Android 'Other' / Miscellaneous Storage: What It Is and How to Shrink It
The Other (or Miscellaneous) category you see in Settings › Storage is Android's catch-all bucket for everything that doesn't fit the neat Images, Videos, Audio, and Apps categories: app caches, leftover files from deleted apps, downloads, and assorted system data. Some of it is safe junk you can clear; some of it is the operating system and shouldn't be touched. This guide is for anyone watching "Other" quietly eat gigabytes and wondering what's actually in there.
TL;DR
- "Other" / "Miscellaneous" is a catch-all for files that don't fit the standard storage categories.
- It mixes clearable junk (caches, downloads, orphaned files) with untouchable OS data.
- On Samsung, check Settings › Battery and device care › Storage; on Pixel, Settings › Storage.
- Safe to clear: app caches, the Downloads folder, leftover files from uninstalled apps.
- Not safe to clear: the System / OS portion — leave it alone; it can't be deleted normally.
What is 'Other' storage on Android?
"Other" exists because Android's storage screen sorts files into a handful of clean buckets — Images, Videos, Audio, Documents, Apps — and anything that doesn't match lands in a leftover category labeled Other or Miscellaneous. It isn't a single mysterious file; it's a mix of unrelated things grouped together only because none of them fit elsewhere.
Typically "Other" contains:
- App caches — temporary files apps store to load faster.
- Downloads — anything in your Downloads folder that isn't a recognized media type (ZIPs, APKs, PDFs sometimes).
- Orphaned / leftover files — data left behind by apps you've uninstalled.
- System and OS files — parts of Android itself and protected configuration data.
- Misc app data — databases, logs, and exports that aren't standard media.
The important takeaway: part of "Other" is genuinely clearable junk, and part of it is the operating system you can't and shouldn't remove. This is closely related to the System Data category on iPhone and Android, which works the same way.
What's safe to clear vs what isn't?
The single most useful thing to know about "Other" is which slice is yours to delete and which slice belongs to Android. Here's the breakdown:
| Inside "Other" | Safe to clear? | How |
|---|---|---|
| App caches | Yes — rebuildable | Clear per app or via Storage tools |
| Downloads folder junk | Yes — but check first | Delete files manually |
| Leftover files from deleted apps | Usually yes | Manual delete via Files app |
| Logs, temp exports | Yes | Clear app cache / delete files |
| System & OS files | No | Cannot be deleted normally |
| Active app databases | No | Would break the app |
Caches are the easy win: they're rebuildable, so clearing them is reversible by design — see what app cache is and when it's safe to clear. The OS portion, by contrast, is protected; Android won't even offer a delete button for it, and trying to remove it through other means risks breaking the system.
How do I shrink 'Other' storage on Samsung?
Samsung's Device care surfaces most of the clearable junk in one place. To work through it:
- Open Settings › Battery and device care › Storage to see the category breakdown.
- Tap into categories to inspect what's there; note how large "Other" or system usage is.
- Go back to Settings › Battery and device care › Memory only for RAM — storage and memory are different.
- Open the My Files app, then Internal storage › Download, and delete files you no longer need.
- For heavy individual apps, use Settings › Apps › [app] › Storage and tap Clear cache.
Samsung doesn't give you a single "clear all Other" button — and that's correct, because much of "Other" is system data it deliberately protects. You shrink it by clearing app caches and cleaning your Downloads folder, not by deleting a mystery category wholesale.
How do I shrink 'Other' storage on Pixel / stock Android?
Pixel and stock Android keep things simpler but follow the same logic:
- Open Settings › Storage and let the breakdown load.
- Tap System to see how much the OS itself uses (you'll see a note that it can't be reduced).
- Tap Apps, then open heavy apps and use Storage & cache › Clear cache.
- Open the Files by Google app, then Downloads and Clean suggestions, to remove junk and large files.
- Empty Trash in Files and the Photos app to finalize deletions.
Notice step 2: the System line on Pixel openly tells you it can't be shrunk. That's the part of "Other" you leave alone. Everything else — caches, downloads, and the cleanup suggestions Files surfaces — is fair game. If "Other" still looks huge afterward, the real culprit is often duplicate and similar photos hiding in your library; see duplicate versus similar photos and what to delete.
Is it safe to clear 'Other' / Miscellaneous storage?
It's safe to clear the parts of "Other" that are yours — caches and downloads — and unsafe to try forcing the parts that aren't. Natively, Android handles this well: it never gives you a button to delete its own OS files, it sends deleted photos and files to a recoverable trash for around 30 days, and clearing an app's cache only removes rebuildable data. Those guardrails mean you can't accidentally nuke the operating system from the storage screen.
Where Cleanor helps is the tedious middle ground. The storage screen tells you "Other" is large but won't itemize the clearable media and duplicates buried inside it. Cleanor scans your device locally — nothing leaves the phone — to find the large videos, screenshots, and duplicate photos that actually drive your usage up, and shows you a preview before anything is deleted. What Cleanor cannot and should not do is delete the System / OS portion of "Other": that part is off-limits by design, and no safe cleaner touches it. For the bigger picture on why a full disk matters at all, see does freeing up space make your phone faster, and for trust questions about cleaners generally, the truth about cleaner apps.
FAQ
What exactly is in 'Other' storage on Android?
"Other" is a catch-all for files that don't fit the Images, Videos, Audio, or Apps categories — mainly app caches, downloads, leftover files from uninstalled apps, and system data. It looks mysterious only because unrelated items are grouped together under one label.
Can I delete System or Miscellaneous storage on Android?
You can clear the cache and download portions, but you cannot delete the System / OS part — Android protects it and won't offer a delete button. Trying to remove core OS files through other means risks breaking the phone, so leave that part alone.
Why is my 'Other' storage so big?
Usually it's accumulated app caches plus a cluttered Downloads folder, sometimes inflated by leftover files from apps you've removed. A genuinely large System figure is normal and not something you can shrink; the clearable junk is what's worth cleaning.
Does clearing 'Other' storage delete my photos?
No. Your photos live in the Images and Videos categories, not "Other." Clearing caches and downloads from "Other" leaves your photo library untouched, and any media you do delete goes to a recoverable trash for about 30 days.
Where to start
Most of what makes "Other" balloon is clearable media and duplicates, not the OS. Cleanor finds your heaviest files and duplicates locally, with nothing uploaded, so you can shrink real storage without touching protected system data. Explore the phone storage cleanup solution or get Cleanor for iOS, and if you're not sure what to remove first, start with storage full: what should I delete first.