Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a mysterious situation: the storage is full, but on detailed check it turns out that the lion’s share of space is occupied by the category “Other”, which is not a system bug or a virus, but a specific feature of the MIUI and HyperOS shell, which groups files that do not fit the standard shortcuts like “Photos”, “Video” or “Apps”, the user sees that the free space disappears, but does not understand where the gigabytes go.
In fact, the Other section is a hoard of app cache, deleted program residual files, temporary system data, and downloads from messengers that the shell failed to classify automatically. The system analyzer often mistakes even heavy files from Telegram or WhatsApp if they are not recognized as media. Ignoring this problem leads to a slowdown in the device and the inability to install new updates.
Understanding the storage structure is the first step to optimization. Unlike pure Android, where files are scattered across folders, MIUI tries to structure data, but often creates a new category instead of sorting an existing one. The file system of a smartphone works on the principle of accumulation: the longer you use a device without cleaning, the larger this partition becomes. Next, we will discuss in detail what it consists of and how to safely reduce it.
What is the Other section in MIUI and HyperOS
To effectively combat memory overflow, you need to understand the nature of data: the bulk of the “Other” category is occupied by temporary files that are created by applications to speed up work; browser cache, thumbnails of images in the gallery, clipboard — all this accumulates for months; the user may not even notice how a simple view of the feed on social networks generates hundreds of megabytes of temporary data.
The second important component is the remnants of remote applications. When you uninstall programs through a standard interface, many configuration files and databases remain in memory. Android does not always correctly remove all traces of the presence of the application, especially if it had permission to access system folders. These tails can weigh from a few megabytes to several gigabytes in the case of heavy games or graphics editors.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to delete files from system folders through a root file manager unless you are sure of their purpose.
The third source is messenger data. Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store the files in their own private directories, which the standard memory analyzer often does not see as media files, but as “Other”, which is especially true for those who are in dozens of work chats, where documents and heavy videos are constantly sent.
- 📦 Residual files after deleting games and programs.
- 🌐 Cache of browsers (Chrome, Yandex, Opera) and offline maps.
- 📱 Data messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber).
- 🔄 Temporary System and Application Update Files.
Safe cleaning through standard system facilities
The easiest and safest way to free up space is to use Xiaomi's built-in tools. The MIUI shell is equipped with a powerful optimizer that can find duplicates and large files. First, go to the Security app (green icon with lightning) and select the Cleanup item. The system will scan and suggest removing obvious debris.
However, standard cleaning often doesn't affect the deep sections of "Other." For more detailed work, go to Settings, select About Phone (or Advanced Settings in older versions) and click Storage. Here the system will show a color diagram of memory distribution. Click on the "Other" category, you will see a suggestion to clear the cache. The cleaning algorithm in new versions of HyperOS has become more aggressive and secure.
☑️ The algorithm of regular cleaning
It is important to check the Downloads section periodically. Often users download APK installation files, which become useless ballast once installed. The Explorer integrated file manager has a convenient sorting by file type. Find the Documents or Installers tab and delete everything that is dated to the previous year.
⚠️ Warning: Before mass cache clearing, make sure you have access to accounts in apps.Data cleanup (not to be confused with cache) can reset authentication on social media and banking apps.
Manual cleaning of messenger folders and social networks
Telegram is famous for storing all of its correspondence and media history locally unless you set up automatic deletion. To fix this, go to the settings of the app itself: Settings → Data & Memory → Memory Use. Here you can clear the cache and set a limit of, say, 1 GB, after which the old files will be deleted automatically.
WhatsApp is more complicated because it stores backups and media files in a shared file system. The path to data is usually Android/media/com.whatsapp or WhatsApp/Media. Inside the WhatsApp Video and WhatsApp Images folder, there can be thousands of files you have viewed but don't need, and deleting them through the file manager will instantly reduce the volume of the Other.
Social networks like VK or Instagram (through third-party customers) also accumulate huge amounts of cache. If the app takes up too much space in the Apps section, try clicking the Clear Cache button (not “Erase Data” if you don’t want to log in), which will safely delete temporary pictures and scripts, freeing up space.
- 🗑️ In Telegram, use the built-in function “Clear the cache».
- 📂 On WhatsApp, delete Forwarded and Status folders manually.
- 📸 In Instagram, clear the cache through Android settings.
- 💾 Check the download folder regularly for old ones. PDF and DOCX.
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Enable Media Autodelete in Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Media Autodelete → Select 3 Days or 1 Week to prevent the Other section from growing in the future.
Using third-party utilities to analyze the disk
If the built-in tools don't give you the full picture, specialized analytics apps come to the rescue, and one of the best is DiskUsage or Files by Google, which visualizes the storage as a block map, where the block size corresponds to the file size, and it allows you to instantly find the hidden giant files that hide in the back of the system folders.
The SD Maid app (or its SD Maid SE analogue) is the gold standard for cleaning Android. It can find corpses, files from remote applications that Xiaomi ignores. The garbage search feature in this app runs deeper than standard MIUI cleaning. However, use it with caution and read carefully what exactly is proposed to be removed.
| Annex | Type of access | Efficiency | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files by Google | Standard. | Medium | Tall. |
| DiskUsage | Visualization | Tall. | Tall. |
| SD Maid SE | Root/ADB | Maximum | Medium |
| CCleaner | Standard. | Low. | Medium |
When using third-party software, it is important to remember permissions. Modern versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14) restrict application access to the Android/data folder. So some analyzers may not see the full amount of garbage without connecting through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) on the computer, which is a more complex but most effective method.
Cleaning through a computer and ADB-team
For advanced users who want to clean the "Other" section completely, the method of connecting to a PC is suitable. USB, Select the "File Transfer" mode» (MTP). You can manually go through folders through Windows Explorer or macOS. Pay special attention to the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails — Here are the miniatures that can swell up to 5-10 GB. They can be safely removed, the system will create new ones as needed.
A more powerful tool is USB debugging and ADB. This method allows you to delete files that are hidden from the average user. First, you need to activate the developer mode: click 7 times on the MIUI version in the About Phone menu. Then turn on USB debugging in the Developer menu.
adb shell pm trim-caches 999999999This command forces the system to cache all applications, even those that normally resist being cleaned, and you can use the command to search for large files:
adb shell ls -lRh /sdcard/ | grep -i "large_file_name"What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Working with ADB requires accuracy. One wrong command can delete system files. If you're not sure what you're doing, it's best to manually delete files through the explorer on the computer, avoiding system directories.
Prevention: How to prevent the growth of garbage
The problem is easier to prevent than to solve. The main reason for the huge "Other" section is that you don't have the habit of cleaning your smartphone. Make a rule: audit the storage once a month, delete unnecessary screenshots that often duplicate information from correspondence, and clean the Downloads folder.
Use cloud storage. Google Photos, Yandex Drive or Mi Cloud let you store media files in the cloud, freeing up local memory. Set up automatic upload of photos and videos, and then delete them from the device. This will not only save you from overflow, but also save data in the event of loss of the phone.
- 📅 Set up a monthly reminder to clean the cache.
- ☁️ Enable photo sync with the cloud.
- 🚫 Turn off auto-save media in messengers.
- 🔄 Regularly update apps to fix cache storage bugs.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t use accelerators and cleaners of dubious ad origin.They are often a source of trash and intrusive advertising, slowing down Xiaomi even further.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I delete the.thumbnails folder and not break my phone?
Why does the “Other” fill up quickly after cleaning?
Does the “Other” section affect the speed of the smartphone?
Will resetting to factory settings help remove the "Other"?
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The Other section is not a mistake, but the result of a smartphone being used extensively, and regular memory hygiene is more important than installing additional antivirus applications.