Have you searched for an important document or backup on your Xiaomi, but can't find an archive folder?The problem is that the manufacturer hides many system directories, and standard file managers often don't show them by default. In this article, we will analyze all possible places where archives can be stored on Redmi smartphones, POCO and other Xiaomi products from the user ZIP-files up to automatically created backups MIUI.
The thing about MIUI devices is that they use a non-standard folder structure, like messenger archives like Telegram or WhatsApp, which can be in one place, and system backups can be in a completely different place, and we'll show you how to access all of that data, including hidden directories, and explain why some files can disappear after updates.
1. Standard folders for archives on Xiaomi
Most archives you create manually (for example, through a file manager or applications like WinRAR) are saved by default to the Download or Documents folder.
- 📁 Download folder – here are stored archives downloaded from the browser or messengers (unless another path is specified).
- 📁 folder MIUI/Backup — automatic system backups (if backup function is enabled in settings).
- 📁 folder Android/data — archives created by specific applications (e.g. games or video editors).
- 📁 folder DCIM/.thumbnails — Miniatures of images that are sometimes archived by the system.
To see these folders, open the standard File Manager (Folder icon on the desktop) and go to the Internal Memory or SD-If a directory is missing, it means that the archives were never there or were deleted.
💡
If you don’t see an Android or MIUI folder, turn on the hidden files in the file manager settings (usually under the “More” → “Settings” → “Show hidden files”).
2. MIUI System Archives: Where to look for backups
MIUI automatically creates archives with settings, contacts, and application data when backup is enabled, and these files are stored in a secure folder and not displayed in a standard Explorer to find them:
- Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
- Click Local Backups – all the saved archives will be displayed here.
- To access files, connect your phone to your PC and use ADB or special utilities like Mi PC Suite.
MIUI system archives are.mbk extension and are stored in the following ways:
/data/media/0/MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/Important: These files cannot be opened by standard archivers – only use the built-in MIUI function to restore them.
3. Archives of messengers and social networks
Apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, or VK keep archives of media files and documents in their folders.
| Annex | The path to archives | Type of file |
|---|---|---|
| Telegram | /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/Telegram Documents/ | ZIP, RAR, PDF, DOCX |
| /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Documents/ | ZIP, APK, PDF | |
| VK | /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ru.mail.vkontakte/files/ | ZIP, JPG, MP4 |
| /storage/emulated/0/WeChat/WeChat Files/ | ZIP, DOC, XLS |
Note that some messengers, like Viber, store archives encrypted, and you can't open them without the app itself, and if you delete the messenger, it's going to be very difficult to recover files.
How to recover archives from a remote messenger?
4. Update and firmware archives
The firmware (.zip) and MIUI update files are stored in a separate folder, and can be found along the way:
/storage/emulated/0/Downloaded_rom/If you downloaded firmware manually (for example, from en.miui.com), check also:
- 📥 Download – if downloaded through the browser.
- 🔄 MIUI/Update — If the update was downloaded through the system software.
- 📦 Android/data/com.android.providers.downloads/cache — download-catch.
Firmware files usually weigh 1.5–3 GB and have names like this. miui_HMNote10Pro_V12.5.1.0.RKFMIXM_.... You can’t remove them if you plan to manually update them!
💡
If you downloaded firmware but can’t find it, check your browser settings: some (e.g. Chrome) default to save files to the Download folder, while others (like Mi Browser) to MIUI/Download.
5. Hidden archives: how to access
Some archives (e.g. system logs or application data) are hidden from the user to be seen:
Open the File Manager|Press three points (menu) → Settings|Activate “Show hidden files»|Reboot the manager (if files do not appear)-->
After that, the folders will be available:
- 🔍.backup – backups of some applications.
- 🔍.Data - data of user programs.
- 🔍.miui - System shell files.
- 🔍.thumbnails - cache of thumbnails.
⚠️ Note: Deleting files from hidden folders can cause phone malfunctions, such as cleaning.miui will reset the theme settings, and deleting.data will erase game and app data.
6. Archives on SD-map: features of storage
If you use SD-map, archives can be saved there by default (depending on the application settings), the paths to them are similar to internal memory, but begin with the following:
/storage/XXXX-XXXX/(where XXXX-XXXX is a unique card identifier).
To transfer archives from internal memory to SD:
- Open the file manager.
- Select the files you need (long press).
- Click Move and select SD-map.
⚠️ Note: Not all applications support the work with SD-For example, WhatsApp does not allow you to save backups to an external drive - only to internal memory or the cloud.
7. How to find archives through PC
Sometimes it's easier to connect your phone to your computer and search for files through Windows Explorer or Mac Finder.
- Connect Xiaomi to USB (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
- Open this computer. → Find a device (usually a Redmi or Xiaomi).
- Go to the Internal shared storage or SD card folder.
On a PC, you’ll see the same folder structure as on your phone, but with the ability to quickly search for keywords (like.zip or.rar). /data/) root rights will be required.
1. Cable (use the original USB-Type C).
2. Connection mode (should be "File Transfer" and not "Charge").
3. Drivers (download Mi) PC Suite from the official Xiaomi website).-->