Where to look for files in Xiaomi phone: internal memory, SD-map and hidden catalogues

You bought a new Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, but can't find uploaded photos, music or documents? Or suddenly you find that the phone's memory is full, but you don't know which files are taking up space? The problem is that the manufacturer uses a non-standard storage structure, and the proprietary shell MIUI hides some of the folders from the user by default.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can access files on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, from basic (via standard Explorer) to advanced (via ADB and root access), where photos, videos, app cache and system data are physically stored, and how to find hidden folders that don’t show up in normal mode.

1. Standard method: MIUI conductor and Files folder

The easiest method is to use Xiaomi's built-in file manager, called Files (Blue Folder Icon), and it's pre-installed on all MIUI shell devices.

1. Click on the Files icon on the home screen or in the app menu.
2. At the bottom of the screen, select the Device tab (for internal memory) or SD-map (if installed).
3. You will see a directory tree with the main folders: DCIM (photo / video), Download (download), Music, Pictures, etc.

Note that by default, MIUI hides system folders (such as Android, MIUI, or data) to see them:

• 📁 Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
• 🔍 Activate the option to show hidden files.
• 🔒 To access the folder Android/data You may need to have root permission or PC connection.

⚠️ Note: Delete files from the folder Android/obb or Android/data It can cause app crashes, for example, if you delete a game's files from obb, it will stop running until it downloads the data again.

2 Where photos, videos and screenshots are stored

Media files on Xiaomi are distributed in several folders depending on the type of content:

If you don’t find photos in standard folders, check:

• 🔄 Recycle bin in the gallery (files are stored there for 30 days).
• ☁️ Cloud services: Mi Cloud, Google Photos or Yandex.Disk (if autoboot was enabled).
• 📱 Internal memory of other users (if there are multiple accounts on the phone).

💡

To quickly find all media files, in Files Explorer, go to the Category → Images or Video tab. The system automatically collects content from all folders.

3. Search for uploaded files and documents

Files downloaded from the browser, messengers or mail usually fall into the Download folder (aka Downloads).

• 🌐 browser MIUI Save files in Download.
• 🦊 Google Chrome is using Google Chrome Download/Chrome.
• 📧 Gmail and Mi Mail offer to choose a folder when downloading attachments.
• 💬 Telegram stores media in the Telegram/Telegram Images or Telegram/Telegram Documents.

If the file is not located:

1. Open the application through which the file was downloaded (for example, Chrome or Telegram).
2. Find the Downloads or Storage section in its settings - there is a save path.
3. Use a search by file name in File Explorer (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner).

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, VK or TickTok) save the video to their own folders inside Android/data. Without root access, you won’t be able to see them through standard Explorer, but files will be accessible via PC when connected via a computer. USB.

4. How to find the app cache and free up memory

Cache is a temporary file that applications create to speed things up, and over time, it can take up gigabytes of memory to find it.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (like Facebook or TikTok).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

For mass cleaning:

• 🧹 Use the built-in Cleanup utility (broom icon in the app menu).
• 📊 B Settings → Click Free up space – the system will analyze unnecessary files.
• 🔧 Apps like this SD Maid or Files by Google can find cache that is not available through standard settings.

Some applications (such as Google Play Services or MIUI System) can weigh more than 1 GB. Cleaning it won’t delete your data, but it can temporarily slow down those services until it’s caching again.

5. Access to hidden system folders (without root)

If you need to access folders like Android/data or MIUI, but there are no root rights, there are a few workarounds:

Method 1: Connecting to a PC via USB

1. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable.
2. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. On PC, open This computer → your Xiaomi will appear as a removable drive.
4. Go to the Internal Storage folder, where you will see all directories, including hidden ones.

Method 2: Use of ADB (for advanced)

If USB doesn’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge.

adb shell


ls /sdcard/Android/data

This will show you a list of folders with application data, so you can copy files to your PC:

adb pull /sdcard/Android/data/com.example.app/ C:\Temp\

⚠️ Note: Modifying files in Android/data through ADB For example, if you delete the com.whatsapp folder, WhatsApp will require re-authorization.

6.Working with SD-Map: Where to look for files and how to transfer data

If your Xiaomi supports microSD cards (such as the Redmi Note 11 or POCO M4 Pro), the files on it are stored separately from the internal memory.

• 📱 In File Explorer, select a tab SD-map.
• 🔄 To transfer files from internal memory to the card: highlight them → More. → Move it → choose SD-map.
• 📁 For applications: Settings → Annexes → select the application → Warehouse → Change. → SD-map (not all applications support portability).

Important nuances:

• 🚫 Not all applications can be transferred to SD-map (especially system maps).
• ⚡ Speed of application with SD-cards are lower than internal memory (especially if the card is a class card) UHS-I U1 instead U3).
• 🔄 When extracted SD-The files on the card will be inaccessible (unlike internal memory).

💡

SD-ExFAT cards support files larger than 4GB, but may not be readable on older devices. FAT32 (but with a 4GB file size limit).

7. Search for files through third-party applications

If standard MIUI conductor is not suitable for you, consider alternatives:

To use these applications:

1. Download them from Google Play.
2. At the first start, give access to the storage.
3. In the settings, enable the display of hidden files (usually in the View section or Display settings).

💡

In Solid Explorer, you can configure access to FTP — This will allow you to manage files on your phone directly from your computer through the browser, without USB-cable.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi storage