Where in the Xiaomi phone stored passwords from accounts

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to restore access to their data or transfer information to a new device. The question of where the stored credentials are physically located becomes critical when changing a gadget or trying to reset the system. However, the standard user interface hides these processes, providing access only through special synchronization services.

The Android system that runs the MIUI or HyperOS shell uses sophisticated encryption mechanisms to protect personal information. A simple text file that you can open with a notebook and read all the passwords from Wi-Fi, Google or social networks does not exist in an open file system, this is made specifically to protect against malware and data theft.

However, tech-savvy users and digital security professionals know that data is stored in specific memory areas, requiring special rights or the use of cloud-based intermediary services, and understanding the storage structure helps not only restore access, but also clean the device before selling.

Standard password storage in MIUI and HyperOS

For most users who do not want to interfere with system files, the main storage place is the Xiaomi Cloud service and the built-in Google password manager. This is where the saved logins fall by default when logged in to the browser or applications. This data is accessed through the settings menu, where information is presented in a readable form.

In modern firmware versions, Xiaomi has implemented its own password manager that syncs with the Mi Account, which allows you to restore access even when you completely clean the phone if you have synchronized. The path to this storage is in the Settings → Passwords and Security → Password Manager.

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Xiaomi’s built-in password manager encrypts data and binds it to Mi Account, making it impossible to read files without unlocking your account.

Importantly, a local copy of this data is also present in memory, but it is protected by system access rights. Without obtaining superuser rights, you can not see raw database files. The system uses Sandboxing, which isolates the data of each application from other processes.

⚠️ Note: Attempts to copy system password databases without understanding the structure of files can lead to a security system failure and account lock security mechanisms.

System Files and SQLite Database

Technically speaking, all passwords on Android systems, including Xiaomi, are stored in SQLite databases, which are located in a hidden system partition that is not accessible to ordinary applications. The main credential repository is usually located along a path that requires root rights to view.

The key file is often credentials.db or files with the.db extension in system service directories, such as Wi-Fi data that can be stored in a file. wpa_supplicant.conf or similar configuration files depending on the version of Android. for Google Chrome and other browsers, separate user profiles are used.

Database files are often encrypted or hashed, and even if you access a file, you'll see a set of characters, not plain text, and decrypting them requires a key that's stored in a secure area of the processor (TEE), making it almost useless for attackers to steal passwords by simply copying files.

Use of Google Password Manager

Remember that Google is the dominant user in Xiaomi’s ecosystem, and many users don’t even realize that their passwords are stored in Google’s account, not in their phone’s memory, which is the most secure and affordable way to store, and doesn’t require any super-user permissions.

To view the stored data, you need to go to the settings of your Google account on your device. The path is as follows: Settings → Google → Autocomplete → Google Password Manager. This is a huge database that is synchronized across all devices where you log in to this acc.

The advantage of using Google Password Manager is the ability to quickly check for data leaks. the service automatically analyzes stored passwords for compromise in known databases of leaks. If a password from a site was stolen, the system will notify the owner of the smartphone.

• 🔒 Autosave: The system itself offers to save a password when you log in to a new account.
• 🔄 Sync: Access passwords from any device, including your computer through the Chrome browser.
• 🛡️ Biometrics: Password viewing requires fingerprint or face confirmation.

Access via Root and ADB rights

For users who need full control of the file system, the only way to get direct access to password files is to obtain Root rights. On Xiaomi smartphones, this is the procedure of unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk or a similar rights manager.

Once you have superuser rights, you can use root-enabled file managers like Root Explorer or MiXplorer. Going to /data/data/, you can find folders for specific applications. However, as mentioned earlier, the files inside will be encrypted or binary databases.

adb shell


su




ls /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/

Using USB debugging (ADB) allows you to pull backups of some data, but modern versions of Android limit backups of critical data even for developers. adb backup commands often don't save Wi-Fi passwords or Google accounts in readable form without additional manipulation.

⚠️ Attention: Unlocking the bootloader on Xiaomi resets all data from the phone and activates the wait timer (from 7 days), making the method unavailable for emergency password recovery here and now".

Third-party password managers as an alternative

Given the complexity of embedded system files, security experts recommend using specialized password management applications, and unlike system storage, these applications allow you to export data in a readable format (such as CSV) at any time.

Popular solutions like Bitwarden, KeePass, or 1Password store the database either in an encrypted cloud or locally in a file that the user can copy manually, and in the case of Xiaomi, such a file can be saved to a hidden folder or to an external drive.

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Use the “Export” function in the password manager before selling your phone so you don’t lose access to your accounts after resetting your settings.

The main advantage of these apps is operating system independence: If you switch from Xiaomi to an iPhone or other brand, your passwords will stay with you, while extracting them from Xiaomi proprietary system files may become impossible.

Table of comparison of storage methods

To better understand the differences between how you store and access passwords on Xiaomi devices, consider a comparison table that will help you choose the best method depending on your technical skills and goals.

As you can see from the table, the most convenient and safe option for the average user is to use cloud services, and direct interference with the file system is only justified for digital forensics specialists or developers.

Restoring access with a forgotten password

Often, the question of where passwords are stored arises when access is lost, and if you forget the password from your Mi or Google account, finding files on your phone won't help, because it's the forgotten password or biometrics that you need to decrypt those files.

The only working method is to restore the phone via email or the phone number associated with the account, but if the phone is locked by the lock screen and the data is urgently needed, it is almost impossible to access the files without previously synchronized or unlocked USB Debugging.

There is a myth that deleting certain configuration files resets a password. This is not true. Deleting account files (such as accounts.db) most often results in a cyclical system reboot or a requirement to enter a password from a Google account (FRP Lock), which is a serious protection against theft.

⚠️ Warning: Deleting system account files can activate protection FRP (Factory Reset Protection, after which the phone will be impossible to use without entering the data of the last synchronized Google account.

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