How to Clean Others on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones sooner or later face a mysterious problem: the memory of the device is full, although there are not so many photos and applications, and in the analysis of storage there is a huge category of “Other” or “System”, which can take up tens of gigabytes, which is a natural concern, because free space is critical for the performance of the system.

The Other folder is not a single file, but a collection of storage for system temporary files, application cache, residual data after deleted programs and error logs. Cleaning up this category requires caution, since careless removal of system files can lead to unstable operation of the MIUI or HyperOS interface. However, with the right methods, you can safely return gigabytes of free space.

In this article, we will take a closer look at what lies behind this label and explore proven cleanup methods, learn how to distinguish safe debris from important configurations, harness the hidden capabilities of the conductor, and apply advanced deep cleaning tools without harming the device.

What is hidden in the category Others

Before you start deleting, you need to understand the nature of the volume you occupy: the category “Other” is automatically formed by the Android system, when it can not classify files into standard types (photos, videos, audio, documents), most often there are data from messengers that do not fall into standard galleries, and cache streaming services.

System cache and temporary update files take up the lion’s share of this space, such as browsers storing copies of visited pages for quick loading, and social networks storing previews of images, which over time grows to giant sizes, especially if you actively use Telegram or WhatsApp, which by default are not considered part of the Media in the Xiaomi classifier.

Another reason for the category inflating is residual files after deleting applications, even after uninstalling a game or program, folders with settings and logs remain in memory, and files that the system for some reason was unable to scan and index, considering them “unknown”.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to manually delete files from system folders unless you're 100% sure of their purpose.Deleting critical libraries can lead to a cyclical smartphone reboot.

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Usually, the Other folder is inflated by the messenger cache. Check the Telegram and WhatsApp settings - they often store gigabytes of old videos that can be safely deleted.

Basic cleaning by standard means

The safest and easiest way to start the fight for space is to use built-in optimization tools, which already have a powerful Security tool in the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS that can correctly find and remove safe debris, which does not require the installation of third-party software and minimizes risks.

To start the procedure, go to the Settings menu and find the About Phone section, then click on Memory. The system will do a quick analysis and prompt you to clear the cache. More detailed control is available through the Security → Cleanup app. Here you will see a breakdown by category, including Others.

The in-house analyzer works on conservative algorithms, so it will only delete what it is sure of, which may not be as effective as manual cleaning, but is absolutely safe for system stability, and using this method regularly (once a week) will prevent critical memory filling.

It's important to note that once the cache is cleared, apps can load a little longer on the first run, which is normal because the system needs to re-form temporary files. Don't be afraid if the volume of Others starts to grow again after a while, which is a natural process for Android.

Use of the Application Conductor

For deeper analysis, use the standard File Manager app, which, unlike a simple file list, has a dedicated space analysis feature that visualizes data and allows you to find the heaviest objects hidden in the Other category.

Open the app and click on the folder icon or select the Analysis tab (in some versions of Memory). Here you will see a file distribution diagram. Often it turns out that a significant portion of the Others are Tencent (WeChat, QQ), Alipay, or browser cache that the system did not recognize as media files.

Manually delete the contents of folders that you don't need. Pay special attention to the Download folders and MIUI/Debug_log. Debugging logs can take several gigabytes if a developer or user has ever turned on debugging mode and forgot to turn off.

Clearing the cache of specific applications

Often, the problem is caused by specific voracious applications, social networks, navigators and streaming services accumulate a huge amount of data, and to clean it without deleting the program itself, you need to go to individual storage settings.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the app that takes up the most space (often Telegram, YouTube or TikTok) on the list. Click on it, select Memory and then Clear the cache. It is important not to confuse it with the “Clean All” button, which will reset the app to factory status and delete your logins.

A special case is messengers. In Telegram, for example, the built-in cache cleanup works great and doesn't delete your correspondence, since it's stored in the cloud. Go to Telegram Settings → Data and Memory → Memory Use and tap Clear cache. This can free up 5 to 20 GB of space instantly.

Once the cache is cleared, heavy applications can run a little slower at launch until new temporary files are created. This is a temporary effect. Regularly checking the list of applications helps keep Others under control without using third-party utilities.

Removal of system logs and debugging data

Xiaomi smartphones have a special feature: active logging of the system. If the device ever turned on USB debugging or developer mode, the system could start to store detailed reports about its work, these files often fall into the category of “other” and weigh a lot.

To find them, open Explorer and go to the root folder. MIUI. Find the folder. debug_log. If it takes more than 100 Mb, you can delete the contents, and you should check the folder. MIUI/log, where failure reports may be stored.

Way to check: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/debug_log/

Also, check if Advanced Debugging is enabled. Go to Settings → About Phone → Quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version) to enter the developer menu. Then Advanced Settings → For developers, make sure items like “Record Logs” or “Debug over Wi-Fi” are turned off if you’re not using them for profiling.

⚠️ Note: Log folders may be blocked by the system when you try to delete the file. If the file is not deleted, try restarting the phone to Safe Mode or using root rights (for power users).

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Regularly cleaning the folder debug_log may release 1-2 GB space monthly on active devices.

Advanced Methods: ADB and Root Rights

For users who are not afraid of the computer and command line, there is the most effective cleaning method - the use of the ADB debugging bridge. This method allows you to delete files that are hidden from the average user and even from the standard conductor, including the system cache Dalvik and other protected areas.

To do this, you need to enable debugging over USB, install drivers on your PC and download the Platform-tools package. By connecting the phone, you can execute a command to clean the packet cache:

adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999

This command forcibly trims the cache of all installed applications to the lowest possible value (as indicated in bytes).This is a secure command built into Android, but it requires confirmation on the smartphone screen. You can also use root file managers like Root Explorer or MT Manager to manually review the /data folder, but this requires high skill.

If you're not sure about your ADB, you should stick to standard methods. Incorrect use of the command line can lead to the removal of important system partitions. Always back up important data before using advanced tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)