Where “other files” are stored on Android and how to open them: a complete guide

Have you ever looked into your smartphone storage and seen the mysterious “Other files” category taking up gigabytes of memory? This is not a system fault - Android actually hides dozens of types of data from the user that do not relate to photos, videos or applications. Temporary files Google Play Services, messenger caches, backups WhatsApp, log files of system processes and even the remains of long-deleted apps can be hidden in this category.

The problem is that the standard Android Explorer does not show these files - they need to be searched for using special methods. In some cases, “other files” take up to 30-40% of the device memory, although the user is not even aware of their existence. For example, on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra after a year of use, up to 15-20 GB of garbage can accumulate in the “Others” section, which cannot be removed in the usual way.

In this guide we will look 5 working methods find and analyze hidden files, including use ADB, third-party file managers and built-in Android tools. You will also learn which files can be safely deleted and which should not be touched so as not to break the system.

What are “other files” in Android storage and why do they take up so much space

The category “Other files” (or “Other” in the English version) is a general container for all data that Android cannot classify into standard categories (photos, videos, audio, documents, applications). This includes:

• 📁 Application cache —temporary files that apps create to speed up work (for example, thumbnails in the gallery or map data in Google Maps).
• 🔄 Log files —records about the operation of the system and applications (for example /data/log or /cache/recovery).
• 📦 Backup copies - automatic backups WhatsApp, Viber or Google Drivethat are created before the update.
• 🧹 Remains of deleted applications —files that remain after uninstalling apps (for example, folders in /Android/obb).
• 🔧 System files —Android configurations, databases SQLite and other service data.

For example, after an update Android 13 to Android 14 a folder may appear in the "Others" section weighing 2-3 GB - these are temporary firmware files that the system did not automatically delete. Or another case: if you used /data/ota_package weighing 2-3 GB - these are temporary firmware files that the system did not delete automatically. Or another case: if you used TikTokand then. deleted it, a folder with a video cache weighing up to 1 GB will remain in memory.

⚠️ Attention: Some files in the “Other” category are critical for Android operation. For example, deleting a folder /data/dalvik-cache will lead to the need for a complete one. flashing. system crash and the need for a complete flashing.

To understand exactly how much space hidden files take up, go to Settings → Storage. On Xiaomi, Samsung i Realme partition may be called. in different ways (“Memory”, “Cleaning”, “Memory management”) There you will see a diagram with memory distribution - usually “Other files” take up from 5 to 30% of the total volume.

Method 1: View hidden files through standard Explorer (without root)

Many users do not know that you can enable display in standard Android Explorer hidden files this does not require root access or third-party applications. The instructions are suitable for most smartphones on Android 10+including Samsung One UI, MIUI and ColorOS.

Open the "Files" application (or "My File", "File Manager" - the name depends on the firmware). Then:

1. Click on the three dots (⋮) in the upper right corner.
2. Select "Settings" or "Options".
3. Find the option “Show hidden files” (on Samsung it may be “Show system files”).
4. Activate the switch.

After this, folders whose names begin with a dot will appear in the root directory (for example, .thumbdata, .nomedia, .android_secureHere). what do they mean:

On Xiaomi and some other brands, additional confirmation of rights may be required. If Explorer asks for access to the storage, allow it - otherwise hidden folders will not be displayed.

Method 2: Using third-party file managers (Solid Explorer, FX File Manager)

The standard explorer does not show all hidden files - for example, it does not display the contents of the folder /data (where most of the system data is stored). data-i="117">root access root access or ADB.

The best options:

• 📂 Solid Explorer - supports cloud storage, FTP and shows hidden files without root (but with restrictions).
• 🔍 FX File Manager - has a built-in ADB-client for accessing system folders.
• 🛠️ Root Explorer —only for devices with root access, shows all files, including /system and /data.

Let's look at the process using an example Solid Explorer:

1. Install the application from Google Play.
2. Open it and provide access to the storage.
3. In the top menu, click on the three lines (☰) and select “Root directory” (/).
4. In the settings, enable “Show hidden files” (in the “View” section).
5. Now you can view folders /data/data (application data), /cache (system cache) and /system (system files).

Please note: without root access you will not be able to change or delete files in system folders, but at least you will see what exactly is taking up space. For example, /data/data/com.android.vending a cache is stored, which can weigh several gigabytes. Google Play Market, which can weigh several gigabytes.

Folder analysis /cache|Viewing /data/data (application data)|Searching for large files in /sdcard|Checking /Android/obb (game cache)

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Method 3: Memory analysis via ADB (for advanced users)

If you need completely scan the storageincluding protected system partitions, the best way - use ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This is a debugging tool that allows you to execute commands directly on the device via a computer.

Before you start, make sure that:

• 🖥️ Installed on your computer drivers ADB (can be downloaded via Android Studio or separately).
• 📱 Enabled on the smartphone USB debugging (Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times) → Settings → System → For developers → USB debugging).
• 🔌 You have a USB cable (preferably original).

Follow instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to the computer and confirm trust in the device.
2. Open the command line (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
3. Enter the command to check connections:

   adb devices

   The serial number of your device should appear.

4. Run the command to analyze the storage:

   adb shell df -h

   This will show the memory distribution by partition.

5. To find the largest files in /sdcard, use:

   adb shell du -ah /sdcard | sort -rh | head -n 20

Example command output du:

1.2G    /sdcard/Android/obb/com.tencent.ig
800M    /sdcard/Download/telegram_video.mp4
600M    /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails
...

This way you will see exact paths to the files that take up the most space, including those that are not displayed in the standard Explorer. For example, Redmi Note 12 Pro in the folder /sdcard/Android/obb there may be game files weighing 1-2 GB each, even if the game has been deleted long ago.

⚠️ Attention: Commands rm or delete via ADB they can irreversible deletion of critical files. Never do adb shell rm -rf / - this will erase ALL the contents of the device!

Method 4: Search for hidden files through analyzer applications (Files by Google, SD Maid)

If work Since ADB seems complicated, you can use specialized applications that automatically scan the storage and show which files take up the most space. The best of them:

• 🔍 Files by Google is an official application from Google with the Cleanup function and garbage analysis.
• 🧹 SD Maid is an advanced tool for finding duplicates, caches and application remnants.
• 📊 DiskUsage —visualizes memory distribution in the form of a diagram.

Let's consider Files by Google:

1. Install the application and open it.
2. Go to the "Cleaning" tab.
3. Click "Storage Analysis" - the application will scan the memory and will show categories of files, including “Other”.
4. In the “Large Files” or “Unused Applications” section you will see specific files that can be deleted.

SD Maid more powerful - it finds:

• 🗑️ Remains of deleted applications (orphaned files).
• 📂 Empty folders.
• 🔄 Duplicate files.
• 🗃️ Cache and temporary files that have not been cleared for years.

For example, SD Maid can find folder /Android/data/com.facebook.katana/cache weighing 1.5 GB is a cache Facebookthat is not cleared through standard settings. Or detect 500 MB of log files in /data/logremaining after a system crash.

Method 5: Manually deleting unnecessary “other files” (what can be cleaned and what cannot)

Now that you have found hidden files, you need to understand What can be safely deletedand what is better to leave Below -. table with folders allowed and prohibited for cleaning:

Several specific examplesthat can be deleted:

• 🎮 Game files in /Android/obb (for example, com.mojang.minecraftpe for Minecraft).
• 📥 Old APK files in /Download or /APK.
• 📸 Cache Instagram or TikTok in /Android/data/com.instagram.android/cache.
• 📂 Folders lost.dir are files recovered after a failure that are usually not needed.

What is not allowed delete:

• 🚫 The folder /data entirely (this will reset the device).
• 🚫 Files in /system (even with root access this is dangerous).
• 🚫 Any files with the extension .odex or .vdex (these are optimized Android libraries).

⚠️ Attention: If you delete files via ADB or Root Explorer, always check the extension and path. For example, deletion /data/system/users/0.xml will lead to loss of all user settings.

What to do if “other files” take up too much space, but are not deleted

Sometimes the “Other” category takes up tens of gigabytes, but none of the described methods does not help clear it. This can happen for several reasons:

1. Encrypted application data — some apps (for example, WhatsApp or banking applications) store data in encrypted form in /data/data/com.package.nameThey cannot be read or deleted without root.
2. File system errors — if Android incorrectly counted the occupied space, rebooting or checking through ADB shell fsck.
3. Hidden sections —on some devices (for example, Samsung s One UI) there is a hidden partition will help. data-i="266">, which takes up to 5 GB and is not displayed in Explorer. /preload, which takes up to 5 GB and does not appear in Explorer.

Solutions:

• 🔄 Reset cache - go to Settings → Storage → Cleanup → Cache and click “Clear”. This will delete temporary files of all applications.
• 📱 Reset to factory settings is an extreme method if other methods have not helped. Before reset, make a backup via Google Drive or Titanium Backup (requires root).
• 🛠️ Update firmware - sometimes memory accounting errors are corrected in new versions of Android.

For example, on Samsung Galaxy A52 after updating to One UI 5.1 many users noticed that the “Other” category was reduced from 15 GB to 3-5 GB without any action - this was a bug in the previous firmware version.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about hidden files on Android

adb pull /data/local/tmp C:\AndroidBackup\