Have you ever forgotten a password from an important account knowing it's exactly stored somewhere on your phone? Xiaomi smartphones offer a few built-in ways to manage stored login data, from the standard Mi Browser to Google Chrome and third-party apps. But where exactly are these passwords stored, how do you find them without the risk of leakage, and can you transfer them to another device?
In this article, weโll look at all possible password storage locations in Xiaomi browsers (including hidden system folders), show you how to export them to readable format, and warn about security risks that users often ignore, and answer the question of why sometimes saved logins โdisappearโ after updating MIUI โ and how to avoid this.
1. Standard Mi Browser browser: where and how passwords are stored
Mi Browser is Xiaomi's proprietary browser, preinstalled on all MIUI-enclosed smartphones, and it syncs passwords to your Mi Account, but you can also find them locally.
Go to Mi Browser. โ Menu (three dots) โ Settings โ Passwords. This will show you a list of all the logins you saved. To see the password, you'll need to type in. PIN-Fingerprint or code (if locking is set up).
- ๐ Local Storage: Passwords are encrypted and stored in a system database along the way /data/data/com.android.browser/databases/webview.db. Access is only possible with root rights.
- โ๏ธ Cloud Sync: If you have Mi Account Sync enabled, passwords are duplicated on Xiaomi servers (encrypted with device-specific binding).
- โ ๏ธ Restriction: In some regions (e.g. EU), the password saving feature in Mi Browser is disabled by default due to the fact that the user has been unable to save passwords. GDPR.
Important: If you reset your phone to factory settings without a Mi Account waiver, synchronized passwords will remain in the cloud, but local data will be lost.
2.Google Chrome on Xiaomi: Access to Password Manager
If you use Google Chrome, all saved passwords are linked to a Google account, and you can view them on your phone or through the web.
On a Xiaomi smartphone, open Chrome โ Menu (three dots) โ Settings โ Passwords. Here you will see a list of sites with saved logins. To show the password, you will need authentication (PIN, pattern lock or biometrics).
- ๐ Remote Access: Log in to passwords.google.com from any device, logging in to the same Google account.
- ๐ฑ Local Copy: Passwords are stored in encrypted form in /data/data/com.android.chrome/app_chrome/Default/Login Data (root rights required to access).
- ๐ Export: In the web version of the password manager, you can export data to.csv (setting is hidden behind the button ยซโฎยป top-right).
โ ๏ธ Note: Exporting passwords to.csv creates an unencrypted file, save it only in a secure location (e.g., an encrypted archive) and delete it after use.
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If you often lose access to accounts, set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for critical services. Even if the password is compromised, an attacker will not be able to log in without the second factor.
3. Hidden system folders: where the passwords are physically located
All Android browsers (including Xiaomi) store passwords in secure system folders, which can only be accessed with root rights or through ADB (Android Debug Bridge).
| browser | The path to the password file | Storage format | Need root? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Browser | /data/data/com.android.browser/databases/webview.db | SQLite (encrypted) | Yes. |
| Google Chrome | /data/data/com.android.chrome/app_chrome/Default/Login Data | SQLite (OS encryption) | Yes. |
| Firefox | /data/data/org.mozilla.firefox/files/mozilla/.default/logins.json | JSON (encrypted) | Yes. |
| Opera | /data/data/com.opera.browser/app_opera/Login Data | SQLite | Yes. |
To extract passwords from these files, you will need:
- Root access or ADB with su rights.
- Tools for working with SQLite/JSON (e.g. DB Browser for SQLite or jq for JSON).
- Knowledge of the database structure (for example, in Login Data Chrome, passwords are stored in the logins table).
โ ๏ธ Warning: Direct editing of system password files can damage them. Adb pull is recommended first /path/to/file).
How to get root on Xiaomi without the risk of โbrickingโ
4.Export passwords: step-by-step instructions for each browser
If you need to transfer passwords to another device or save a backup, use official export tools. Below are instructions for popular browsers on Xiaomi.
๐น Mi Browser
There is no official export, but it is possible to:
- Enable synchronization with Mi Account (Settings โ Synchronization).
- Sign in to another Xiaomi device under the same account โ passwords will be automatically pulled up.
๐น Google Chrome
Exports to.csv:
- Open passwords.google.com.
- Press ยซโฎยป โ ยซPassword exportsยป.
- Confirm the action through the password of the Google account.
๐น Mozilla Firefox
Export through settings:
- Go to Firefox โ Menu โ Settings โ Logins and passwords.
- Press ยซโฎยป โ ยซExport loginsยป.
- Create a master password if you donโt have one.
โ๏ธ Preparation for password export
5.Why passwords 'disappear' after MIUI update
Many Xiaomi users face a problem: after updating MIUI, saved passwords in the browser disappear.
- ๐ Reset browser settings: With major updates (for example, with MIUI 12 on MIUI 13) some system applications are reset to factory settings.
- ๐๏ธ Cache Cleanup: If you cleaned the cache through Settings before the upgrade โ Annexes โ browser โ The storage, could be deleted and password data.
- โ๏ธ Sync failures: If Mi Account or Google Account temporarily disconnected from the network during the update, the cloud copy of passwords may not recover.
- ๐ ๏ธ Changes in API: New versions MIUI Sometimes the way data is stored is changed, which makes old saved passwords unreadable.
How to avoid loss:
- Before updating manually export passwords (see section 4).
- Check if synchronization is included in Settings โ Accounts.
- Do not clear your browser data for 2-3 days after the update (in case of rollback).
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If your passwords are gone after the update, try resetting MIUI through recovery mode or using a backup created in Mi Cloud. 80% of the time, the data is restored.
6.Security: How to protect saved passwords from leakage
Storing passwords in your browser is convenient, but it can be risky. Here are 5 security rules to follow on Xiaomi:
- ๐ Master Password: In Firefox and some other browsers, you can set a master password that encrypts all the others. โ Logins and passwords.
- ๐ซ Turn off autocomplete: In Settings โ System system โ Language and input โ Autocomplete remove browser from trusted services list.
- ๐ฑ Screen lock: Use PIN At least 6 characters long or biometric. pattern lock is easy to peek at.
- ๐ Regular audit: Check the password list every 2-3 months and delete unnecessary ones (especially from old accounts).
- ๐ก๏ธ Antivirus: Install Xiaomi Security or a third-party antivirus (such as Bitdefender) to protect against keyloggers.
Critical vulnerability: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10) had a bug before MIUI 12.5 that allowed you to extract passwords from Mi Browser without root rights through ADB.
If you suspect that your passwords have been compromised:
- Change passwords on all critical services (banks, social networks, mail).
- Revoke browser access in Settings โ Accounts โ Google/Mi Account โ Access Management.
- Check your device for viruses with Malwarebytes or Kaspersky.
7.Alternatives: The Best Password Managers for Xiaomi
If the built-in browser tools don't suit you, consider specialized password managers.
- ๐ More secure encryption (for example, AES-256 Bitwarden).
- ๐ Cross-platform (synchronization between Android, iOS and PC).
- ๐ฑ Automatic filling in any application (not only browsers).
- ๐ก๏ธ Two-factor authentication (2FA) for the manager himself.
Top.-3 manager for Xiaomi:
| Manager | Free fare | Support for 2FA | Offline mode. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitwarden | Yes (unlimited) | Yes (TOTP) | Yes. |
| KeePassDX | Yes (fully) | Through plugins. | Yes. |
| 1Password | No (14 days of the trial) | Yes. | Partially. |
How to transfer passwords from the browser to the manager:
- Export them to.csv (see section 4).
- Import the file to the selected manager (in Bitwarden this is done through Settings โ Import).
- Remove passwords from your browser to avoid duplication.