How to find a hidden album on Xiaomi: all ways to access hidden photos and videos

Have you accidentally hidden important photos in a hidden Xiaomi album and now you can't find them? Or do you suspect that someone has hidden files on your phone? MIUI has a built-in "Private Album" feature that allows you to hide media files from prying eyes. But what if you forgot how to get there - or did not know about its existence at all?

In this article, we’ll explore all the possible ways to access a hidden album on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, from standard methods through the Gallery to advanced tricks with ADB and file manager, and learn how to recover deleted files from hidden storage and why sometimes an album disappears after a MIUI update.

We warn you right away: some methods require superuser rights or work with system files. If you are not sure about your actions, use only official methods to avoid damaging the data.

1. Standard method: access through the MIUI Gallery

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI function. The Private Album is available in the standard Gallery, but it must be activated first.

Instructions for MIUI 12-15 (including HyperOS)

1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with a floral logo).
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right → Choose the Invisible Album.
3. If the album hasn't been made yet, the system will suggest setting a password or a pattern lock, and come up with a reliable code, without which access will be impossible!
4. Once set up, the album will appear in the main Gallery menu called Private or Hidden.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the hidden album, restore it through standard means MIUI You will have to reset your phone to the factory settings (see section 6).

On some models (POCO F3, Redmi Note 11) the path may be slightly different:

• 📱 MIUI 13+: gallery → Albums. → Swipe down. → The Invisible Album
• 🔒 MIUI 12: Gallery → Settings (⚙️) → The Invisible Album
• 🔄 HyperOS: Gallery → Profile (avatar) → The Invisible Album

2. Alternative access via File Manager

If the Gallery does not show a hidden album (for example, after resetting), you can try to find it manually through the File Manager. Hidden media files are stored in a secure folder, but its location depends on the version of MIUI.

Standard Paths to a Hidden Album:

* On MIUI 14+, the folder is protected by Android permissions. Without root access, you'll see it, but you won't be able to open files.

How to find the folder:

1. Open File Manager (Files app from Xiaomi).
2. Enable the display of hidden files: ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files.
3. Follow one of the paths above (depending on the MIUI version).
4. If the folder doesn’t open, try copying files through ADB (see Section 4).

💡

If the PrivateAlbum folder is empty but you are sure the files were there, check the folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/PrivateAlbum/backup/. Sometimes MIUI backs up hidden files.

Access via Security Settings (for MIUI 14+)

In new versions of MIUI (starting with MIUI 14 and HyperOS), the hidden album is integrated into security.

1. Go to Settings. → Passwords and security.
2. Select Confidentiality → The Invisible Album.
3. Enter the password from your Mi Account or the screen lock pin.
4. After logging in, you will see all hidden media files.

⚠️ Note: If you have disabled sync with Mi Account, access through this method may be blocked. ADB (section).

On some firmware (POCO Launcher, Global ROM), the menu item may be called differently:

• 🔐 Second Space: If you have Second Space activated, the hidden album can be tied to it.Switch between spaces in the notification curtain.
• 📁 App Lock: In Settings → Annexes → Blocking applications sometimes duplicates access to hidden data.

4. Advanced method: extracting files via ADB

If the standard methods don’t work (for example, after a phone reset), you can extract files from a hidden album using Android Debug Bridge (ADB).

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute on the command line: Adb devices (your device should appear).
4. Copy files from a hidden album: adb pull /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/PrivateAlbum/ C:\Xiaomi_Private (substitute C:\Xiaomi_Private on the right path on your PC).

If the folder is protected, use an alternative command:

adb shell "run-as com.miui.gallery cat /data/data/com.miui.gallery/files/PrivateAlbum/*" > recovery.zip

⚠️ Note: Do not use the adb shell rm commands to delete files in PrivateAlbum – this can result in the loss of all hidden data without the possibility of recovery.

5. Recover deleted files from hidden album

If you accidentally delete files from an invisible album, you can try to recover them. Unlike a regular shopping cart, hidden files are deleted irrevocably, but there are ways to get them back.

Method 1: Through MIUI backups

• 🔄 Check the folder. /MIUI/PrivateAlbum/backup/ — sometimes MIUI automatically creates backups.
• ☁️ If sync with Mi Cloud is enabled, go to i.mi.com and check the Gallery section. → Basket.

Method 2: Recovery programs

Use utilities like DiskDigger, Recuva or EaseUS MobiSaver.

• 🛑 Do not install programs on the phone itself – it will overwrite deleted data.
• 💾 Connect your phone to your PC and scan your internal memory (do not use it) SD-map).
• 🔍 Search for files with.nomedia extensions or in PrivateAlbum folders.

If the phone was reset to factory settings, the chances of recovering hidden files are close to zero - MIUI encrypts them with an account binding.

Disable Wi-Fi and Mobile Data

Not installing new applications

Use only proven programs (DiskDigger, EaseUS)

Scanning internal memory, not SD-map

Save recovered files on PC, not phone-->

6 What to do if a hidden album is missing after an update

Users often face a problem: after updating MIUI (for example, from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), the invisible album disappears.

• 🔄 Reset Gallery settings: Update could reset app settings.
• 🔐 Change the storage path: New versions change the path to the folder (see the table in section 2).
• 📱 Second Space conflict: If you have a second space activated, the album can be tied to it.

Decisions:

1. Reinstall Gallery: Remove updates for the Gallery app in Settings → Apps and restart your phone.
2. Check Second Space: Switch between spaces in the notification curtain.
3. Restore from backup: If you had a backup in Mi Cloud before the upgrade, recover data via Settings → My Device → Restore and Reset.

If nothing works, the last option is to reset to factory settings, but remember, this will delete all data, including hidden files, if it is not synced to the cloud.

💡

Before updating MIUI, always back up your hidden album through Settings → Passwords & Security → Backup.

7 How to Protect a Hidden Album from Outsiders

If you keep sensitive data in an invisible album, follow these tips:

• 🔒 Set a complex password: Don't use simple combinations like 1234 or date of birth. Best of all, a random set of 8.+ symbolism.
• 📱 Attach to Mi Account: In Settings → Passwords and security → Invisible album Link album to Xiaomi account, which will allow you to restore access when you reset your phone.
• 🔄 Turn off Automatic Sync: If the album syncs to Mi Cloud, it can be seen through your account on other devices.
• 🚫 Don’t keep your password in your notes: Many users save the code from the hidden album in Notes or Google Keep – this nullifies all the protections.

Additional security measures:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)