You go into the memory settings of your smartphone and see a frightening picture: the storage is filled to capacity, and the lion’s share is occupied by the mysterious “Other” section. This is one of the most common problems among owners of devices based on Android. The system classifies files here that it could not classify into specific categories, such as photos, videos or installed applications.
Why is this happening? Over time system cacheerror logs, remnants of deleted apps and temporary messenger files accumulate in huge quantities. Standard cleaners often ignore this folder, considering it a system zone that is dangerous to touch. However, you cannot ignore the situation - this leads to a slowdown in the interface and the inability to install updates.
In this article we will analyze effective methods of dealing with a bloated partition. We won't rely on dubious apps from the store, which are often a source of garbage themselves. Instead, you will learn how to manually find the culprits of memory clog and safely remove unnecessary things using built-in tools and advanced methods.
Analyzing the contents of the “Other” section
Before you start deleting, you need to understand what exactly is hidden behind this label. In most cases, “Other” consists of application cache, offline maps, data from streaming services and system logs. For example, if you actively use Telegram or VK, these applications can take up gigabytes of space, storing every photo and video you view in a hidden cache.
Also here are operating system update files that were not deleted after installation. Sometimes this section contains “broken” download files or remnants of games that you deleted a long time ago, but their data folders remained as dead weight. Understanding the structure allows you to act precisely, without deleting anything unnecessary.
It is worth noting that file categorization algorithms differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. U Samsung, Xiaomi or Pixel the logic of working with memory may vary. Therefore, what appears as “Pictures” on one device may be listed as “Other” on another. It is important to check memory usage statistics in the settings of a specific device.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to delete files from the “Other” section through the file manager without preliminary analysis. Deleting system libraries or configuration files may cause the phone to stop booting or certain applications to stop running.
Clearing cache and application data
The safest and most effective way to free up space is to work with the settings of individual applications. The system Android allows you to view how much space each application takes up and divide this space into the app itself, its data and cache. It is the cache that is the main candidate for deletion.
First, go to the menu Settings → Applications → Manage applications. Sort the list by memory size. You will be surprised to find that some browser or social network takes up 5-10 GB. Click on the application and select Storage.
Here you will see two buttons: “Clear cache” and “Clear data”. The first deletes temporary files, which is safe and does not require re-authorization. The second one resets the application to factory settings, deleting all logins, passwords and saved settings. Use the second option only if you understand the consequences.
- 📱 Messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber store media files in a cache. Clear it regularly through the settings of the application itself, and not just through the system.
- 🌐 Browsers: Chrome and Yandex Browser accumulate site caches. You can safely delete it, the pages will reload if necessary.
- 🎵 Streaming: Spotify and Yandex.Music cache tracks for offline listening. If the cache limit in the application settings is too high, reduce it.
Before clearing the application data, make sure that you remember your username and password, as you will have to enter them again. For instant messengers, be sure to back up your chats.
After clearing the cache of heavy applications, the volume of the “Other” section can be reduced by several gigabytes instantly. This is a routine procedure that is recommended to be carried out once a month to maintain the performance of the smartphone.
Deleting residual files and folders
Even after deleting applications, their “tails” often remain in the phone’s memory. app developers create folders to store settings, downloaded levels, or additional data packages that are not automatically deleted when the app is uninstalled.
To find these files, you will need a file manager. Built-in conductors in MiUI or OneUI are quite suitable for this task, but you can also install a third-party one, for example, Files by Google. Your goal is to find folders with the names of deleted apps or games.
Pay special attention to the root directory of the internal memory. Often there you can find folders with names like com.game.name or just strange character sets. If you are sure that the app has been removed, you can erase such a folder. However, be careful with folders Android/data and Android/obb —the data of current applications is stored there.
| Folder type | Can be deleted? | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|
| Deleted folders games | Yes | No |
| DCIM / Camera | No | High (deleting photos) |
| Download | Selective | Medium (deleting documents) |
| System / Data | No | Critical (system crash) |
⚠️ Attention: File manager interfaces and folder structure may change with Android updates. Always check the official documentation of your phone model before mass deleting files from system directories.
☑️ Check before deleting a folder
Using developer and debugging mode
If standard methods did not help, you can use deeper tools systems. Developer mode gives you access to features that are hidden from the average user. This allows you to manage processes and services more flexibly.
To enable the mode, go to Settings → About phone and quickly click 7 times on the item Build number. After this, a new section will appear in the settings menu For developers. There you can find the “Background process limit” item, but be careful: limiting processes may interfere with notifications.
A more advanced method is to use USB debugging and a computer. By connecting your phone to a PC with Android SDK Platform-Toolsinstalled, you can manage memory through the console. This requires technical knowledge, but gives maximum control.
adb shell pm list packages -fThis command will list all installed packages with their file paths. By analyzing the output, you can find forgotten system applications (bloatware) that take up space in the “Other” section and are not removed in the usual way.
What is ADB and how to install it?
ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is a universal command line tool that allows you to interact with your Android device. To use it, you need to download Platform Tools from the official Android developers website, unpack the archive and run the command line in this folder. The phone must be connected via USB with debugging enabled.
Resetting settings as a last resort
When nothing helps and the “Other” section continues to grow, taking up half of the memory, there is a radical, but the most effective method - a full reset to factory settings. This action completely clears the internal memory, removing all junk, file system errors and hidden software conflicts.
Before performing this procedure, it is critical to make a complete backup of all data. Use cloud services such as Google Driveor copy photos and documents to your computer. Remember that after resetting the phone will be the same as you bought it in the store.
The reset process is usually located in the menu Settings → System → Reset settings → Delete all data. The device will reboot and the cleaning process will begin. This may take from 10 to 30 minutes. After turning it on, you will have to re-configure Wi-Fi, accounts and install applications.
⚠️ Attention: Make sure the battery charge is at least 50% before starting the reset. Interrupting the process by turning off the phone can damage the software and require flashing the device at a service center.
Hard Reset is the only way to ensure that all system garbage and file system errors are removed that cannot be found and removed manually.
Prevention and useful tips
To prevent the problem with the “Other” section from returning again and again, you need to introduce several useful habits in using your smartphone. Regular maintenance is much more effective than dealing with the consequences.
First, set up automatic cache clearing in instant messengers. In the same Telegram you can set the cache to be automatically deleted if it has not been used, for example, 3 days. This will prevent the folder from growing uncontrollably.
Secondly, do not store files on your phone that you do not need right now. It is better to move videos, old documents and APK installation files to a memory card or to the cloud. Internal memory should be primarily dedicated to the system and active applications.
- 🗑️ Regularity: Check the storage once every two weeks. Delete unnecessary screenshots and downloaded files from the Download folder.
- ☁️ Cloud technologies: Use Google Photos with the Free Up Space feature, which removes pictures from your device that have already been uploaded to the cloud.
- 🚫 Refusal of "cleaners": Avoid applications like Clean Master. They often generate garbage themselves and show intrusive advertising, slowing down the phone.
Following these simple rules will help keep your Android clean and fast throughout its entire service life. Memory is a resource that requires competent management, and not chaotic filling.
Why does the “Other” section fill up again immediately after cleaning?
This is normal system behavior. Applications constantly create new temporary files for their work. If you cleared your browser cache, it will start creating it again the first time you visit sites. The main thing is that the growth be gradual and not abrupt.
Is it possible to move the “Other” section to a memory card?
No, the “Other” section is a logical category of system storage. You cannot move the system cache or application data to an SD card without root access and complex system modification, which is not recommended for ordinary users.
Is it safe to use third-party cleaning apps?
Most popular cleaning apps are useless or even harmful. They delete the same cache, which you can clear yourself in the settings, but they also consume background resources. Built-in Android tools cope with this task better.
Does filling out the “Other” section affect the speed of the phone?
Yes, directly. When the internal memory is more than 90% full, the system begins to experience difficulty writing temporary files and .swap files. This leads to noticeable interface slowdowns and long application launches.