How to hide an album on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s modern smartphone has become a digital store of privacy, where not only work documents, but also intimate pictures or confidential scans are stored. The standard gallery in the shells of MIUI and HyperOS offers powerful tools to protect this data from prying eyes, but they are not always obvious on the first acquaintance. Many users leave their photos available simply because they do not know about the existence of the hidden album feature.

Hiding media is not just a matter of convenience, it is a necessary measure of digital hygiene. If you lose your phone or give it to a friend to watch a video, your personal moments will remain safe. In this article, we will detail all the available ways to isolate content, from built-in system functions to creating a completely isolated space.

We'll look at the nuances of working with a Hidden Album, which requires fingerprint or password verification to access, and we'll also touch on Second Space, which actually creates a second phone inside a single device, and understanding these differences will allow you to choose the optimal level of protection for your data.

Use of the built-in function Hidden album

The fastest and most effective way to remove photos from public access is to use the native Gallery feature, which requires no third-party apps and is deeply integrated into the Android system on Xiaomi devices. The algorithm is simple: you select media files and move them to a secure area that is only accessible after authorization.

To activate this feature, you need to first enable it in the settings. Go to the Gallery app, go to the Album tab and click on the three dots in the upper right corner. In the drop-down menu, select Settings, and then find Hide Albums. After switching the slider to the active position, the system will suggest setting a password or using biometrics.

⚠️ Note: The password from a hidden album is often different from the password for unlocking the screen. Write it down or make sure you remember, as when you reset your settings without a password, it will be impossible to restore files without a password.

Once you have set up the hidden content, the process of moving files becomes simple: you can choose hundreds of photos or videos at once, which makes it convenient for mass sorting of the archive. It is important to understand that files are not copied, but move, freeing up space in the main tape, but remaining in the device's memory in encrypted form.

• 🔒 Open the gallery and select the right photo or video.
• 📂 Click the “More” button (three dots) and select “Hide».
• 👆 Pull the album list down before the castle icon appears.
• 🔐 Enter a password or put a finger to access hidden data.

There's also an alternative way to access hidden media that works through swipes, so if you're in the Albums section, swipe from the center of the screen up, if you're activated, you'll get a login request, so you can quickly check the contents of the stash without opening any menus.

Access setting and password management

The security of your data depends on the complexity of the security you have installed, and MIUI allows you to use not only a pattern lock, but also a digital pin code or biometrics, and it is recommended to combine these methods: a fingerprint for quick access and a complex password in case the biometrics do not work.

Passwords are managed via the security menu. Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy. Here you can change the password for the hidden album, as well as configure the answer to a secret question that will help restore access in the event of loss of login data.

The path to security settings:


Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Hidden Album

Special attention should be paid to synchronization. If you have Xiaomi Cloud or Google Photos enabled, hidden albums can behave differently. In some versions of firmware, the hiding only works locally, and files can be displayed in cloud services. To avoid leakage, it is better to disable synchronization for folders containing sensitive data.

• 🛡️ Use different passwords for lock screen and hidden album.
• ☁️ Check the synchronization settings for cloud services.
• 🧬 Set up a face unlock or print for convenience.

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If you forget the password from the hidden album, you can only recover files through the Mi Account account associated with the device.

Hiding entire albums through the Guide

Sometimes you don't want to hide individual images, but entire folders created by other applications, like screenshots from messengers or downloads from a browser. It's easier to use System Explorer (File Manager), the mechanism here is similar, but allows you to manage the file structure more flexibly.

To hide the folder, open the Explorer app and go to Documents or Images. Press and hold your finger on the desired folder until the action menu appears. Choose Hide. Files will move to the hidden object system repository.

It is important to note that when you move files through Explorer, they may become inaccessible to applications that scan the media library, which is an additional level of privacy: even if someone accesses the gallery, they will not see these files, as they will be excluded from the system indexing.

Once you hide the folder in Explorer, it disappears from the regular list, and to view it, you have to go back to Explorer, go to settings (three bars or dots) and select Show Hidden Files by entering a security code, which creates an additional barrier for the curious.

Second Space: The phone in the phone

If you want maximum privacy, a standard hidden album might not be enough. Second Space creates a completely isolated environment with its own apps, accounts and files. It's like having two different smartphones in the same case.

To enable Second Space, go to Settings → Additional → Second Space. The system will suggest setting up a separate lock screen. You can set a unique fingerprint: one finger will open the main space, and the other will immediately switch to the hidden profile.

⚠️ Note: When you delete Second Space, all the data inside it will be permanently lost. Do not use this method to store single copies of important documents without backing up.

Switching between spaces is instantaneous. In a hidden profile, you can install separate versions of messengers, banking apps, or social networks. Even if someone unlocks your phone in the main mode, they won't know that the second layer of the system exists.

• 📱 Complete isolation of applications and data.
• 👆 Quick switching by fingerprint.
• 🔒 Independent passwords and security settings.
• 🚫 Inability to see files from the second space.

Alternative methods and third-party applications

Xiaomi's built-in tools are powerful, but sometimes users need functionality that goes beyond the standard Gallery, such as the ability to create fake storage or use other types of biometrics, in which cases Google Play apps come to the rescue.

A popular solution is to use calculator apps that, when you type in a special code, open a hidden album, which looks like a regular calculator, but your photos are stored inside, and there are file managers with encryption that hide files, change their extensions or hide system attributes.

However, the use of third-party software carries risks: developers of such applications may have access to your data, and the programs themselves may contain advertising or malicious code. MIUI/HyperOS It is considered more secure because it operates at the system level and does not transfer data to third-party servers.

If you do decide to use third-party software, carefully study the permissions that the application requests. Don't give access to contacts or a microphone of a simple "gallery." Better choose proven brands with a lot of positive reviews and open source.

Recovery and Deletion of Hidden Files

Sooner or later, hidden photos will need to be returned to the public or deleted forever. The recovery process is simple: go to a hidden album, highlight files and select the option to Remove from hidden files. Files will return to the original folder or to the main tape of the Gallery.

To completely remove files from the hidden album, select them and press Delete. The files will be placed in the Gallery Recycle Bin, where they will be stored for another 30 days. To erase them permanently, you must clear the Recycle Bin. This action cannot be canceled.

If you lose access to your password, the only way to do that is to reset your phone, which will cause you to lose all your data, so it's critical to remember your Mi Account, which often serves as a recovery key.

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Hiding albums on Xiaomi is a balance between ease of access and level of protection. For everyday use, a built-in hidden album is enough, and for storing critical data, you better use Second Space.

To sum up, Xiaomi’s ecosystem provides a comprehensive toolkit for protecting personal information. Using Hidden Album and Second Space makes you feel confident handing over your phone to other people. Regularly check your security settings and update your passwords to keep your data secure.