How to securely block a gallery on Xiaomi: all the ways from standard to hidden

Privacy of personal photos and videos is one of the main concerns of owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. Even if you do not hand the phone into the wrong hands, accidental access to the gallery can lead to awkward situations. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several layers of protection, and third-party developers offer additional tools.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to block the gallery on devices under control MIUI (including recent versions 14/15), And we'll also look at alternative methods for models without built-in functionality, and we'll learn how to put a password on a folder, hide files from prying eyes, and even mask the very presence of protected media. MIUI, Which could nullify your efforts to protect you.

1. Built-in gallery lock in MIUI: step-by-step instruction

The easiest way to do this is to use the standard folder protection feature available in the standard Gallery app on most Xiaomi devices, which was introduced in MIUI 12 and has been improving regularly since. Importantly, some budget models (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO C31) may not have the feature, in which case you can move on to the next sections.

To activate the protection:

1. Open the Gallery app and go to the Albums section.
2. Select the folder you want to block (such as Screenshots or Downloads).
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Lock.
4. Specify the unlock method: Password, fingerprint, or face recognition (not available on all models).
5. Confirm the action and repeat for other folders if necessary.

Update the Gallery app to the latest version

Check the availability of free space (minimum 500 MB)

Turn off autosynchronization from Mi Cloud for secure folders

Create a backup of important photos on PC-->

After activation, the blocked folders will be marked with an icon 🔒 Please note that this method does not encrypt files, they remain open in the memory of the device. For full protection, we recommend combining it with other methods from this article.

⚠️ Note: If you use Face Recognition as an unlock method, disable the Unlock option in closed eyes in the security settings. Otherwise, an attacker will be able to access the gallery while you sleep.

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

For users who don’t need full locking, but simply hide files from prying eyes, MIUI has a hidden album feature, which doesn’t require a password every time you open, but also a lower level of protection – an experienced user can find hidden files through the file manager.

Algorithm of action:

• 📁 Open the Gallery and select the photo/video you want (hold your finger for multiple choices).
• 🔍 Slip on the icon More (three dots) and select Hide.
• 🔐 Confirm the action – the files will disappear from the main view.
• 👁️ To see hidden files again, go to Albums → Hidden.

The main disadvantage of this method is that there is no encryption, and the files are simply moved to the.nomedia folder, which can be found through any file manager along the way:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.hidden

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To strengthen the protection of hidden folders, rename the folder.hidden to an arbitrary name (for example,.oldphotos) through the file manager with root permissions.

3. Applications for blocking the gallery: TOP-5 solutions

If the built-in MIUI features aren’t enough, third-party apps will come to the rescue, and we tested dozens of programs and selected the 5 most reliable for Xiaomi devices, given compatibility with the latest versions of Android and the lack of advertising.

To install any of these apps, go to Google Play and type the name in the search bar.

1. Open the application and set a master password.
2. Select the unlock method (we recommend a combination of PIN + print).
3. Import files from the gallery or allow access to folders.
4. Activate additional options (such as Hide notifications or Block screenshots).

Built-in MIUI function

AppLock

GalleryVault

KeepSafe

Other/Not using-->

⚠️ Note: When using third-party blocking apps, disable autosynchronization with Google Photos and Mi Cloud. Otherwise, protected files can be uploaded to the cloud in plain sight.

4.Folder encryption: maximum protection for paranoids

If you need a military degree of protection, standard locking methods will not work, in which case full encryption of folders using specialized utilities will help, this method is recommended for storing sensitive data (for example, scans of documents or intimate photos).

The most reliable solution is the Cryptomator app (available on Google Play and F-Droid), which creates encrypted containers that are mounted as virtual drives.

• 🔐 Encryption by standard AES-256 (same level as banks).
• 📁 The possibility of creating several independent storage facilities.
• 🌐 Synchronization with the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox) in encrypted form.
• 👁️ It is impossible to determine if the files inside are photos (extensions are masked).

Instructions for setting:

1. Install Cryptomator and create a new storage (Create Vault).
2. Create a complex password (at least 12 characters with numbers and special characters).
3. Select a storage location (internal memory or storage). SD-map).
4. Mount the storage and move files to it through any file manager.
5. After work, be sure to unmount the storage (Unlock Vault).

For additional protection, combine Cryptomator with a built-in folder lock in MIUI. Thus, even if an attacker gains access to the file system, they will only see an encrypted container without the ability to open it.

5.Blocking through Second Space: Dual OS on Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s unique feature is Second Space, which creates a completely isolated copy of the system with separate applications and data, the perfect solution for those who want to share personal and work data or hide certain applications (including a gallery).

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Second Space.
2. Create a new space by following the instructions (you need to specify a password).
3. After the reboot, select Second Space when you log in.
4. Set up a separate gallery (like Google Photos) and transfer sensitive files to it.
5. Return to the main space – access to files from Second Space will be blocked.

Advantages of this method:

• 🛡️ Complete data isolation (even system applications can’t see files from another space).
• 🔄 Ability to quickly switch between spaces via notification panel.
• 📱 It works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 8 and newer.

💡

Second Space is the only method that protects against not only outsiders, but also viruses, and if malware appears in the main space, it will not be able to access data in the second space.

Disadvantage: Second Space takes up extra space on the device (about 1-2 GB for system files), and some banking applications may block work in the second space due to suspicions of using custom firmware.

6 Mistakes that negate protection

Even the most reliable blocking methods can be useless if mistakes are made, and we analyzed the most common mistakes of Xiaomi users and compiled a checklist of what you can not do:

• 🔓 Use simple passwords like 1234 or birthdate. It's easy to reset a graphical key on Xiaomi via Mi Account if it's tied to a device.
• 📎 Store backups in the cloud without encryption. Files from Mi Cloud or Google Photos can be accessed via the web interface.
• 🔄 Enable autosynchronization for locked folders. For example, Google Photos ignores.nomedia settings and downloads all media files.
• 📱 Leave the debugging on USB It's on. ADB You can access the file system bypassing the locking of the gallery.
• 🔧 Install unofficial firmware without encryption /data. Castomic recovery (e.g, TWRP) Circumvention MIUI.

Pay special attention to the Mi Account settings:

1. Disable Find the device in your account settings if you do not use this feature.
2. Install two-factor authentication for Mi Account.
3. Check active sessions periodically in Settings → Mi Account → Security.

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To check how securely your files are hidden, try searching for them through a Google Photos search or file manager (like Solid Explorer).

7.Alternative methods: from archivists to physical lockdown

If none of these options are right for you, consider alternatives, which are less convenient, but in some cases may be the only solution.

1. Password archivers

Compress sensitive photos to a ZIP or RAR archive with a password (for example, through WinRAR or 7-Zip on a PC). The main plus is that files will be protected even when copied to another medium.

2. Transfer to a removable memory card

Move files to a microSD and remove the card from your phone. For additional protection, format the card in exFAT and create an encrypted partition on it via VeraCrypt (root required).

3.Using Secure Folder (for Samsung, but it works for Xiaomi too)

If your Xiaomi has Google Play Services installed, you can activate Samsung’s Secure Folder via ADB:

adb shell cmd secure_folder enable

This will create an isolated storage facility similar to Second Space, but with Samsung Knox support.

4. Physical blockage

For extreme protection, use a farcopiller (port locking device). For example, USB Condom prevents data transfer when connecting to someone else's PC, saving only charging.

FAQ: Frequent questions about locking a gallery on Xiaomi