Where is the Music folder on Xiaomi: all the ways to find and open

Have you downloaded songs on Xiaomi but can't find a music folder? Or have you downloaded audio files from your computer and the player doesn't see them? The problem is familiar to many MIUI smartphone users -- the shell often hides standard directories or changes their location after updates. In this article, we'll look at all possible music storage locations on Redmi, POCO and Mi, including hidden system folders and nuances of different firmware versions.

It’s important to understand that the path to the folder depends on three factors: the version of MIUI (12/13/14/15), the way you add files (download from the Internet, cable, cloud sync), and even the device model. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 15, the directory structure may differ from the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5. We’ll look at universal methods that work on 90% of the brand’s devices.

Standard paths to the folder “Music” on Xiaomi

By default, MIUI creates a folder for audio files in the root directory of internal memory.

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Music/ — Classical layout, works on most models before MIUI 14.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Music/ — Alternative path where files from the standard Mi Music player are sometimes saved.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Download/Music/ — If you downloaded songs through a browser, they may be here.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.player/ — Hidden folder for Mi Music application media files.

To check these paths, open any file manager (like Files by Google or standard Xiaomi Files) and manually navigate to the addresses. If the folder is not there, it might not have been created automatically, in which case you just save the song once through the player, and the directory will appear.

On new versions of MIUI 14/15, the path may change due to the Scoped Storage policy, in which case the music is stored in virtual containers and can only be seen through special applications.

How to find music through a file manager

The easiest way is to use the built-in Xiaomi Files (yellow folder icon).

1. Open the Files app.
2. Go to the Category tab → Audio.
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show folder - the system will open the directory where the file is stored.

If this method does not work, try an alternative method:

• 🔍 In the same application, go to the Memory of the device tab.
• 📂 Open the folder. MIUI or music (if any).
• 🔄 If there are no folders, click on the magnifying glass icon (search) and enter.mp3 or.m4a.

Open the Files app

Go to Device Memory.

Check the folders Music, MIUI, Download

Use search for extension.mp3-->

On some models (e.g. POCO F4), the built-in file manager may not show hidden directories, in which case install a third-party application, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Manager, and enable the display of hidden files in the settings (Settings → Show hidden files).

Why the Player Can't See Music (and How to Fix It)

A common problem: files are in memory, but Mi Music or Google Play Music doesn't display them.

If the music is missing after the MIUI update, check the /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/ folder – sometimes files are temporarily moved there. Also look at Settings → Memory → Internal Memory → Other files where the system can hide large media files.

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If the player stubbornly doesn’t see music, try installing VLC or Poweramp – they bypass the limitations of MIUI and scan the memory deeper.

Hidden music folders: where else can audio be stored

MIUI is actively using hidden directories for business purposes, and this is where your audio files might be.

• 🔒 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.player/files/Music/ — Music downloaded via Mi Music.
• 🔒 /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/com.miui.player/ — cached tracks (e.g. from the cloud).
• 🔒 /storage/emulated/0/.miui/ — Temporary system files, including audio for alarm clocks.
• 🔒 /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.google.android.music/ — If you have used Google Play Music.

To see these folders:

1. Install FX File Manager or Root Explorer.
2. In the settings, enable Show hidden files and Show system files.
3. Take one of the paths above.

Important: Do not remove files from /Android/data/ and /Android/obb/ folders manually, this can cause app malfunctions. If you need to free up space, use the built-in cleanup function in Settings → Memory → Cleanup.

How to transfer music to the right folder

If you find audio files in a non-standard location and want to move them to /Music/, follow this instruction:

1. Open the file manager and find the music folder.
2. Select files (long pressing → ticks).
3. Click Move or Copy.
4. Go to /storage/emulated/0/ and create a Music folder (if not).
5. Put the files in a new folder.

After the transfer:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone to update your media base.
• 🎵 Open the player and wait for the scan to be completed.
• 📱 If the music does not appear, clear the player cache in the application settings.

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After moving files, always restart the device – this speeds up the update of the media base and prevents playback errors.

On MIUI 14/15, Scoped Storage may require additional permission. If an error is Rejected when moving files, do:

adb shell pm grant com.android.providers.media android.permission.MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

This command temporarily expands the rights to work with memory (you need a connection to the PC and enabled Developer Mode).

Recovering Lost Music

If the music folder is missing after resetting your settings or updating, try the following methods:

• 🗑️ Recycle Bin in Xiaomi Files: Open the Files app → Basket → Restore deleted files.
• ☁️ Cloud Backups: Check out Mi Cloud (Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Backups) or Google Drive.
• 🔍 Search by system: Use applications like DiskDigger to scan memory for file residues.
• 💻 PC software: connect your phone to your computer and scan the memory via Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery.

Xiaomi with MIUI 12+ has a built-in recovery function:

1. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup → File Recovery.
2. Select the type of audio files.
3. Wait for the scan to be completed and restore the tracks found.

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If the music was purchased from Google Play Music or Yandex Music, check your account purchase history – many tracks can be re-downloaded for free.

MIUI settings that affect music storage

Some system settings may change the location or visibility of audio files.

• 📱 Memory optimization: in Settings → Memory. → Settings → Optimize disable automatic cleaning of media files.
• 🔒 Permissions for Player: C Settings → Annexes → Mi Music → Permissions enable access to memory and media files.
• 🌐 Synchronization with Mi Cloud: in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Sync to check if the option for music is enabled.
• 🔄 Auto-update of the media base: in Settings → Additionally. → Update of media files (not available on all models).

POCO and some Redmi have a separate option to hide media files:

⚠️ Attention: In Settings → Confidentiality → Special permits → Hidden files can be accessed by hiding music from players, disable it if the files are not displayed.

You should also check the Scoped Storage settings (on MIUI 14+):

adb shell settings put global hidden_api_policy 1

This command temporarily disables file access restrictions (runs until reboot).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the folder “Music” on Xiaomi