Xiaomi’s “Other” folder: What it is, why it takes up space and how to clean it

The Other folder in Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO is one of the most mysterious folders for users, and it can take up gigabytes of memory, but it doesn't display specific files that can be manually deleted. Why is that? The other one, which combines app cache, temporary files, user profile data, remnants of deleted programs, and even update fragments, and unlike the Photos, Video, or Audio folders, there's no direct access to the content, and that creates problems.

Many Xiaomi device owners face a situation where free disk space is melting away, and storage analysis shows that the lion’s share is taken by “The Other”, and attempts to clear the cache through settings or delete unnecessary files manually often fail. In this article, we'll look at what's behind this folder, why it's growing, and most importantly, how to clean it safely without risking damage to the system. MIUI.

It's important to understand that Other is not a separate folder in the file system, but a virtual category that MIUI creates for the sake of easy display of statistics. In fact, these files are scattered across different directories, and some of them may be critical to the system's operation. So blindly deleting everything in a row is a bad idea. Our job is to identify the data that is safe to clean and get rid of it without consequences.

What is hidden in the “Other” folder on Xiaomi?

The Other folder is a kind of junk box of the operating system, where files that do not fall into the standard categories (Images, Videos, Audio, etc.) fall.

• 📁 Application caches are temporary files that programs create to speed things up, and over time they accumulate and can take up hundreds of megabytes.
• 🔄 Remnants of Remote Applications – Not all programs are completely deleted, leaving behind configuration files and data.
• 📥 Downloads from browsers and instant messengers – files that you downloaded, but did not transfer to other folders.
• 🔧 System Logs and Error Dumps – Debugging files that are created when crashes or for diagnostics.
• 🔄 Fragments of updates MIUI — After installing new versions of the firmware, temporary files remain.
• 👤 User profile data – account settings, synchronized data and metainformation.

Analysts say that on average 30-50% of the Other folder’s volume is in the app cache, another 20% is in the remnants of the remote software, and about 10% is in the system logs, and the rest is distributed between temporary files and other “junk.” Interestingly, on devices with POCO Launcher or HyperOS (the new shell from Xiaomi), the structure of this folder may be slightly different, for example, there are more often interface optimization files.

One of the most frustrating things about the Other folder is that it can bloat over time, even if you don’t install new apps, because many programs (especially social media and instant messengers) are using cache to store media files, previews and other information, such as Telegram or WhatsApp can store gigabytes of photos and videos in your cache that you haven’t even opened.

Why does the “Other” folder take up so much space?

There are several key reasons why The Other is growing to incredible sizes:

1. Automatic app caching: Many programs (especially social media and streaming services) store data in the cache to load faster the next time they run, such as TikTok or YouTube can cache videos for smooth browsing, and Google Maps can cache maps.

Interesting fact: on devices with HyperOS (the new firmware from Xiaomi), the “Other” folder can take up less space due to optimized cache management, but even there it does not disappear completely - just some files are transferred to the category “System data”.

Another common reason is the use of MIUI’s Smart Cleaning features, which many users believe is a complete solution to the problem, but in fact, it only removes surface debris without affecting deep system files.

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If you notice that the Other folder has grown after the MIUI update, check the /sdcard/MIUI/backup folder – there may be backups of old firmware.

How to Safely Clean the “Other” Folder on Xiaomi?

Now, to the basics of how to shrink the size of the Other folder without risking system damage, we'll look at 5 proven methods, from the simplest to the most advanced.

Method 1: Cleaning the application cache

It's the safest way to do that, and it doesn't require root rights.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose an app that takes up a lot of space (like Facebook, Instagram, or Google Play Services).
3. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».
4. For mass cleaning, use the “Clean” option in the main settings menu (brush icon).

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data”: the second action will delete all application settings (including logins and passwords), and the first will only remove temporary files.

Method 2: Removing Remnants of Remote Applications

You will need a file manager with access to hidden folders (for example, Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer):

1. Open the file manager and enable the display of hidden files (in Mi File Manager: Three dots → Settings → Show hidden files).
2. Go to /sdcard/Android/data, where application data is stored. /sdcard/Android/obb, game cache files (e.g. PUBG or Genshin Impact). /data/data (requires root rights) – application system data.

Delete the folders with the names of the programs that you deleted long ago.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders of current applications, this may cause them to fail, and do not touch files with the extension.odex or.apk - they are critical to the system.

Method 3: Using the built-in Deep Cleaning function

MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS have a hidden deep cleaning feature that removes more debris than the standard option:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap the MIUI version (or build number) several times until the message “You’ve become a developer” appears.
3. Return to the main settings menu and open “Advanced Settings” → “For Developers”.
4. Find the Deep Clean option (or Storage Cleanup) and run it.

This method removes the system cache, temporary update files, and logs that are not visible in standard mode.

Method 4: Cleaning through Safe Mode

If the Other folder has grown due to viruses or app crashes, try downloading to Safe Mode and clearing the data from there:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button and hold it until the MI logo appears.
3. Once the logo appears, release the power button and immediately press the volume down button, holding it until full load.
4. In Safe Mode, remove suspicious apps or clear the cache through the settings.
5. Restart the device in normal mode.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last resort)

If nothing worked and the Other folder still takes a few gigabytes, it could be a problem with system files. In this case, a full reset will help (but remember, this will delete all the data!):

1. Make a backup copy of important files.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data” and confirm the action.

Root gives you access to system folders (/data, /cache), but without it, you can also free up a significant amount of space.