You have probably encountered an annoying situation: the phone reports that the storage is full, but upon detailed analysis it turns out that photos, videos and applications take up only a small portion of the space. The lion's share of the space is mysteriously hidden in the "Other" or Systemsection. This problem is especially relevant for owners of devices with a small amount of built-in memory, where every gigabyte counts.
The "Other" category is not a system error, but an aggregator of heterogeneous data that the operating system Android cannot classify as standard media files or software installation packages. This includes temporary files, application caches, remnants of deleted apps, system logs, and even messenger data that is stored in closed directories. Understanding the nature of these files is the first step to freeing up valuable space.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at the structure of hidden data, learn how to safely remove digital junk, and show you how to prevent memory from quickly filling up in the future. You will find out which tools are really effective and which can harm the operation of your smartphone.
What is hidden behind the “Other” label in the storage settings
When you go to the memory settings, the system groups files by type for the convenience of the user. However, many processes run in the background and create files that do not fall into standard categories. Application cache is the largest component of this group. Browsers, social networks and streaming services save copies of images and videos to speed up their loading when opened again.
In addition to the cache, residual files remnants of data after deleting applications are stored here. Software developers often do not write correct cleaning scripts, so folders with settings and temporary data remain on the disk for months. Also included in this category are system update files that were not automatically deleted after successful installation of the new version. Android.
Another important source of space is instant messenger data. Telegram, WhatsApp i Viber store correspondence history, voice messages and downloaded files in their internal databases, which the system perceives as system files of the application, and not as the user’s personal media. This creates the illusion that the memory is occupied by the “system”, although in fact it is your personal archive.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to delete files from the “Other” category through file managers with superuser rights (Root) unless you know the exact purpose of each folder. Removing system libraries may cause the phone to stop booting.
Before starting deep cleaning, back up important contacts and photos to your computer or cloud storage to avoid accidental data loss.
Memory analysis: built-in tools and third-party utilities
The first step is to use the built-in storage analyzer. In modern shells, such as MIUI, One UI or ColorOS, this tool has become quite advanced. It allows you to visualize which apps generate the most data in the Other section. Usually it is enough to go to Settings → Memory → Free up spaceto get a list of candidates for deletion.
If the built-in tools do not provide a detailed picture, you can use specialized software. Applications like Files by Google or DiskUsage scan the file system and build an occupancy map in the form of rectangles. The larger the rectangle, the more space the file or folder takes up. This is a clear way to find hidden giant logs or forgotten downloads.
However, you should be careful with third-party “cleaners” that promise to speed up your phone in one click. Many of them aggressively clear the cache, which forces the processor and network to work harder to download data again, thereby draining the battery. Manual clearing through application-specific settings is often more effective and safer than automatic scripts.
Clearing the cache and specific data applications
The most effective way to combat the bloated “Other” section is targeted work with leading applications in memory consumption. Social networks and instant messengers often take up several gigabytes. To clear them, you need to go to Settings → Applications, select the desired app and go to the section Storage.
Here you will see two buttons: “Clear cache” and “Clear data”. The first deletes temporary files without losing your settings and logins. The second one resets the application to its factory state, deleting all correspondence history and authorization. Use the second option only if you are ready to reconfigure the application.
Pay special attention to the browser Chrome or Yandex. They accumulate gigabytes of cache over months of surfing. Regularly clearing history and cache through the menu of the browser itself (Settings → Privacy → Clear history) helps keep the size of the “Other” section under control.
☑️ Checklist for safe application clearing
Hidden folders and remnants of deleted apps
Even after deleting an application, its “traces” may remain in the system. In the root directory of the internal memory you can often find folders with the names of deleted games or utilities. They contain error logs, downloaded resources or saved progress. You can find them through any file manager by going to the root of the internal drive.
It is also worth checking the folder Android/obb i Android/data. Cache files of heavy games and application data are stored here. If you deleted a game, but the folder with its name remained in obb, it continues to take up space. Deleting these folders is safe if the corresponding application has already been removed from the system.
Another source of garbage is the folder Download and temporary directories of manufacturers. Some brands create folders like MIUI/debug_log or logwhere system error reports are copied for years. These text files can grow to hundreds of megabytes and sit quietly in the “Other” section.
What is a .nomedia file?
If you create an empty file called .nomedia in a folder with pictures, the gallery will stop scanning this folder. This is useful for hiding system icons from prying eyes, but does not free up space.
The influence of instant messengers and social networks on memory filling
Messengers are the main culprits for the mysterious disappearance of memory. Telegram, for example, by default saves all viewed photos and videos in the application cache. If you are a member of dozens of channels, this cache can easily reach 5-10 GB. In the settings of Telegram itself there is a section Data and memory → Memory usagewhere you can limit the size of the cache or clear it completely.
WhatsApp works differently: it saves media files to a shared gallery, but message databases and local backups can weigh a lot. Old backups that are stored in the Databasesfolder are often duplicated daily. Deleting old files msgstore.db.crypt can free up significant space.
Social networks like Instagram i TikTok also actively cache the video stream. Watching a tape for an hour can create hundreds of megabytes of temporary files. Regularly clearing the cache of these applications through the system settings is a mandatory procedure to maintain the cleanliness of the “Other” section.
⚠️ Attention: The messenger settings interface is often changed by developers. If you do not find the “Clear cache” item in the specified location, use the search in the settings inside the application itself or refer to the developer help.
Table: Main sources of memory in the “Other” category
For clarity, we systematize the main types of files that form the amount of hidden memory. Understanding this table will help you quickly identify the problem when analyzing the storage.
| Data type | Where is stored | Deletion security | Approximate volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application cache | /data/data/[package] |
Safe | 100 MB – 2 GB |
| System logs | /data/log or manufacturer folders |
Safe | 50 MB – 500 MB |
| Remains of deleted games | Android/obb |
Safe (if the game is deleted) | 500 MB - 3 GB |
| Messenger databases | Internal folder applications | Only old backups | 200 MB - 1 GB |
| Temporary update files | /data/ota_package |
Safe (after update) | 1 GB - 3 GB |
Regularly clearing the messenger cache and deleting folders from Android/obb after deleting games can free up up to 40% of the space in the “Other” section.
Radical measures: reset to factory settings
If none of the above methods helped, and the “Other” section continues to take up an abnormally large amount of space (for example, more than 10 GB on an empty phone), the file system may be damaged or has accumulated a critical number of errors. In this case, the only working solution is a full reset.
The procedure Hard Reset will return the phone to its original state. Before doing this, be sure to save all important data to an external storage device or to the cloud. After the reset, the system will create a new, clean file structure, and the "Other" category will be reduced to the minimum system values.
To perform a reset, go to Settings → System → Reset settings → Delete all data. The process will take from 5 to 15 minutes depending on the amount of memory and processor speed of your device. After turning on, the phone will be like new, without unnecessary digital baggage.
⚠️ Attention: Resetting to factory settings deletes ALL data from the phone, including photos, contacts and applications. Make sure you have an up-to-date backup before clicking the confirm button.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is space not freed up immediately after clearing the cache?
Sometimes the system takes time to recalculate storage indexes. Also, some files may be locked by active processes. Try restarting your device after cleaning - this will end all background processes and update memory statistics.
Is it possible to transfer the "Other" category to an SD memory card?
No, it is not possible. The “Other” section consists mainly of system files and application caches, which, according to the architecture Android must be located in internal fast storage for the system to function correctly. Transferring this data to a slow SD card will cause problems.
Is it safe to use applications like Clean Master?
Most modern antiviruses and security experts do not recommend using aggressive cleaners. They often show false threats to trick the user into purchasing the premium version, and can delete necessary cache files, slowing down the phone in the long run.
What to do if “Other” takes up more space than the entire memory?
This is an obvious statistics display bug or file system error. Try clearing the cache of the Settings application itself (Settings → Applications → Settings → Storage → Clear cache). If that doesn't help, only resetting to factory settings will help.
How to prevent the "Other" section from filling up quickly in the future?
Set up automatic clearing of the cache in messengers (for example, in Telegram you can set a cache limit). Regularly remove unnecessary applications along with their data. Once a month, audit the folder Download i Android/obb.