How to put a password on the gallery in the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi: all the ways and nuances

Protecting personal photos and videos from prying eyes is one of the key tasks for owners of Xiaomi Redmi smartphones. Even if you carefully store the phone and do not give it into the wrong hands, accidental access to the gallery can lead to unpleasant situations. MIUI Offers several ways to block access to media: from the built-in password to folders to the use of third-party applications.

In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of protecting the gallery on the Redmi Note. 10/11/12/13, Redmi 9/10/11 and other models with MIUI 12, 13 and 14. You will learn how to set your password through standard settings, what limitations this method has, and what to do if the Suddenly disappeared feature after the update.

Important: The procedure may vary slightly depending on the version MIUI If your interface looks different, check the version in Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

1. Method 1: Password to folder through standard Xiaomi gallery

The easiest method is to use the built-in Secure Folder feature in the Gallery app, which is available on most Xiaomi Redmi devices with a free-to-play experience. MIUI 12 and newer, but may be hidden in some regional firmware versions.

To activate the protection:

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Go to the Albums section (bottom of the screen).
3. Press three points. ⋮ in the upper right corner and select the Protected folder.
4. When you first start, the system will suggest setting a password or a pattern lock, come up with a reliable combination (at least 6 characters) and confirm it.
5. Now you can move photos and videos to a secure folder: select files → Press More. → Move it to a secure folder.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the protected folder, it will be impossible to restore access to files without resetting the phone to factory settings. Xiaomi does not provide official tools for resetting the gallery password!

Advantages of this method:

• 🔒 Full integration with MIUI — No need to install third-party applications.
• 📁 Files are physically moved to a secure storage (not just hidden).
• 🔄 Offline – does not require an internet connection.

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 No way to install a fingerprint or face ID (only PIN/graphical).
• 📱 The feature may not be available on global firmware devices for some regions.
• 🔄 When you reset your phone, all files from the protected folder will be deleted.

2. Method 2: Hiding a photo through the "Black List" (MIUI 14)

In the latest versions MIUI 14, a new feature, a gallery blacklist, is introduced, which allows you not only to hide files, but also to block their display in other applications (for example, in messengers when choosing photos to send).

How to turn on:

1. Open the gallery. → Albums.
2. Select the necessary photos / videos (clasp your finger on the file) → mark the rest).
3. Press three points. ⋮ → Add to the blacklist.
4. Confirm the action with a password or fingerprint (if configured).

To view hidden files:

1. Go to the gallery. → Albums. → Blacklist.
2. Enter your password or use biometrics.

💡 Useful tip: files from the blacklist are not displayed in gallery search results or indexed by the system, but they remain in the phone's memory and can be found through the file manager (for example, in a folder). DCIM/.blacklist).

Method 3: Use of the Security App

The Security app (shield icon) in Xiaomi Redmi offers additional privacy protection options, including blocking access to the gallery through “Private Mode”.

Instructions:

1. Open the Security app.
2. Go to the Privacy section → Confidentiality regime.
3. Activate the function and set a password (you can use a fingerprint).
4. Return to the Gallery, select files and select Hide (or Add to Confidential Mode).

⚠️ Warning: Confidential mode only hides files from viewing in the gallery, but does not encrypt them. MTP Hidden photos can be accessed in the folder DCIM/.private. For full protection, it is recommended to combine this method with archiving in encrypted ZIP.

Comparison of Gallery Protection Methods:

Method 4: Third-Party Applications for Gallery Protection

If integrated functions MIUI You don't like it, you can use third-party solutions:

• 🔐 KeepSafe – encrypts photos and videos, supports fingerprint, backup to the cloud.
• 🛡️ GalleryVault – hides files under the guise of a calculator, has the function of “false password".
• 📁 Private Photo Vault – Imports files into encrypted storage, supports albums.

🔹 How to set up KeepSafe:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. At the first start, create PIN-code.
3. Press. + → Choose to Import Photos/Video.
4. Select files in the gallery and confirm the import.

✅ Advantages of Third-Party Applications:

• 🔐 Full file encryption (as opposed to full file encryption) MIUI, where they just hide).
• 🌐 Synchronization with the cloud (optional).
• 👆 Support for biometrics and two-factor authentication.

❌ Deficiencies:

• 📱 Take up additional space (files duplicated).
• 💰 Free versions may have limitations (e.g., a limit on the number of files).
• 🔄 Require a trusted source (risk of installing malware).

Download. APK Only from the official website or Google Play

Check reviews and rating (not lower than 4.0)

Set up a backup of original files

Make sure you have enough space on your phone (at least 10% of the gallery space)

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Frequent problems and their solutions

Xiaomi Redmi users often encounter errors when setting up a gallery password. Let’s look at typical situations and how to fix them.

Problem 1: There is no option for a secure folder in the gallery.

Decision:

• Update MIUI to the latest version in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
• Check the firmware region: the feature may not be available in the global version for Europe. Try switching to Chinese or Indian firmware (risky, requires unlocking the bootloader!).
• Install an alternative gallery, such as Google Photos (which has a “Blocked Folder” feature).

Problem 2: After the update MIUI secure folder's gone.

Decision:

1. Check if your settings are reset: restart your phone.
2. If files are missing, try to find them through the file manager along the way. /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/lock.
3. Contact Xiaomi Support via Settings → Passport of the device → Feedback (indicate that the function has disappeared after the update).

Problem 3: The biometrics for the blacklist are not working.

Decision:

• Make sure your fingerprint or face is ID set up in Settings → Passwords and security → Fingerprint.
• Reboot your phone and try again.
• Clear the Gallery app cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

💡

If you forgot the password from the protected folder, but you have backup enabled in Mi Cloud, try recovering files via the web version of the cloud (i.mi.com), however, this will only work if the files were uploaded to the cloud before the lock.

6. Additional security measures

A gallery password is just the first step, and to really protect your data, follow these guidelines:

1. Set up a backup:

• 📱 Use Mi Cloud to automatically upload photos (include in Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery).
• 🌐 Alternative: Google Photos with the “Blocked folder” function (requires authorization).

2 Encrypt sensitive files:

• 🔐 Use applications like this. 7-Zip or RAR to create encrypted archives (.zip format with password).
• 📁 Store archives in the cloud (such as Mega or pCloud) with zero-knowledge encryption).

3. Set up two-factor authentication (2FA):

• 🔑 Turn it on. 2FA For Xiaomi account in Settings → Xiaomi account → Security.
• 📱 For Google Account: Settings → Google → Managing a Google Account → Security → Two-step authentication.

⚠️ Note: If you store gallery passwords in notes or password managers (such as Mi Browser or Google Password Manager), make sure those apps themselves are protected. PIN-Otherwise, an attacker can access all your data through one compromised account.

💡

The most reliable way to protect is a combination of the built-in "Secure folder" MIUI + backup to an encrypted cloud (e.g., Mega with client encryption).

7. Alternative ways to hide photos on Xiaomi Redmi

If you don’t have the standard methods, consider these options:

Rename the folder:

• 📁 Connect your phone to your PC and rename the folder with the photo (for example, DCIM → Camera in DCIM →.nomedia).
• 🔍 The system will stop indexing it, but the files will remain available through the file manager.

2.Use of a file manager with a password:

• 🗃️ Apps like this FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer lets you create encrypted storage.
• 🔐 Files are stored in an encrypted container (such as.enc) that is mounted only after a password is entered.

3. Hiding through.nomedia:

• 📄 Create an empty file called.nomedia in the photo folder (via file manager).
• 👀 The gallery will stop displaying files in this folder, but they will remain accessible through Explorer.

💡 Useful advice: Combine several methods for maximum privacy:

1. Transfer the photo to a protected folder MIUI.
2. Back up your file to an encrypted archive and upload it to the cloud.
3. Remove the originals from the main gallery.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions