How to password the album in the gallery Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

The privacy of photos on Xiaomi’s smartphone is a topical topic for most users. Even if you don’t store any dirt, personal photos or work documents in image format can fall into the wrong hands with casual access to your phone. Unfortunately, the standard MIUI gallery doesn’t always offer obvious tools to protect albums with a password — this feature is hidden in the depths of settings or requires the use of third-party solutions.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can password an album in a gallery on Xiaomi, including the built-in MIUI tools, the Security app, and the old firmware workarounds. You’ll learn how to hide the album from prying eyes, what restrictions exist in different versions of MIUI (12 to 14), and what to do if the standard methods don’t work.

Before you get to the instructions, check your firmware version: Settings path → About phone → MIUI version. This depends on the availability of certain features. Also prepare a backup authentication method (fingerprint or pattern lock) if you plan to use biometrics to unlock albums.

1. Method 1: Built-in "Private Album" in the MIUI Gallery

Starting with MIUI 12, the standard Xiaomi gallery introduced the "Private Album" tool, the equivalent of "Hidden Folder" in other firmware. This method does not require third-party application installation and is integrated into system software. However, it has a nuance: the album is not encrypted at the file system level, but simply hides from the main interface.

To activate it:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner → select a Private Album.
3. When you first start, the system will prompt you to set a password or a pattern lock (the same one is used to unlock the screen).
4. Add photos to a private album via the + button or by long pressing the files in the main gallery.

Important: access to the private album is only through the main gallery menu. In the file manager (Conductor), these photos are not displayed, but they can be found on the path /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/private - without password. For full protection, we recommend additionally encrypt the folder (more on this below).

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If you use the Mi Cloud cloud service, photos from your private album are NOT automatically synced. To back them up, manually copy files to the secure cloud folder through the web version of the service.

Method 2: Protection through the Security application

The Security app (Shield icon) in MIUI offers a Locked Applications feature that allows you to block access to individual programs, including a gallery, which is less flexible than a private album, but more secure: without a password or biometrics, the gallery will not open at all.

Instructions:

1. Open Security → go to the Locked Applications section.
2. Enter the password from the lock screen (if requested).
3. Find the Gallery in the list and activate the switch.
4. Choose the type of lock: password, fingerprint, or facial recognition (not available on all models).

Limitations of the method:

• 🔒 All gallery is blocked, not individual albums.
• 📱 When resetting phone settings, the lock is reset.
• 🔄 If you open a gallery often, constantly entering a password can be annoying.

Method 3: Hiding albums through the file system

For users who want complete privacy, a way to move photos to a system folder that is not accessible without root permissions is a good way to do this, which works on all versions of MIUI, but it requires caution: if you do something wrong, you can lose files.

Algorithm:

1. Connect your phone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Solid Explorer).
2. Create a folder with a dot at the beginning of the title (for example,.private_photos) root-catalog.
3. Move the necessary photos there.
4. Go back to the gallery and update it (pull the screen down). Hidden folders won't show up.

To reclaim access:

• Use the file manager with the option to show hidden files (in Solid Explorer: Settings → Show hidden files).
• Or connect your phone to your PC and enable the display of hidden elements in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden Items).

Method 4: Third-party applications for blocking albums

If you don't like the built-in MIUI tools, consider third-party solutions that offer additional features: file encryption, creating fake passwords, cloud redundancy, and proven applications that support Russian:

Check the reviews and ratings of the app before installing. Some programs (like GalleryVault) may conflict with memory optimization in MIUI, causing photos to temporarily disappear from storage. To avoid losses, regularly export backups to your PC.

Download APK only from the official website or Google Play|

Check the permissions of the application (should not request SMS or calls) |

Create a backup of photos on PC|

Set up automatic sync with the cloud (if you have a feature)-->

5. Features for different versions of MIUI

Album protection functionality varies depending on the firmware version, and below is a comparison table of features:

There is no private album on MIUI 11 and older, so you will have to use third-party apps or hide through the file system. On Redmi devices with MIUI 12.5, the option to lock the gallery to Security sometimes disappears, in which case resetting the Security application settings (via Settings → Applications → Application Management) will help.

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Starting with MIUI 14, a private album automatically encrypts files using the device key, which means that without a password from the phone, you can't even access photos via a PC.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you set up your album security, you're going to see some common mistakes.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The files are not deleted, they are temporarily unavailable due to resetting the gallery settings. /MIUI/Gallery/private via file manager.

Problem 1: The password for a private album is not appropriate.

• 🔑 Make sure you enter a password from the lock screen, not from your Mi Account.
• 📱 If your password changes, reboot your phone – sometimes the gallery won’t sync with new data.
• 🔧 In extreme cases, reset your password through Settings. → Passwords and security → Delete all blocking data (album data will be saved).

Problem 2: Hidden photos are visible in other apps (e.g. Google Photos).

• 🛑 Open the Google Photo settings and turn off the automatic download for the folder MIUI/Gallery/private.
• 🔍 In the file manager, check if the files are duplicated in the folder. DCIM/.thumbnails.

Problem 3: After the phone is reset, access to the album is lost.

• 🔐 If encryption is used (for example, MIUI 13/14), Recover files without a password is not possible.
• ☁️ If photos synced with Mi Cloud, check the cloud storage bin.

7. Additional security measures

Passing an album is half the battle, and to really protect your photos, follow these guidelines:

1. Turn off gallery notifications in the app settings to prevent previews from showing on the lock screen.
2. Set up automatic cache cleaning of the gallery (in Settings → Storage → Cleanup) to minimize the traces of viewing.
3. Use two-factor authentication for your Mi Account if your photos are synced to the cloud.
4. Check application permissions regularly through Settings → Privacy → Permits, especially for applications with storage access.

For maximum protection, combine several methods.

• 🔐 Keep the most important photos in a private album with encryption MIUI 14).
• 📁 Move the rest of your personal photos to a hidden folder through the file manager.
• 🔒 Block the gallery itself through Security.

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If you share your phone frequently with children or colleagues, create a separate user profile in MIUI (starting with MIUI 13). To do this, go to Settings → System → Multiplayer and set up a guest account without access to the gallery.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions