Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the standard gallery is full of unnecessary folders. The system automatically sorts images into categories, creating so-called smart albums. This is easy to find, but visually clutters the interface and prevents you from quickly finding the right photo.
Many users mistakenly believe that these partitions can’t be removed and simply put up with the mess. However, the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS provide flexible configuration of the display, you can decide for yourself which automatic categories will be visible on the home screen of the application and which are hidden.
In this guide, we'll look at all the current ways to manage smart folders, and we'll look at the standard settings, the cloud service, and the nuances that can arise on different versions of firmware. You can't completely remove system albums without root rights, but hiding them solves the problem of visual noise.
What are the smart albums in MIUI?
Smart albums are an artificial intelligence feature built into the Gallery app, which analyzes file metadata, time of creation, geolocation, and content of images to group them into thematic groups, allowing you to quickly find screenshots, videos, documents, or photos of people and animals.
The system creates separate tabs for different types of content, for example, all images uploaded from messengers go to one folder, and the camera made to another. Xiaomi also categorizes long shutter speed shots, panoramas and slow-motion videos.
Despite the technology, this sorting has its drawbacks: users often complain about duplicate content, when one photo is displayed in several folders at the same time, and automatic classification sometimes works incorrectly, placing personal photos in public or system sections.
Standard way to hide through gallery settings
The simplest and most secure method of controlling folder visibility is built directly into the application interface, and it doesn't require you to connect to a computer or use complex commands, you just need to find the appropriate switch in the settings menu.
To start, open the Gallery app and go to the Album tab. In the upper right corner of the screen, find the three-dot icon or the gear that represents the menu. Click on it to reveal the list of available actions.
In the menu that opens, select Hide Albums (or Album Settings in older versions of MIUI) and you will see a list of all available smart categories, and you will see switches opposite each type: People, Places, Things, Screenshots, and more.
☑️ Checking the display settings
Just put the sliders in an inactive position opposite the categories you don't want to see. Changes take effect instantly. If you haven't found the right switch, maybe your version of the shell has a slightly different interface, and it's worth checking Settings → Album Sort.
⚠️ Note: Hiding albums does not remove photos from the device. Images remain in the phone's memory and are accessible via search or shared feed Photos».
Managing cloud synchronization Mi Cloud
Often, the source of extra albums is synchronization with cloud storage Mi Cloud. If you have the option to sync the gallery, the system can create additional virtual folders to organize content in the cloud.
To check this, go to your smartphone Settings, then select your Mi Account and click on the Cloud section, where you can find the Gallery item and explore its contents. In some cases, disabling synchronization of specific types of data clears the album list.
And you should also pay attention to Storage Optimization, which, if it's activated, can store the original photos in the cloud, and only thumbnails are left on the device, and it can affect how the albums are displayed in the local gallery.
What if the albums are returned after the reboot?
It's important to understand the difference between local settings and cloud settings. The changes made in the Gallery app only apply to the current device. If you want to be tidy everywhere, you'll have to repeat the procedure on every gadget tied to your Mi ID.
Use of Simple Mode and Third-Party Solutions
If standard methods don't work, you can try a radical step: changing the interface. You have Simple Mode (or Senior Mode) in your settings. In this mode, the gallery interface is as simple as possible, and many smart features, including complex smart albums, are turned off by default.
However, this option is not for everyone, as it changes the look of the entire phone. A smarter solution for advanced users is to install an alternative photo-viewing app. The Google Play store offers a lot of light and fast galleries that are ignored by Xiaomi system users.
Popular alternatives:
- 📸 Google Photos – powerful sorting and search, but requires a Google account.
- 🖼️ Simple Gallery – a fully customizable interface without unnecessary advertising.
- 🚀 QuickPic is a lightweight app that quickly opens heavy albums.
When installing a third-party application, the system may ask permission to access files. Once confirmed, the new application will become the main one for viewing images, and you will no longer see annoying smart albums from MIUI.
💡
Use third-party launchers to completely change the look of your desktop and folders if Xiaomi’s standard interface seems overloaded.
Comparison of Album Management Methods
The choice of how to turn off depends on your goal: whether you want to simply remove visual noise or completely change the logic of working with the photo.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallery settings | Low. | Tall (hiding folders) | No. |
| Disconnecting Mi Cloud | Medium | Medium (affects synchronization) | Low (you need to monitor backups) |
| Third-party annex | Low. | Maximum (full replacement) | No. |
| Simple mode. | Low. | High (simplifies interface) | No. |
As you can see from the table, the safest and most effective way to do this is to use built-in concealment settings, which keep the system functional but keep things out of the way. Third-party apps are a great choice for those who want to customize the smartphone experience.
⚠️ Note: When installing third-party galleries from unknown sources (not from Google Play), there is a risk of malware infection of the device.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I completely remove the system albums without root rights?
Why did the hidden albums reappear after the firmware update?
Does the number of albums affect the speed of the phone?
Where are the deleted photos if I accidentally deleted the album?
💡
Hiding smart albums is about customizing the interface, not cleaning up memory. Your photos remain completely safe in their original format and location.
Putting things in order in the Xiaomi gallery is a process that takes only a few minutes, but greatly improves the user experience. Using the methods described above, you can adapt your smartphone to your habits, getting rid of automatic sorting, which you do not need.