Have you ever encountered a situation where photos or videos suddenly disappear from the main gallery on Xiaomi, but are not deleted? Most likely, they were in a hidden album - a special secure folder in the firmware MIUI, where the system automatically or on the command of the user moves confidential files, this feature is in all modern smartphones of the brand, from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
The problem is, MIUI This album is hidden from prying eyes — it is not in the Gallery's standard menu, and access requires knowledge of secret gestures or paths in the file system. 2026 year including methods for devices with MIUI 12/13/14 And we'll also find out why files can go into a hidden folder without your knowledge and how to prevent it.
What is a hidden album on Xiaomi and why you need it
Hidden Folder (or Hidden Folder) is a secure storage device in the firmware. MIUI, You can move photos, videos and documents so they don't show up in the main gallery or file manager. MIUI 8, but with the exit MIUI 12 is more secure: files are now encrypted and linked to a Mi Account.
The main reasons for using a hidden album:
- 🔒 Privacy: Hiding personal photos from outsiders who might take your phone.
- 📱 Automatic Hiding: Some system applications (such as Mi Browser or Mi Video) can automatically move downloaded files to a hidden folder.
- 🛡️ Deletion protection: files in hidden album are not deleted when cleaning gallery cache.
- 🔄 Backup: Hidden files sync to Mi Cloud (if option enabled).
But there is a downside to the feature: users often lose access to files if they forget the password from a hidden folder or don’t know how to open it, and some viruses and malicious applications can exploit this mechanism to hide their tracks in the system.
Method 1: Access through the Standard Gallery (MIUI 12/13/14)
The easiest way to find a hidden album is to use the built-in Xiaomi Gallery, but the path to the folder depends on the firmware version:
For MIUI 14 (relevant to Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5):
- Open the Gallery app.
- Slip on the profile icon (or three horizontal lines in the upper left corner).
- Select Hidden Album (or Private Safe in Global Firmware).
- Enter a password, fingerprint or pattern lock if requested.
For MIUI 12/13 (Xiaomi 12 inclusively):
- In the Gallery, swipe to the right to open the side menu.
- Find the Albums section and scroll down to Hidden.
- If there is no item, check if the display mode is turned off (see the next section).
Make sure the gallery is updated to the latest version.|
Check if the developer mode is disabled (can block access)|
If you use a third-party gallery (Google Photos), go back to the standard one.|
Try rebooting your phone if the album doesn't show up-->
Important: If you've never set up a hidden album but the files are gone, they could be moved there automatically, like when you download incognito through the Mi Browser or when you import from the Mi Cloud.
Method 2: File Manager (File Manager)
If the Gallery doesn't show the hidden album, you can try to find it through Xiaomi Explorer, which works even if you forgot your password, but requires you to turn on the mode of displaying hidden files.
Instructions:
- Open the Explorer (or File Manager) application.
- Tapping the tripod icon (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Settings.
- Activate the option to show hidden files.
- Return to the root catalog and go on the way: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/PrivateAlbum/ Alternative path for new versions: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/files/PrivateAlbum/
If the PrivateAlbum folder is empty or missing, try alternative ways:
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.hidden/ — Photos hidden through third-party applications.
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.nomedia/ — files with the.nomedia attribute.
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Download/.private/ — file-driven.
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If Explorer doesn’t show hidden folders even after you turn on the option, try using a third-party file manager, such as Solid Explorer or a file manager. FX File Explorer. They often bypass the constraints. MIUI.
Warning: Do not rename or delete files in the PrivateAlbum folder directly through Explorer.This may result in sync failure with Mi Cloud or loss of access to the album through the Gallery.
Method 3: Use MIUI Hidden Folder (official app)
Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi has highlighted a hidden album in a separate app — MIUI Hidden Folder (or Private Safe in global firmware) is pre-installed on all new devices, but can be disabled.
How to find and open:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Search for Hidden Folder or Private Safe.
- If the application is disabled, turn it on.
- Launch it. MIUI Hidden Folder from the application menu or through search.
- Sign in with your password, fingerprint or Mi Account.
Features of the annex:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Encryption | Files are encrypted using AES-256 and are linked to a Mi Account account. |
| Automatic concealment | You can set up automatic movement of screenshots or downloaded files. |
| Backup | Supports synchronization with Mi Cloud (up to 5 GB free). |
| Dual authentication | Requires confirmation of the SMS or email when you first log in from a new device. |
If the application MIUI Hidden Folder is not in the system, it can be installed manually:
- Download. APK From the official forum of Xiaomi (section) MIUI Hidden Folder).
- Install the file by allowing installation from unknown sources.
- Reboot the phone.
What to do if MIUI Hidden Folder doesn't open?
Method 4: Restore access if your password is forgotten
One of the most common problems is that the user has forgotten the password for the hidden album, and there are several ways to recover it, but they depend on whether the Mi Account was linked.
If the Mi Account is linked:
- Open up. MIUI Hidden Folder.
If the account is not linked:
- 🔧 Dumping through TWRP: It requires an unlocked bootloader and a customized backup installed. /data/system/locksettings.db and /data/system/locksettings.db-wal.
- 📱 Phone Reset: Complete Data Cleanup through Settings → Additionally. → Recovery and reset. All files will be deleted!
- 💻 ADB-Commands: For power users, you can try to delete the password using: adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db* But it will only work on some versions. MIUI.
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Unless you've tied a hidden album to Mi Account, it's almost impossible to restore access without resetting your phone. Always set up a backup authentication method!
Note: Using informal methods (such as password cracking software) may result in a Mi Account being blocked or data corrupted.
Method 5: Search for hidden files through your computer (ADB/MTP)
If none of the previous methods worked, you can try connecting the phone to your computer and find hidden files through the phone. ADB or MTP-This method is suitable for users who are not afraid of the command line.
Method 1: Through MTP (rootless)
- Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB-cable.
- Select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
- On your computer, open Windows Explorer or Finder (macOS).
- Go to the folder of the phone and turn on the display of hidden files: In Windows: View → Hidden elements in macOS: Command + Shift +.
Method 2
Method 2: ADB (for experienced users)
- Install. ADB Tools on your computer (you can download from the Android Developers website).
- Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times), then Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB.
- Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: Adb devices to make sure the device is defined.
- Follow the command to search for hidden files: adb shell ls -la /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/PrivateAlbum/
- If the folder exists, copy the files to the PC: adb pull /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/PrivateAlbum/ C:\HiddenFiles\
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If ADB If the device does not see, try reinstalling Xiaomi drivers or using an alternative cable, check if the antivirus or firewall is blocking access.
Attention: Use ADB It can damage the integrity of system files if you make a mistake in commands. /system or /data, If you are not sure of your actions.
Why files are missing from a hidden album without your knowledge
Many users experience a situation where photos or videos suddenly disappear from the gallery, even though they were not deleted, most often due to the automatic transfer of files to a hidden album.
1.Automatic concealment in Mi Browser
- 🌐 If you download files in incognito mode, Mi Browser saves them to a hidden folder by default.
- 📥 You can change the settings: open the Mi Browser → Settings → Confidentiality → File retention.
2. synchronization with Mi Cloud
- ☁️ When you recover data from Mi Cloud, some files can automatically be taken to a hidden album if they were there on a previous device.
- 🔄 Check the cloud settings: Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → gallery.
3. Actions of third-party applications
- 📱 Some apps (such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Snapchat) can save media files with a status of “hidden".
- 🛠️ Solution: Check the save settings in each application separately.
4 Mistakes MIUI
- 🐛 In some versions MIUI (particularly MIUI 12.5) was a bug that caused files to accidentally move to a hidden album while clearing the cache.
- 🔄 Solution: Update the firmware to the latest version.
If you suspect files are missing because of a virus, check your phone with Mi Security or Malwarebytes.Some malware masks its files as system files by placing them in hidden folders.
How to disable a hidden album on Xiaomi (if you don’t need it)
If you don't use the hidden album feature, but it gets in the way (e.g. files are constantly disappearing), you can turn it off, but keep in mind that this will delete all files from the hidden folder without any possibility of recovery.
Instructions for unsetting:
- Open up. MIUI Hidden Folder (or Private Safe).
- Go to Settings (cog in the upper right corner).
- Choose to delete the hidden album (or Disable Private Safe).
- Confirm the action by entering the password.
- Reboot the phone.
Warning: Once disabled, all files from the hidden album will be permanently deleted. Pre-copy them to the regular storage if you need them.
If you want to just remove the automatic cover-up, but leave the album itself:
- 🔧 Turn off the option Automatic add in the settings MIUI Hidden Folder.
- 📱 Check the settings of Mi Browser and other apps as described in the previous section.
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Disabling the hidden album does not physically remove the PrivateAlbum folder from the phone. it will remain in the file system, but will be empty and inaccessible through the interface. MIUI.