How to add photos to hidden folders on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Hidden photos on Xiaomi smartphones are not just a way to keep privacy, but a real system to protect personal data from prying eyes. In an era where a phone can fall into the wrong hands for just a minute, the ability to properly hide files becomes a critical skill. But how do you do it correctly, even when connected to a computer or cloud storage, your pictures remain inaccessible?

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to hide photos on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices running MIUI, from standard firmware features to little-known tricks with the file system. You’ll learn how to create a secure folder, use hidden albums in the gallery, and what third-party apps are really safe. And we’ll also reveal the secret to making sure that hidden photos do not appear even in system Explorers like Files.

1. The standard feature of Hidden Albums in the Xiaomi Gallery

The easiest and most obvious way to do this is to use the built-in Hidden Albums feature in the standard Gallery app, which works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including the Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5 models. The main advantage is that you don’t need to install additional programs, and access to hidden photos is protected by a password or fingerprint.

To activate this function:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner and select Hidden Albums.
3. Enter the password (if not installed, the system will prompt you to create it).
4. Click Add and select photos to hide.

After that, the selected photos will disappear from the main tape of the gallery and will be available only through the Hidden Albums section. DCIM/.hidden They can be found through the file manager, and it will take additional measures to completely hide them from prying eyes.

💡

If you forget the password from hidden albums, it can be reset via Settings → Passwords and security → Privacy → Reset the gallery password, but it'll take a lot of time. PIN-lock-screen!

2. Protected folder (Private Folder) - maximum confidentiality

Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi’s firmware has introduced a system-level feature called Private Folder, which is not just hidden from view, but encrypted and unavailable without authorization, even when you connect your phone to your PC or through ADB.

How to set up a Private Folder:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Privacy → Secure folder.
• 🔒 Set a password (it is recommended to use a fingerprint for convenience).
• 📁 Click Add Files and select photos from the gallery or file manager.
• 🔄 After adding the original photos will be automatically deleted from the original folders (they can only be restored through Private Folder).

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ Files are not visible in conductors (including Total Commander and the FX File Explorer).
• ✅ Android Keystore Protection – without a password, access is impossible even through the TWRP.
• ✅ Support not only photos, but also videos, documents, audio.

3. Hiding Photos Through File Manager:.nomedia folder

If you don’t need strong password protection, but simply hide the photo from display in the gallery, you can use the standard Android mechanism – the.nomedia file. This method works on all devices, including the old Redmi 4X or Mi A1 models, and does not require root rights.

Instructions:

1. Open any file manager (such as Google Files or Mi File Explorer).
2. Go to the photo folder (usually /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera).
3. Create a new text file and call it.nomedia (a point at the beginning is a must!).
4. Move all the photos you want to hide to this folder.
5. Restart your phone or update the gallery data (pull down in the Gallery app).

After that, the photos will disappear from the gallery, but remain accessible through the file manager, which is suitable if you just want to remove unnecessary pictures from view, but do not fear that someone will dig into the file system of your phone.

⚠️ Attention:.nomedia file doesn't encrypt data! Anyone who connects your phone to your computer will be able to see hidden photos through Windows Explorer or macOS. For real privacy, use Private Folder or third-party apps.

4 Third-party apps for hiding photos: what to choose in 2026

If standard MIUI features aren't enough, you can use third-party apps, but it's important to choose a reliable tool that won't leak your data to the network, and we tested some popular solutions and selected the best ones.

We choose KeepSafe for maximum protection and GalleryVault for balance of features and convenience. However, remember: any third-party application is a potential risk of data leakage. Before installing, check the permissions in Google Play and read reviews from the last 6 months.

5. Advanced methods: encryption and password archives

For those who are willing to go further, there are ways to hide photos that even a seasoned user won't find, and these methods take a little more effort, but they offer the highest level of protection.

Method 1: Password Archive

• 📦 Install an archiver (for example, RAR or 7-Zip).
• 🔐 Select the photos you want to hide and pack them in the archive with a password (.zip or.rar format).
• 🗑️ Delete the original photos (preliminary make sure that the archive is created correctly!).
• 🔄 Rename the archive to something neutral, such as, backup_2026.dat.

Method 2: Encrypted container (for advanced)

With the Cryptomator app (available in F-Droid), you can create an encrypted virtual drive where you can put a photo, and the advantage is that even if someone finds a container file, you can't open it without a password. Minus requires manual configuration.

⚠️ Warning: If you use encrypted archives, never store your password in notes or the cloud, remember it or write it down on paper!

Create a backup of important photos|Use a Protected Folder or KeepSafe|Disable autoboot to the cloud|Remove the originals after hiding|Periodically check hidden files-->

6. How to return hidden photos back

If you need to return hidden photos to the main gallery, the process depends on the method you used.

• 🔓 Hidden Albums: Enter the Gallery → Hidden albums, highlight photos, click Remove from hidden ones.
• 🔒 Secure folder: Go to Settings → Privacy → Secure folder, select files and click Restore.
• 📁.nomedia folder: Delete the.nomedia file or move the photo to another folder.
• 📦 Password Archive: Unpack the archive and move the photo back to DCIM/Camera.

If you've used third-party apps, you can usually open them and click Restore or Show in the gallery, but remember that some programs (like GalleryVault) can leave copies of photos in their storage even after they've been "restored."

💡

Always check if there are duplicates of hidden photos in the app cache. Use a file manager with a search by file name.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with hidden photos, users often make critical mistakes that can lead to data loss or, conversely, to their leakage.

Error 1: Storing passwords in the cloud

Many people save passwords from Private Folder or archives in Google Keep, Xiaomi Notes, or even in their Telegram messages. That's the equivalent of leaving the safe key under the mat. Solution: use password managers like Bitwarden or KeePassDX with two-factor authentication.

Mistake 2: Ignoring backups

Hidden photos are often lost when you reset your phone or flash it, so you can copy protected data regularly to an external drive or to an encrypted cloud (like Proton Drive).

Mistake 3: Using Unreliable Apps

Many of the Google Play hideouts collect metadata or even photos themselves, so you can check the app on Exodus Privacy before installing it.

Mistake 4: Forgetting about the cache

Even after removing photos from the gallery, their thumbnails can remain in the cache. Solution: clear the gallery cache in Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear the cache.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions