How to find a hidden album on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways to access hidden photos and videos

Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones feature hidden albums, which allows users to hide personal photos and videos from prying eyes. However, many owners of the device face a problem: where exactly is this hidden album stored and how to access it if you forgot your password or accidentally deleted files? In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to find hidden media files on Redmi 9, including system methods and workarounds.

Unlike other brands, Xiaomi uses its own implementation of hidden folders, which depends on the version of the MIUI firmware and the Gallery application installed. For example, in MIUI 12 and later, the file hiding algorithm has changed, so the old instructions may not work. We took into account all the nuances and prepared current solutions for Redmi 9 (including Redmi 9A/9C/9T modifications).

If you're looking for a way to return deleted photos from a hidden album or reset your password, there's a separate section at the end of this article with recovery instructions, and for those who want to make sure their data is secure, we've added proven methods for encrypting and backing up hidden files.

1. Standard method: access through the Gallery app

The easiest way to find a hidden album on Redmi 9 is to use the built-in Gallery app (com.miui.gallery), which is available by default on all devices with MIUI 10 and above, but its location may vary depending on the shell version.

To open the hidden photos:

1. Launch the Gallery app (an icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (menu) in the lower right corner.
3. Select "Hidden Album" (or "Private Safe" in English).
4. Enter a password, fingerprint or pattern lock if it has been set.

If you don't have Hidden Album on the menu, it's disabled or hidden in the settings to activate it:

1. Open the Gallery → click on the profile (avatar) in the upper right corner.
2. Go to "Settings» → «Hidden album».
3. Turn on the switch and set the password.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the hidden album, reset it through the standard settings MIUI Workarounds will be required (see section 5).

In some versions of MIUI, the hidden album may be called "Personal Storage" or "Secure Files." If you don't find this section, try updating the Gallery app through Google Play or MIUI App Store.

2. Alternative method: Search through File Manager

If access through the Gallery is not possible (for example, due to an application failure), hidden photos can be found manually through the File Manager (com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer), these files are stored in a secure system folder, the path to which depends on the version of MIUI.

Search instructions:

1. Open the File Manager (Icon with folder).
2. Go to the Categories section → Images or Videos.
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select “Show hidden files”.
4. Go back to the root catalogue (/storage/emulated/0/) and find the folder: 📁.Hide - for MIUI 10–11; 📁 MIUI/Private — for MIUI 12–14; 📁 DCIM/.thumbnails/.hide — alternate-position.

Files in these folders can have.nomedia extensions (hidden from the media scanner) or be encrypted. If you try to open a file is corrupted, then the media is password protected (see section 5).

Enable the display of hidden files in the File Manager settings |

Update MIUI to the latest version|

Try a third-party file manager (e.g. FX File Explorer)|

Check access rights (retention permit)-->

3. System folders: where the hidden files are physically stored

Hidden albums on Xiaomi Redmi 9 are stored not only in user memory, but also in protected areas of the system, which can be found through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or root access, but this method is only suitable for advanced users.

The main paths to hidden files:

Access to /data/ folders requires root rights or an ADB debugging bridge. For example, to view content through ADB, run the command:

adb shell ls /data/media/0/MIUI/Private/

⚠️ Note: Changing files in system folders without root permissions may cause the Gallery application to crash.We recommend pre-reserving adb backup.

If you are not sure about your actions, use the safer methods in the following sections.

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To quickly find hidden folders, use a search in the File Manager on request *.hide or private. This will save time if the path to the folder changed after the MIUI update.

4.Recover deleted files from hidden album

If you accidentally delete a photo or video from a hidden album on Redmi 9, you can try to restore it with specialized utilities, but success depends on whether the files were physically erased or simply deleted from the MIUI index.

Step-by-step:

1. Install a recovery application, for example: 🔍 DiskDigger (free version scans only thumbnails); 🔍 Recuva (requires root for deep scanning); 🔍 Dumpster (works like a basket if installed in advance).

/storage/emulated/0/

.jpg

.png

.mp4

.Hide

MIUI/Private

Important nuances:

• 🚫 Do not save recovered files to the same disk from which the scan is being conducted (this can overwrite deleted data).
• ⏳ The faster you start recovery after removal, the higher the chances of success.
• 🔒 If the files were encrypted with a password, it is impossible to restore them without a key.

5. Reset the password of the hidden album (if you forgot)

If you forgot the password for a hidden album on Redmi 9, standard reset methods (such as through Account Settings) won't work. However, there are a few workarounds that can help you regain access.

Method 1: Mi Account Reset (requires account binding)

1. Go to "Settings» → «Accounts» → «Mi Account».
2. Make sure that the device is linked to your Xiaomi account.
3. Open the Gallery → “Hidden Album” → click “Forgot Your Password?”
4. Enter the data from Mi Account for reset.

Method 2: Delete the key file (requires root)

• 🔧 Use Root Explorer or ADB, file-delete: /data/data/com.miui.gallery/shared_prefs/private_safe.xml
• 🔄 Restart the device – the password will reset, but the files will remain.

Method 3: Recovery (Data Loss)

⚠️ Warning: This method will delete all data on the device, including photos in the hidden album. Use only if other methods have not worked. Turn off Redmi 9. + Volume up to log into Recovery. Select "Wipe Data» → «Factory Reset: Once reset, the hidden album will be empty, but the password will be deleted.

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If you haven't tied Mi Account to your device, the only way to reset the hidden album password is to reset it through Recovery or delete root-enabled system files, both of which have the risk of data loss.

6 How to Protect a Hidden Album from Outsiders

To avoid problems accessing hidden files on Redmi 9, follow these guidelines:

Methods of enhanced protection:

• 🔐 Use a fingerprint instead of a password (configured in Settings» → «Screen locking»).
• 📱 Enable two-step authentication for Mi Account (protects against password reset via account).
• ☁️ Regularly back up your hidden files to the cloud (e.g. Google Photos with private albums).
• 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version – improved data protection in new firmware.

What not to do:

• 🚫 Store the password from the hidden album in notes or screenshots on your phone.
• 🚫 Use simple combinations (e.g. 1234 or date of birth).
• 🚫 Remove the.Hide system folders or MIUI/Private manually – this can cause the gallery to fail.

If you need to transfer your phone to another person but you don’t want them to see hidden files, follow these steps:

1. Transfer all important photos from the hidden album to the PC or cloud.
2. Delete files from the.Hide or MIUI/Private folder.
3. Reset the Gallery settings: “Settings” → “Applications” → “Gallery” → “Storage” → “Clean Data”.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

When working with a hidden album on Xiaomi Redmi 9, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the Gallery settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Gallery and click on "Storage".
3. Select “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache”.
4. Reboot your phone and check access to the hidden album.

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If the hidden files are gone after resetting the Gallery settings, don't panic, they're still stored in the system folders. Just repeat the procedure for activating the hidden album in the settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions