Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often face the challenge of hiding personal information from prying eyes. MIUI’s built-in shell and its modern HyperOS offer advanced encryption tools that allow them to hide not only photos and apps, but also text recordings. However, users who have enabled this feature for security sometimes forget the access path or password, making the content inaccessible.
The problem of accessing encrypted data is one of the most common in the technical support of the brand. Many confuse the usual hiding of applications with full encryption of notes, not understanding the difference in the algorithms of the system. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the legal ways to open a hidden note on Xiaomi, restore access through an account and consider the technical nuances of the Second Space.
It should be noted that Xiaomi security is built on serious encryption protocols, so you can’t just pull out data without a key. We will look at standard login methods, work with cloud backups of Mi Cloud and actions in case of password loss. Understanding these processes will help to avoid losing important data in the future.
Search and login through a standard application
The first step should always be to find a standard access path, because many users simply do not find the hidden folder in the interface. In the classic Notes app, hidden entries do not appear in the shared list, even if all folders are viewed in mode. To see them, you need to perform a specific swipe action that activates the hidden partition.
Open the Notes app on your device. On the home screen, which displays a list of all your folders (e.g., All Notes, Favorites), you need to swipe up with your finger from the bottom up, this movement should be fast enough and confident, but not a sharp jerk. If the password is set correctly and the partition is activated, the system will request unlocking.
Important: Swipe should be done in the folder list area, not the top of the app or the bottom navigation bar. If you use gesture navigation, try to start moving just above the bottom bar so as not to cause a return to the desktop.
⚠️ Note: After three incorrect password attempts, the system may temporarily block the login option for 30 seconds or require an unlock response if it has been set up in advance.
Once you successfully enter a PIN, pattern lock, or password, you will have a separate space that looks like a normal one, but with an isolated storage, and only the notes you manually moved to this section are stored here, and the data in this folder is encrypted separately from the main system, so even when you connect your phone to your computer in debugging mode, you will not be able to access them without unlocking the smartphone screen.
☑️ Checking access to notes
Use of biometrics and alternative methods
Xiaomi smartphones today are equipped with fingerprint scanners and facial recognition modules, making it much easier to access secure data. If you previously tied your fingerprint to Privacy Protection, the process of opening a hidden note takes a fraction of a second, but users often forget that biometrics only works as an addition to the main password.
In some versions of the MIUI shell, you can use a second fingerprint to quickly enter hidden space, and for this purpose, an additional finger must be added to the security settings, designated specifically to unlock sensitive data, which is convenient when you need to quickly show someone an open note without entering the main complex password.
If the biometrics don't work, you may have a sensor malfunction or a system update reset privilege settings, so try rebooting your device. You should also check if the feature is disabled in the settings: go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy and make sure the switch is active.
- 🔑 Use the main screen unlock password if you forget a separate folder code (often synced when you first set up the folder).
- 👆 Try entering a password even if the fingerprint is configured – sometimes the system requires manual input after a reboot.
- 🔄 Update the Notes app via GetApps or Google Play to eliminate interface bugs.
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If the fingerprint scanner often makes a mistake when logging into a hidden folder, try clearing the scanner area of fat and dust, and reconfiguring the print in the security settings.
Restoration of access through Mi Account
The most reliable way to return access to data is to use a Mi Account. When you initially set up the hid-note function, the system strongly recommends linking a cloud account, which creates a backup access key that allows you to reset a forgotten password or log in on another device.
To restore access, go to the password entry menu and click on the “Forgot Password” button (or similar link at the bottom of the screen). The system will prompt you to log in to your Mi Account. After successfully entering your username and password from your account, you will be prompted to install a new code to protect privacy.
It should be noted that this method only works if the phone has an Internet connection, if the device is locked or in flight mode, you will not be able to verify credentials, and it is also important that the device has an up-to-date version of Xiaomi services installed.
The table below shows the possible account binding statuses and actions to take:
| Account status | Possibility of discharge | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| Account tied | Yes. | Click “Forgot password”, log in, set a new code |
| Account untied | No. | Password reset is not possible, data is lost |
| No Internet. | No, not at all. | Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile network |
| Forgot the Mi ID password | Through the site | Restoring access to your i.mi.com account |
Working with the Second Space
Sometimes users hide notes not through the encryption function inside the app, but through the creation of a second space (Second Space), a full-fledged copy of the operating system inside your smartphone, with its desktop, its applications and its data. Notes created in the Second Space do not physically exist in the main profile.
To open these notes, you need to switch between spaces, which can be done through a special shortcut on the desktop or through settings. Go to Settings → Second Space and press the switch button. The system will ask you to enter a password or attach the finger assigned to enter the second space.
If you can't remember whether you have Second Space enabled, look at the number of dots in the desktop page indicator or the presence of the system application Space Switch, which is so tightly isolated that even files are not visible in the main profile file manager.
⚠️ Note: Deleting the Second Space without first transferring data will result in the complete and irretrievable loss of all notes, photos and applications inside it.
To transfer notes from Second Space to Main Space, use the built-in migration function. Go to Second Space, open Settings → Second Space → Data Transfer. Select the Notes data type and follow the instructions on the screen. Once the process is complete, the files will appear in the main profile in the standard application.
What is the difference between a hidden folder and a second space?
Synchronization and cloud problems
If local access to a note is not possible, it is worth checking the cloud storage.Mi Cloud can synchronize the contents of the Notes application, including hidden folders, if the appropriate option was enabled, this can be a rescue if the screen breaks or system malfunctions.
To check, go to i.mi.com from your computer or other device. Sign in to your Mi Account and select Notes. If synchronization works, you'll see a list of your records. Hidden notes can be displayed in a separate tab or marked with a special lock icon.
But there's a caveat: to view hidden notes in the web version of the cloud, you may also need to enter a security code, so that even when you access an account, an outsider can't read sensitive information. Make sure you remember the code that was set up to encrypt it.
- ☁️ Check the sync status in the Mi Cloud settings on your phone.
- 💻 Use the web version of the cloud to access data from your PC.
- 📥 Upload important notes to a text file for security.
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Regular sync with Mi Cloud is the only way to guarantee hidden notes recovery when you lose access to your device.
What to do if your password is lost forever
The situation when the user forgets the password from the hidden folder and does not bind Mi Account is critical. the encryption algorithms used in Xiaomi are the industry standard, it is impossible to bypass them without a key. Neither service centers nor hacker utilities will help to data without significant losses.
The only technically feasible but radical solution is to completely reset your device to the factory settings (Hard Reset), which will remove all data from your phone, including hidden notes, photos and apps. However, if you have a backup of your main profile (without a hidden folder), you can return the phone to working condition.
Before you reset, make sure you remember your Mi Account and Google Account, as after the reboot, the phone will request it to confirm ownership (protection against theft).
⚠️ Note: no programs to “hack” the password Xiaomi does not work and often contain viruses.
The reset process is like this: turn off your phone, press the Volume Up + Power button combination to enter Recovery mode. Select a language, then Wipe Data, and confirm the action. Once you reboot, the phone will be as new.