A sudden message that your smartphone’s memory is full often becomes an unpleasant surprise. You delete photos, erase unnecessary applications, but only a couple of megabytes are freed. The culprit for this system behavior is most often a mysterious category in the storage, which is called differently in different versions of Android: “Other”, “Miscellaneous” or Miscellaneous. This folder works like a “black hole”, absorbing gigabytes of free space that the user cannot delete using standard methods.
The essence of the problem lies in the fact that the operating system Android does not always classify files correctly. This includes temporary data, remnants of deleted apps, error logs, messenger caches, and even files from forgotten downloads. Sometimes the volume of this category reaches 10–20 GB, which is critical for devices with small built-in storage. Understanding the nature of these files is the first step to regaining control over your gadget's memory.
In this article we will analyze the mechanics of creating the “Other” folder and offer a step-by-step algorithm of actions. You will learn how to find hidden files, which applications most often clog the system, and whether it is worth using third-party cleaning software. The main thing is to act carefully so as not to delete important system data or personal documents.
Nature of the “Other” category and system files
Category "Other" is not a separate folder in the file system, but an aggregated indicator that the file manager shows to the user. Here the system includes all data that does not fall under the clear criteria of the categories “Applications”, “Images”, “Video” or “Audio”. Often these are system files necessary for the operation of shells or the kernel, but in excess they can turn into digital garbage.
One of the main reasons for the bloat of this section is logs and error reports. When any application or the system itself encounters a failure, it writes technical information into text files. In normal mode, these files should be deleted automatically, but with frequent failures they accumulate like an avalanche. This also includes temporary update files that the system did not delete after successful installation of the new version Android.
Another important aspect is the data of user applications that are not indexed by the media scanner. For example, downloaded maps in the navigator, offline translator databases, or caches of streaming services can be displayed in the “Other” section. This is not always garbage, so before cleaning it is important to understand what exactly is taking up the space.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to manually delete files from system directories through file managers with root access if you are not sure of their purpose. Removing critical libraries may cause the phone to stop booting.
Before starting deep cleaning, be sure to back up important contacts and documents to cloud storage or to your computer.
Storage analysis through system settings
The first thing you need to do is diagnostics using built-in tools. Modern Android provides fairly detailed memory usage statistics. Go to the menu Settings, find the section Memory or Storage. Here you will see a visualization of the occupied space. By clicking on the “Other” or “Miscellaneous” category, the system can offer a list of the largest files included in this group.
If the standard menu does not provide detail, you should use the “Free up space” function. The system itself will analyze the content and offer to delete rarely used applications or duplicate files. However, automatic algorithms are not always effective against specific garbage, so manual analysis often gives better results. Pay attention to the cache size of each installed application.
Pay special attention to instant messengers and social networks. Applications like Telegram, WhatsApp or Viber store media files in their own directories, which the system sometimes does not recognize as “Gallery”, but classifies as “Other”. Inside the settings of these applications there are "Data and memory" sections where you can see a detailed breakdown of file types.
- 📱 Check the "App Cache" section in the storage settings - this is the safest way to free up space.
- 🗑️ Sort files by size in the file manager to find forgotten archives or videos.
- 🔄 Reboot the device before analysis - this will update the file indexing and may change the displayed volume.
Clearing the cache and data of problematic applications
The most effective method of dealing with the bloated “Other” category is targeted clearing of the cache of heavy applications. Cache is temporary data that speeds up apps, but over time it can take up gigabytes. Go to Settings → Applications, select the leading application in memory consumption (often browsers, social networks or games) and click Storage.
Here you will see two buttons: "Clear cache" and "Clear data". The first one deletes only temporary files, which is safe and does not reset your login or game save settings. The second button returns the application to the “as after installation” state, removing all logins, passwords and local settings. Use "Clear data" only if you are ready to reconfigure the application.
For instant messengers, such as Telegramthere is a built-in cleaning tool. In the application settings, find the item Data and memory → Memory usage. There you can configure automatic cache deletion, for example, delete downloaded photos and videos if they have not been opened for more than 3 days. This prevents the accumulation of garbage in the future.
☑️ Checklist for clearing the cache
Don't forget about browsers. Chrome, Yandex Browser and others accumulate a huge number of temporary web page files. Clearing the browser history and cache through its internal settings often frees up from 500 MB to 2 GB of space that was previously listed in the “Other” section.
Manually deleting files through Explorer
If automatic methods do not help, you will have to use a file manager. Standard Explorer Files by Google or the built-in “My Files” allow you to look into the root structure of memory. Look for folders with names Download, Temp, Backup. Users often forget about downloaded installation files APK or archives that are no longer needed.
Particular attention should be paid to folders Android/obb and Android/data. Game caches and application data are stored here. Deleting the contents of these folders should be done with caution: deleting a folder for a specific game will require you to download it again. However, if the game has already been deleted, but the folder remains, it is pure garbage, taking up space in the “Other” category.
Use sorting by date modified. Files that have not been opened for years are most likely junk. These could be old logs, error reports, or temporary files from long-deleted apps. Removing such “old-timers” is safe and effective.
⚠️ Attention: The interface of file managers and access to system folders may differ depending on the version of Android and the manufacturer’s shell (MIUI, One UI, ColorOS). Always check the official recommendations for your model.
What to do if the file is not deleted?
If the system says “File busy” or “No permissions,” the file may be in use by a background process. Try rebooting your phone into safe mode and deleting the file from there, or close all running applications before trying.
Using a computer for deep cleaning
Connecting your smartphone to a computer via a USB cable opens up opportunities for more detailed analysis. On a large monitor screen it is easier to navigate the folder structure. Enable file transfer mode (MTP) in the USB settings on your phone and open the internal storage via “My Computer”.
Using a PC, you can use specialized software for disk analysis, for example WinDirStat or TreeSize Free (when working with emulators or connected devices, if they are defined as a disk). A visual map of files will immediately show which directories take up the lion's share of space. It often turns out that “Other” is actually a forgotten folder with movies or messenger backups.
The computer also allows you to safely transfer large amounts of data. Photos, videos, and documents can be copied to your PC's hard drive and then deleted from your phone. This will instantly reduce the total amount of occupied memory and can reclassify some files from “Other” into freed space.
| Data type | Where to look (path) | Deletion security | Typical volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messenger cache | Android/media/... |
Secure (via application settings) | 1–5 GB |
| Downloads | /storage/emulated/0/Download |
Secure (check contents) | 500 MB - 2 GB |
| System logs | /data/log (Root required) |
Only for experienced | 100–500 MB |
| Remains of deleted games | Android/obb/ |
Safe if the game is deleted | 1-10 GB |
Connecting to a PC is the most reliable way to visually assess the file structure and find hidden “heavyweights” that are not visible in the phone menu.
Resetting settings as a last resort
If none of the above methods helped reduce the size of the “Other” folder, and it continues to take up a disproportionate amount of space (for example, 30-40% of the total volume), critical errors may have accumulated in the file system. In this case, the only effective solution is a full reset to factory settings (Factory Reset).
This procedure completely erases all data from the device, returning it to the “as from the store” state. All viruses, hidden system errors, incorrect logs and “broken” files will be destroyed. After setting up the phone again, the “Other” category usually takes up the minimum volume required for the system to work.
Before execution After resetting, it is critical to save all personal data. Contacts, photos, correspondence and files must be transferred to external media or to the cloud. The reset process is irreversible, and it will be impossible to restore deleted information without a backup.
⚠️ Attention: Make sure the battery is at least 50-60% charged before starting the reset. Interrupting the process by turning off the phone can lead to damage to the software and the need for flashing in a service center.
Preventing memory pollution
To prevent the problem with the “Other” folder from returning, it is worth introducing several habits for caring for your smartphone. Regularly clearing the cache once a month prevents the accumulation of garbage. It is also useful to disable automatic saving of media files in instant messengers if you do not plan to store them forever.
Use cloud storage for photos and videos. Services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk allow you to store media files on the Internet, freeing up local memory. Enable the “Free up space” function in these applications so that they automatically delete copies of pictures already uploaded to the cloud from your phone.
Keep an eye on system updates. Developers Android are constantly improving memory management algorithms. New versions of the operating system often contain bug fixes that led to incorrect display of the amount of used memory or data leaks into system folders.
Set a rule: look through the “Downloads” folder once a week and delete everything that is older than 7 days. This simple action prevents 80% of memory full problems.
Why is space not freed up immediately after deleting files?
The system takes time to recalculate storage indexes. In addition, deleted files may be temporarily located in the Recycle Bin of the file manager. Try rebooting the device so that the system updates the free space data.
Is it possible to delete the Android folder completely?
No, you absolutely cannot delete the entire folder. Android It is absolutely impossible. It stores data from all installed applications. Removal will lead to resetting app settings, loss of progress in games and incorrect operation of the system. You can only delete the contents of folders of specific, already deleted applications.
Does the SD memory card affect the size of the "Other" folder?
Yes, if files are saved to the memory card, they can be taken into account in the overall balance. However, if the card has a low write speed or is damaged, the system may display data incorrectly by writing it to a temporary buffer in the internal memory, which inflates the “Other” category.
Are cleaner applications for cleaning “Other” safe?
Most popular cleaners (Clean Master, CCleaner, etc.) work superficially, deleting the cache. However, some aggressive apps may delete important system files or display intrusive advertisements. It is better to use built-in Android tools or proven file managers.