How to hide the application on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro: the full guide

The modern smartphone stores a huge amount of personal information, from correspondence in messengers to photos and banking applications. Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro often face the need to limit access to certain features of the device when other people use the phone. The standard MIUI interface provides powerful tools for privacy, which, however, are not always obvious to the average user. Hide the application in several ways, each of which has its own characteristics and level of data protection.

In this article, we will take a look at all the hidden software methods available on your model, the built-in functionality that allows you to create special hidden folders, and the topic of guest mode. Understanding these mechanisms will help you feel more confident when using a device in a public place or when transferring your phone to friends. It is important to know that data security begins with the right interface access setting.

Before you start setting up, it's worth noting that MIUI may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the basic security principles remain the same for the entire Redmi line, we've prepared step-by-step instructions to help you quickly sort through the settings, and we've used guidelines to effectively manage access to your content.

Use of Hidden Mode in MIUI

The most effective and built-in way to protect applications is Hidden Mode, which allows you to remove icons of selected programs from the desktop and menu, making them available only through a special secret code. Activating this mode requires several sequential actions in the security settings, and after activation, you can choose which programs will be hidden from prying eyes.

To get started, you need to open the standard Security app, which is preinstalled on every Xiaomi device. You need to find the Hidden Mode or Hidden Apps section in the menu of this app. If you don't see this item right away, it may be hidden in additional settings or require activation through your Mi Account. The system will prompt you to set a password or use biometric unlock to access hidden content.

Once activated, not only are icons hidden, but notifications from selected apps are also hidden, which means that even if you receive a message, its content will not appear on the lock screen or in the notification curtain until you enter hidden mode, which creates an additional level of privacy, since people will not even suspect that certain programs are on the device.

Depending on the version of the shell, it can be swipe at a specific location on the screen or enter a digital code in the Phone or Gallery app. The exact method of input depends on the specific modification of the MIUI installed on your Redmi 8 Pro.

⚠️ Warning: Remember the password or pattern lock set to enter Hidden Mode.Recovering access without Mi Account data may not be possible, resulting in loss of access to hidden files.

Adjust access through the Guest mode

An alternative and very convenient way to hide apps is to create a separate user profile, often referred to as “Guest Mode,” which is radically different from simply hiding icons, as it creates a completely isolated environment. The guest profile by default does not have access to your personal apps, photos and contacts, making it the perfect solution for temporary phone transfer.

To activate this mode on the Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro, you need to go to the system settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → About Phone → Version of the kernel (for some versions) or through the multitasking menu. However, in newer versions of MIUI, profile management is often put in the Users or Digital Well-being section. When switching to guest mode, the desktop is cleared of the owner’s personal data.

Guest profile allows you to install individual apps that won't be visible in the main profile, and vice versa.This is handy if you want to give your child a phone to play but don't want them to see your work chats or social media.Sharing space also helps save internal memory, as cached data isn't mixed between profiles.

• 🔒 Complete isolation of the main user data from the guest profile.
• 📱 Ability to have different sets of applications for different use modes.
• 🚫 Guests cannot see notifications or icons of the owner’s apps.
• ⚙️ Easy switching between profiles via the Quick Settings Panel.

It is worth noting that when you exit guest mode, all the data created in it (photos, downloads, browser history) can be deleted depending on the security settings, which ensures that the next user does not get access to the previous guest’s history, which ensures a high level of digital hygiene when sharing the device.

Creating Hidden Folders and Albums

In addition to hiding entire applications, users often need to protect specific files, such as photos or documents, for which MIUI has a Hidden Album feature in the gallery and similar tools in the file manager, which operate on the principle of virtual storage, access to which is protected by a separate password.

To hide a photo or video, you just open a standard gallery, select the media files you want, and click on the action menu. The options list should select Hide, and then the files disappear from public access and move to a special album, which is logged in via swipe up the album list or through password entry, a reliable way to keep personal moments private.

The same principle works with files in Explorer, where you can move important documents to a hidden folder that won't show up in a standard file system browsing, and even when you connect your phone to your computer via USB, those files will remain inaccessible without authorization, especially when you're looking at scans of documents, financial reports or work projects.

There is a caveat to backup: Hidden albums may not sync with the default cloud to ensure maximum privacy, so you need to manually check for hidden data backups before resetting or flashing the device, otherwise they will be lost forever.

⚠️ Note: Hiding files is not a complete encryption. With special knowledge and access to the file system root-rights, theoretically it is possible to recover deleted or hidden data.

Restriction of access through the Second Space

Second Space is an advanced version of guest mode that allows you to create a full-fledged copy of the system inside your smartphone. In fact, you get two phones in the same case, each with its own set of apps, accounts and settings. Switching between spaces is instantaneous and can be protected by a separate fingerprint.

The Second Space settings on Redmi 8 Pro are done through the system settings menu, and once activated, you can choose which apps will be available in the second space and which will remain only mostly, ideal for separating work and personal life: one space contains work messengers and mail, and the other one includes entertainment and social networks.

One of the key features is that you can hide the presence of the Second Space, you can set the entrance to it with a special fingerprint, and if you unlock the phone with your primary finger, you open the normal space, if you use your secret finger, the phone immediately goes to the Second Space, hiding all the main profile data, and this provides the highest level of secrecy.

Using Second Space requires more device resources, as it actually runs two instances of the system. On Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro with its processor and RAM, this function should be stable, but background processes can consume more power.

Blocking individual applications with a password

If your goal is not to hide the application icon, but to prevent it from being run by outsiders, the best solution is Application Lock, which allows you to set a password, a pattern lock or a fingerprint to run selected programs, and if you try to open such an application, the system will require authorization.

You can find this feature in the Security app or in the system settings along the Settings path → Applications → Application Lock. Here you will see a list of all installed programs. You just need to switch the switchboard against the desired application (for example, WhatsApp, Gallery or Bank) to activate the protection. Now, each time you run, you will be asked for a password.

The convenience of this feature is that the app icon stays visible, which is not suspicious, but access to content is closed. This is an effective way to protect against the “curious eyes” of friends or colleagues who can take the phone in their hands.

• 🛡️ Protection against unauthorized access to specific programs.
• ⏱️ The ability to set a timeout to request a password (immediately or after 1 minute).
• 👁️ Hiding notification content on the lock screen for secure applications.
• 🔐 Using biometrics for fast and secure access.

It's important to note that app locking works regardless of the screen lock, and even if the phone is unlocked, secure apps remain closed, creating a double layer of security: the first protects the device as a whole, and the second protects specific sensitive data within the system.

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Use different fingerprints to unlock the screen and log in to secure apps, if your model supports multiple fingerprint profiles, for maximum access flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When setting up app hideouts, users often have additional questions about the nuances of Xiaomi’s security system, and the following are answers to the most popular ones to help avoid common mistakes and better understand the logic of MIUI.

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The combination of security techniques (Hidden Mode + Application Lock + Second Space) ensures maximum data security on your Redmi 8 Pro.

To sum up, the Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro has a wide range of privacy protection tools, the use of MIUI tools allows you to flexibly configure access to content depending on the situation, regularly check your security settings and update passwords to ensure that your data remains under reliable protection.