How to put a password to the gallery Xiaomi: hide photos and videos from outsiders

Personal photos, screenshots of correspondence or work documents in the gallery of a smartphone are data that many Xiaomi users prefer to keep locked up. Even if you do not put the phone in the wrong hands, accidental access to confidential files can lead to trouble. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to protect the gallery: from the standard PIN-code to hidden folders and biometric authentication.

In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of blocking the gallery on Xiaomi, including the Redmi and POCO models with MIUI 12-14 firmware and HyperOS. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances: what to do if the password is forgotten, how to circumvent restrictions on some versions of the software, and why encryption through Mi Account does not work on devices without Google certification (for example, on “gray” smartphones from China).

1. Standard gallery lock through MIUI settings

The easiest way to protect photos is to use the built-in folder protection feature in the Mi Gallery app. This method works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10 and later, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and the flagship Xiaomi 13/14.

To activate the protection:

1. Open the Gallery app (flower icon).
2. Go to the Albums section. → press three points (⋮) top-right.
3. Select Blocked Albums → Set the password.
4. Come up with it. PIN-code (minimum 4 digits) or use a fingerprint.
5. Select the folders you want to hide and confirm the choice.

After that, the blocked albums will disappear from the main interface of the gallery, and access to them will be possible only after entering the password in the section "Blocked albums".

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If your version of MIUI does not have a “Blocked Albums” option, update the Gallery app via Google Play or manually install it from the APKCombo website.

2. Hidden folders: how to hide photos without a password

If you don't need a password, but you just want to take the photos out of your sight, MIUI has a hidden folder feature that doesn't encrypt files, but makes them invisible in standard browsing, and it's a technique that's good for temporarily hiding files, like before you hand over your phone to a colleague.

Instructions:

• 📁 Open Explorer (Files) and find the folder with the photo (usually DCIM/Camera).
• 🔍 Select files or folders that you want to hide.
• 🔒 Press three points (⋮) → Hide.
• 🔄 To return files back, turn on the display of hidden folders in the Explorer settings (Settings) → Show hidden files).

Important: Hidden folders are visible in Windows Explorer when connecting your phone over USB. Use encryption for complete privacy (see section 4).

3. Protection through third-party applications: pros and cons

The built-in MIUI tools may not always be suitable for users, for example, in some regions (such as smartphones for the Chinese market), the Blocked Albums feature may not be available, in which case third-party programs from Google Play will help:

Warning: Check the app's permissions before installing. Some "voults" request access to SMS, Contacts or Geolocation - these are unnecessary rights to protect the gallery. The optimal set of permissions: Warehouse, Camera (to create photos inside the application) and Biometrics.

4. Gallery encryption via Mi Account: pros and pitfalls

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12+ smartphones have a feature to encrypt data through your Mi Account, which links access to the gallery to your profile, making it harder to hack, but this method has limitations:

• ✅ It works even after resetting your phone (unless your account is undetached).
• ❌ Not available on devices without Google certification (e.g., on the Chinese version of Redmi) K60).
• ⚠️ If you lose access to Mi Account, you will not be able to restore files.

To enable encryption:

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Sync settings.
2. Activate the option of Data Encryption.
3. Select the Gallery in the list of applications for protection.

⚠️ Note: If you sell or transfer a phone, be sure to turn off encryption and delete your Mi Account via Settings → Mi Account → Otherwise, the new owner will not be able to use the gallery without your login details.

5. Biometric protection: fingerprint and Face ID

On Xiaomi smartphones with a fingerprint sensor or facial recognition system (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or other devices). POCO F5 Pro) you can link access to the gallery to biometrics. PIN-code every time.

How to set up:

1. Open Settings → Passwords and Security → Fingerprint Sensor.
2. Add a print (if not already added).
3. Return to the Gallery, go to Blocked Albums and select Use Fingerprint.

Face ID is similar to: Settings → Passwords & Security → Face recognition. Note that this method is less reliable than a print, as it can be fooled by a photo (on Redmi budget models).

The fingerprint sensor is clean and dry.

Mi Account profile has a backup email attached

Facial recognition disabled to unlock the screen (if privacy is important)

Backup of important photos in the cloud-->

6 What to do if you forget your gallery password

If you lost PIN-Code from blocked albums, there are several ways to restore access:

1. Reset via Mi Account: Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Data Recovery. If the gallery was linked to the account, the system will prompt you to reset the password.
2. Delete the Application Data Gallery: Open Settings → Annexes → Application management → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the data. ⚠️ This will remove all settings, but unlock the albums.
3. Resetting the phone to factory settings: Last resort: Settings → About the phone → Reset. All data on the phone will be erased, including photos in hidden folders, if they are not synced to the cloud.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), resetting the gallery password via Mi Account may not work.

7. Additional security measures

Even if the gallery is password protected, it is worth taking additional measures:

• 🔐 Turn off autosynchronization of photos from Google Photos or Mi Cloud if you store sensitive data there. In the cloud, files can be accessed via the web version.

For maximum privacy, use a combination of methods.

1. Hide sensitive photos in Blocked Albums with PIN-code.
2. Encrypt important files through your Mi Account.
3. Keep backups in an encrypted archive (such as 7-Zip with a password).

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The most reliable way to protect – a combination of local PIN-It's a code and encryption system through Mi Account, which makes it difficult to access files even when you physically access your phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about locking a gallery on Xiaomi