Where are the personal files on Xiaomi smartphones: hidden folders, system directories and user data

Have you ever lost an important file on a Xiaomi smartphone without knowing where it was saved? Or tried to make room but couldn't find folders with an app cache? Unlike "pure" Android, firmware MIUI It has a unique storage structure, with its own system directories, hidden folders for backups and non-obvious paths to media files. Even experienced users sometimes get confused about where exactly screenshots, call records or downloads from the browser are stored.

In this article, we will discuss in detail:

• 📁 Standard paths to folders with photos, videos, music and documents in MIUI 14/15 (including the differences between internal memory and SD-card).
• 🔍 Hidden system directories where backups, error logs and application data are stored (including MIUI/Backup, Android/data).
• ⚙️ How to access protected folders (for example, DCIM/.thumbnails or MIUI/sound_recorder) rootless.
• ⚠️ Dangerous File Manipulations That Can Lead to System Failure (and How to Avoid Them).

Special attention will be paid to the unique feature of Xiaomi – duplicate media files in the folder MIUI/Camera, And you'll also find out why, after you update, you'll never know. MIUI Some files are "disappeared" (spoiler: they are moved to the MIUI/Extra).

1. Standard folder structure on Xiaomi: where is what is the default

Firmware MIUI Follows the logic of Android, but adds its own directories.All personal files of the user are stored in the root folder of internal memory (/storage/emulated/0/) or SD-map (if connected as a portable storage) Here's the basic structure:

It is important to understand that the paths may differ depending on:

• 📱 Smartphone models: on Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12 The structure is identical, but on older devices (e.g., Mi). 8) Maybe there's no file. /MIUI/Extra.
• 🌐 Firmware Region: Global (Global) ROM) and Chinese (China) ROM) version MIUI The paths to some system folders vary.
• 🔄 Versions MIUI: starting MIUI 12, folder /MIUI/Theme It became hidden by default.

⚠️ Note: Don't confuse the folder /DCIM/Camera (main photos (c) /MIUI/Camera (Removing files from one folder does not always delete them from another!

2. Hidden system folders: what is stored there and how to get there

Besides visible catalogues, MIUI It creates a lot of hidden folders that don't appear in the standard file manager:

• 🔧 Through a root access conductor (e.g., Root Explorer or Root Explorer) FX File Explorer with Superuser Mode enabled).
• 💻 Connecting the smartphone to the PC and using the command adb shell ls -la /storage/emulated/0/ terminal.
• 📱 By enabling the display of hidden files in the file manager settings (in Mi File Manager: Settings) → Show hidden files).

Here are the key hidden directories and their contents:

One of the most common questions is: Why after the update MIUI The answer is simple: the system transfers some data to the /MIUI/Extra/ or /MIUI/Backup/Temp/ If the update is successful, the files are returned to the site. If not, they can be manually restored from these folders.

3.Duplicate files: why Xiaomi is doing twice as much space

Unique "fiction" MIUI — Automatic duplication of media files in multiple folders, for example, the same photo can be stored simultaneously in the same file:

• 📸 /DCIM/Camera/ — original.
• 🔄 /MIUI/Camera/ — copy, sometimes with other metadata (e.g., without geotags).
• ☁️ /MIUI/CloudBackup/ — If backup is enabled in Mi Cloud.

This is done to:

1. Quick access to files from different applications (for example, photo editor Mi Gallery takes pictures from the files). /MIUI/Camera).
2. Compatibility with older versions MIUI, path /DCIM/ might not be recognized.
3. Backups in case of failure (if a file is corrupted in one folder, it can be restored from another).

How do you fix that?

1. Open the gallery. → Albums. → Camera.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Select.
3. Select all files → Delete.
4. Check if the files are still in the /MIUI/Camera/ (They are usually removed automatically, but sometimes they are orphans").

Delete files from /DCIM/Camera/

Check the folder. /MIUI/Camera/ leftover

Clear the gallery cache in Settings → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse

Reset the device

-->

If you use Google Photos to back up, duplicates can be created there, too. To avoid this, in the Google Photo settings, turn off the option to Create copies of edited photos.

4. Where specific application files are stored (Telegram, WhatsApp, games)

Every Android app (and every app) MIUI including) has its own folder in /Android/data/[Name packages. / Here are the ways to the most popular:

To find a folder of a particular application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose the appropriate app (such as Instagram).
3. Go to the Warehouse. → Management of space.
4. Click Clear Cache or Delete Data (but remember, this will delete your files too!).

⚠️ Attention: Folders in /Android/data/ You can use this to get files back from there to your PC. ADB Or a root-righted conductor. A simple example of a copy command is adb pull. /sdcard/Android/data/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media/ C:\Backup\WhatsApp\

5. How to find and delete unnecessary files (cache, logs, garbage)

Over time, Xiaomi accumulates garbage that is not visible in the standard interface.

• 🗑️ Cash galleries: /DCIM/.thumbnails/ — can be removed without consequences.
• 📱 Logs of the system: /MIUI/debug_log/ and /log/ — They contain debugging information (you can delete it, but it will appear again).
• 🎮 Cash games: /Android/obb/ — Additional game data is stored here (weighing up to the 2–3 GB per game!).
• 📥 Temporary download files: /Download/.temp/ — under-quality or corrupted files.

For safe cleaning:

1. Use the built-in Settings tool → Warehouse → Cleaning (analyzes garbage and suggests removing it).
2. For deep cleaning, install SD Maid or Files by Google (they find files that standard tools skip).
3. To remove the cache of a particular application: Settings → Annexes → [name] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

💡

Before mass deletion of files, create a backup of the folder /MIUI/Backup/ — It contains critical data to restore the system.

If you notice that the disk space "disappears" for no reason, check the folder. /MIUI/Extra/ — Sometimes there are gigabytes of temporary files after updates.

6. Backup of personal files: where and how to save

There are several ways to back up Xiaomi:

How to make a backup copy through MIUI Backup:

1. Go to Settings → My Device → Backup.
2. Click Backup and select the data to save (contacts, messages, Wi-Fi settings, etc.).
3. Wait until the process is completed (file will appear in the file). /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/).

⚠️ Attention: Backup copies MIUI Backups are not compatible with other firmware (like LineageOS). If you plan to switch to custom firmware, use it. TWRP Titanium Backup.

7. Frequent file problems on Xiaomi and their solutions

Here are the typical situations that users face and how to solve them:

• 🔍 "Photos are in the gallery, but not in the folder DCIM": Check it out. /MIUI/Camera/ — Also make sure that the Gallery does not turn on the mode Show hidden files (it can hide some media).
• 📁 "Download folder is empty, but space is occupied": Use DiskUsage or Storage Analyzer to analyze the disk - often temporary files in the disk take up space /Android/data/ or /MIUI/Extra/.
• 🔒 "I can't delete the folder, writes 'File is busy': Close all applications that may be using the file (e.g. Gallery or Music). If it doesn't work, reboot your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button). → Restarting in Safe Mode).
• 📱 "After resetting to factory settings, the files are gone: Check the folder /MIUI/Backup/Temp/ — Sometimes files are saved there before reset. If not, restore from Mi Cloud or Google Drive.

💡

If the files are "disappeared" after the update MIUI, Check the folders first. /MIUI/Extra/ and /MIUI/Backup/Temp/ — Data is often temporarily moved there.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions