Are you trying to find a Gallery folder on a Xiaomi smartphone, but it's gone? Or is it showing not all the photos, even though you're sure they're saved? This problem is familiar to many users of MIUI, Xiaomi's proprietary shell. The way to a folder of media files depends on the firmware version, the phone model, and even how you save the images.
In this article, we’ll look at all possible locations in the Gallery folder, from the standard /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera to the hidden directories that messengers and cloud services create. You’ll also learn why some photos don’t show up in the Gallery app, how to restore access to them, and what to do if the folder is completely lost after the MIUI update.
1. Standard location of the Gallery folder in Xiaomi
On most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, photos and videos are saved by default to the DCIM/Camera folder, which is universal for all versions of MIUI (from 10 to 14) and does not depend on the device model.
- Open any file manager (e.g., the built-in Mi File Manager or Total Commander).
- Go to the Internal Memory section (or SD-map if the photo was saved on it).
- Open the DCIM folder and inside it is the Camera.
If you use Google Photos or other cloud services, some of the media files may be stored in their own folders:
- 📁 /Pictures/Screenshots — screenshot
- 📁 /Download — web-loaded images
- 📁 /Android/media/com.Mi.Cloud - Photo from Mi Cloud
💡
If you can't see the folder DCIM, Turn on the hidden files in the file manager settings. Mi File Manager does this through ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files.
2.Why is the Gallery folder not displayed in the file manager?
If you’re logged into Inner Memory but there’s no DCIM or Pictures folder, the reasons may be as follows:
| Reason. | How to check | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Files are hidden by the system | Enable the display of hidden folders in the manager | Go to Settings → Show hidden files |
| Folder moved to SD-map | Check the section SD-map/DCIM | Move the files back or change the camera settings |
| Removed by hand or by virus | Use Recuva or DiskDigger to recover | Scan internal memory for deleted files |
| File system error | Connect your phone to your PC – is the folder visible? | Run chmod 777 for DCIM folder via ADB |
The most common problem is that the permissions fail after the MIUI update, in which case the folder exists but does not appear in the standard manager.
adb shell chmod -R 777 /storage/emulated/0/DCIMThis command must be executed via ADB (instruction below in the section on recovery).
3. Where are the photos from messengers and social networks stored?
What many users don’t know is that WhatsApp, Telegram and VK save media files in their own folders that don’t appear in the standard Gallery.
- 💬 /WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images - chat photo
- 📎 /Telegram/Telegram Images - Images from Telegram
- 👥 /Android/media/com.vkontakte.android — photo from VKontakte
- 📱 /Tencent/MicroMsg/WeiXin — Media from WeChat (if installed)
- 🎵 /Android/media/com.miui.gallery — cache miniature Gallery
To make these photos appear in the Gallery app, do the following:
- Open the messenger settings (e.g. WhatsApp → Chat → Media Visibility).
- Turn on the option to Show in the gallery (in Telegram it is Settings → Memory and data → Save in the gallery).
- Restart the phone and the Gallery will scan the new folders.
How to transfer photos from messengers to the main gallery?
4.How to restore access to the Gallery folder after resetting or updating?
If the DCIM folder is missing after resetting settings, updating MIUI or installing custom firmware, use these methods:
Check the folder via PC (plug your phone over USB)| Set 777 rights through ADB| Restore files using DiskDigger|Update the Gallery app in Play Market|Reset the Gallery app settings-->
Method 1: Computer-assisted verification
Sometimes the folder is visible on the PC, but not displayed on the phone. Connect Xiaomi to your computer in file transfer (MTP) mode and check:
- Is there a DCIM folder at the root of internal memory?
- Is it not empty (sometimes only the.nomedia file remains after the reset).
- Are there any read errors (if the folder doesn't open, the file system may be corrupted)
Method 2: Recovery through ADB
If the folder exists but the phone can't see it, do:
adb shell ls /storage/emulated/0/DCIM
adb shell chmod -R 777 /storage/emulated/0/DCIMIf the folder is not at all, create it again:
adb shell mkdir /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera💡
If not only the DCIM folder but other system directories are missing after the MIUI update, this may indicate a firmware failure, in which case only a full Fastboot reset or firmware reflash will help.
5.What if the Gallery does not see the photos, but they are in the memory?
Situation: you check through the file manager -- the photos are on the spot, but they're not in the Gallery app.
⚠️ Note: If the photo folder contains a.nomedia file, the Gallery will ignore all media files in that directory.
- 🔄 Update the Gallery cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → gallery → Memory. → Clear the cache.
- 📱 Restart Media Scanner: Install Rescan Media app from Play Market and run the scan.
- 🔧 Reset Gallery settings: In the application settings, select Reset settings.
- 📂 Check the file format: Gallery MIUI supportive.HEIC (iPhone photo and some.RAW-formats.
If the problem persists, try alternative galleries:
- Google Photos automatically finds all media files.
- Simple Gallery supports hidden folders and.nomedia.
- QuickPic is a lightweight gallery with advanced search.
6. Where is the cache and miniatures of the Gallery kept?
The Gallery app in MIUI creates thumbnail cache and temporary files that take up space but don't appear in the main folder, and can be safely deleted if you want to free up the memory:
| Type of file | Way | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| Miniatures (thumbnails) | /Android/media/com.miui.gallery/cache | Yes (restore automatically) |
| Editing cache | /Android/data/com.miui.gallery/files | Yes. |
| Album covers | /Android/media/com.miui.gallery/album | Yes. |
| Logs of error | /Android/data/com.miui.gallery/log | Yes. |
Removing the Gallery cache does not delete the original photos, but it can temporarily slow down the download of thumbnails the next time you open the app.
7. How to change the default way to save a photo?
If you want to keep new photos in the DCIM/Camera, a to another folder (e.g., on the SD-map, make the following:
For a standard MIUI camera:
- Open the Camera app.
- Tap on. ⚙️ Settings → Memory.
- Choose. SD-map or internal memory.
- If you need to specify a custom folder, use third-party cameras (such as Open Camera).
For Google Cameras (GCam):
- Go to Settings → Save folder.
- Manually specify the path (e.g. /Pictures/GCam).
- Save the settings and restart the camera.
⚠️ Note: If you save the photo on SD-a card, but it suddenly shuts down (for example, due to slow speed), new pictures may disappear. UHS-I.