaning.
2. Activate the automatic cleaning option.
3. Choose Daily or Weekly depending on the intensity of use.

Why is it important? MIUI has a peculiarity that it doesn't always delete files correctly when you uninstall applications. For example, after you delete a game, you can leave files weighing several gigabytes in /Android/obb or /Android/data folders. Autocleaning helps to combat this.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the folder “Other” on Xiaomi