Smartphone owners are often faced with a situation where the internal storage is full, although the main applications and media files occupy only a small part of the space. In system memory analysis, this mysterious category is labeled "Other" or "System Files", and it can grow to tens of gigabytes, significantly slowing down the device. Understanding the nature of this data is the first step to freeing up valuable space.
In fact, the “Other” section is a hodgepodge of application caches, residual files from uninstalled apps, system logs, buffered streaming data and temporary bootloader files. Automatic cleaning does not always cope effectively, as it is afraid of deleting something important for stability Android. However, a manual approach based on knowledge of the file system structure allows you to safely return gigabytes of free space.
In this article we will look in detail at what files are hidden in this category, why their accumulation is inevitable and what methods can be used to perform deep cleaning. You will learn to distinguish system junk from important data and understand which tools really work, and which only create the appearance of activity. Deleting the .thumbnails folder in the hidden DCIM section can instantly free up to 10 GB of space occupied by photo thumbnails.
What is hidden in the “Other” category on Android
Before taking radical measures, it is necessary to clearly identify the contents of the hidden section. The system Android groups here all files that do not belong to standard categories like “Photo”, “Video”, “Audio” or “Applications”. Most often, the lion's share of the volume falls on the cache of instant messengers, such as Telegram or WhatsApp, which save viewed media files to speed up re-downloading.
In addition, offline map data and downloaded episodes in streaming services like Netflix or Spotify, and temporary update files. System cache also plays an important role: it speeds up the launch of frequently used apps, but over time it can bloat to inadequate sizes if the auto-cleaning mechanism fails.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to manually delete files from system folders if you are not 100% sure of their purpose. An error may lead to a cyclic reboot of the phone or loss of settings.
Shell interfaces from different manufacturers, such as MIUI, OneUI or ColorOScan classify the same data differently. What is displayed as part of the application on a “clean” one may be classified as other files in custom firmware. Therefore, a visual assessment of the volume through a standard file manager does not always give the full picture. Android displayed as part of the application, in custom firmware it can be classified as other files. Therefore, a visual assessment of the volume through a standard file manager does not always give a complete picture.
Basic cleaning through system settings
The safest and recommended method for all users is the use of built-in memory management tools. Modern versions Android have quite smart algorithms for finding large and unused files. To get started, go to Settings → Storage → Other files (the path may vary slightly depending on the model).
Here the system will offer to delete the cache of applications that take up the most space. Clearing the cache does not delete your personal correspondence or progress in games, it only erases temporary data, which the app will download again if necessary. This is a safe operation that can be performed regularly.
Additionally, it is worth checking the “Downloads” section, which is often ignored. Installer files .apk, old documents and forgotten images can lie in the folder for years Download, formally falling into the “Other” category, since they are not media files. Deleting these items is the fastest way to get free space.
☑️ Basic storage check
Deep cleaning of instant messengers and social networks
Messengers are the main “eaters” of memory in the “Other” category. Telegram, for example, by default saves all viewed photos and videos in a cache so that when you reopen the chat, they are loaded instantly. Over time, this cache can reach 5–10 GB or more, formally listed in system files.
To clear it, you need to go to the settings of the application itself. In Telegram the path looks like this: Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage. Here you can click the “Clear cache” button and, most importantly, set an automatic deletion timer, for example, “3 days” or “1 week”. This will prevent future overflows.
B WhatsApp The situation is similar, but the files are often hidden deeper. Use the built-in storage management tool: Settings → Data and storage → Storage management. The application will sort chats by the amount of space they occupy, allowing you to selectively delete heavy videos and documents, which often form the basis of “Other.”
Enable the “Auto delete media” function in the messenger settings so that the phone independently clears old files from the cache without waiting for you interference.
Use of file managers for manual analysis
Standard tools do not always show the real structure of files. For in-depth analysis, it is recommended to use advanced file managers, such as Total Commander, Solid Explorer or Files by Google. These tools allow you to see hidden folders (starting with a dot) and evaluate the real weight of each directory.
Particular attention should be paid to the folder Android/data. Application data is stored here, including caches of games and heavy apps. Although direct access to this folder in new versions Android (11 and higher) is limited for security reasons, specialized managers may request access permission, after which you can safely delete the contents of the deleted games folders.
Also check the folder DCIM/.thumbnails. As mentioned, this is where your gallery thumbnails are stored. If you've deleted thousands of photos but haven't freed up space, it's likely that this particular file is bloated. It can be safely deleted - the system will re-create it, but in a smaller size corresponding to the current number of photos.
| File type | Location | Is it safe to delete? | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cache applications | /data/data/[package]/cache |
Yes | Applications will take a little longer to load when first launched |
| Photo thumbnails | /DCIM/.thumbnails |
Yes | Gallery will re-generate previews |
| Log files | /data/log or /logs |
Yes | Absent, useful for debugging |
| Messenger databases | /Android/data/[messenger] |
No (risk of loss history) | Loss of correspondence and media |
Cleaning through developer mode and ADB
For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a cleaning method through USB debugging and utility ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to delete files that are not accessible to regular applications and file managers. You will need a computer and an installed set of drivers.
First you need to activate developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and click on “Build number” 7 times. Then, in the “For Developers” menu that appears, enable “USB Debugging.” By connecting your phone to a PC, you can run a command to clear the cache of all applications at once.
adb shell pm trim-caches 99999999999This command forcibly trims the application cache, freeing the specified number of bytes (the maximum value is indicated in the example). This is a powerful tool, but should be used with caution. After executing the command, the phone may run slower for a while until it restores the necessary temporary files.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces and available ADB commands may vary depending on the Android version and manufacturer. Always check the relevance of the commands for your specific device model before entering.
Radical measures: resetting and transferring data
If software methods did not help and the “Other” category continues to grow, occupying a critical volume, errors or “broken” indexes may have accumulated in the file system. In this case, the solution is a full reset to factory settings (Factory Reset).
Before doing this, be sure to create a complete backup of your important data to the cloud or external storage device. After the reset, the phone will return to its “out of the box” state, and the “Other” category will occupy the minimum possible system space. This is the only way to ensure that all accumulated digital junk is removed.
An alternative would be to transfer media files and documents to a memory card SDif your smartphone supports this function. Although applications and their cache will still remain in the internal memory, freeing up space from personal files will allow the system to work more comfortably with temporary data.
Why is “Other” not reduced immediately after deleting files?
The Android file system does not always instantly recalculate the free space index. Sometimes you need to reboot the device or enter the storage menu again for the numbers to update. Also, some system processes may block the display of changes until background tasks are completed.
Regular maintenance and setting up auto-cleaning in instant messengers is more effective than periodically dealing with full memory.
Is it possible to completely delete the “Other” section?
It is impossible to completely delete this section, since it is system category for storing temporary and service data. However, you can minimize its size to several hundred megabytes by regularly clearing the cache and deleting unnecessary files.
Why did the space become free after clearing the cache, but after an hour it disappeared again?
Applications automatically restore their cache for faster operation. If you cleared the cache of your browser or social network, the next time you launch it, it will start downloading images and data again, filling the free space.
Does the overflow of the "Other" section affect the speed of the phone?
Yes, when the free space runs out, the system does not have enough space to create temporary files and swap, which leads to severe slowdowns, interface freezes and even emergency closing of applications.
Is it safe to use third-party cleaning applications?
Most popular cleaners (like Clean Master and analogues) only create a load on the battery and show ads. Built-in Android tools are quite enough for safe cleaning, and third-party apps can even disrupt the operation of some services.