How to Create a folder on Xiaomi: All ways for MIUI 14/15 and older

Foldering on Xiaomi smartphones is a basic feature that helps keep files and apps in order. But even experienced users sometimes face surprises: somewhere the option is hidden in the depths of MIUI, and somewhere it works differently than on other Android devices. This article covers all the current ways to create folders on Redmi, POCO and Mi — from the classic desktop to the hidden capabilities of the file manager.

We'll look at not only the standard methods, but also the little-known ones: how to create a folder in the Gallery to sort photos, why sometimes you can't group applications, and what to do if the system doesn't let you rename the folder. All the instructions are tested on MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese versions) and are relevant for models from 2020-2026. If you use older firmware, at the end of this article there is a separate section with nuances for MIUI 12 and below.

1. Creating a folder on the desktop (for applications)

The most obvious way is to group app icons. On Xiaomi, it works a little differently than on pure Android: there’s no long hold to create a folder, but there are alternative gestures.

To create a folder:

• 📱 Drag one app icon to another and hold on for 1-2 seconds. The system will automatically create a folder with the default name (e.g., "Folder 1").
• ✏️ Click on the folder name to rename it (on some versions) MIUI You need to open the folder first and then tap it in its name).
• 🔄 To add more apps, just drag and drop them to the folder icon. To delete, hold the icon inside the folder and select "Delete from the folder".

If the drag and drop gesture doesn’t work (this happens on the POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 with the POCO Launcher shell), try an alternative method:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop.
2. In the menu that appears, select "Widgets" → "Folder".
3. Drag the folder widget onto the screen, then add apps to it.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI The folders on the desktop are automatically sorted alphabetically. To turn this off, go to Settings. → Desktop → Sort applications and select "Manually".

2. Create a folder in the file manager Mi File Manager

In the standard file manager Xiaomi (Mi File Manager) you can create a folder in several ways.

• 📁 Open the Files app and go to the directory you want (for example, Internal Memory or SD-map).
• ➕ Press the badge "+" In the lower right corner (or the button "Create" in the menu).
• 📂 Select "Folder", enter the name and click "OK".

The second way is through the context menu:

1. Keep your finger on an empty place in the file list.
2. In the menu that appears, select "Create a folder".
3. Ask for a name (you can use Latin, Cyrillic and symbols, but avoid /: *? < > |).

If the folder is not created, check:

There are no restrictions on the entry in the selected directory (for example, on the SD-file-card FAT32)

Enough free space (minimum - 100 KB)

The name of the folder does not match the existing one.

Files app updated to the latest version-->

Xiaomi has introduced the file manager with MIUI 15 with the Smart Folders feature, which automatically group files by type (e.g. Documents, Images) to disable this feature and return the classic look:

Settings → View Type → Disable “Category”

3. folders in the gallery: how to sort photos and videos

In the standard Xiaomi Gallery, folders are created automatically by date or album, but you can edit them manually.

To create a new album:

• 🖼️ Open the Gallery and go to the Albums tab".
• ➕ Press the badge "+" top-right.
• 📌 Select "Create an Album", enter the title and add a photo / video.

To transfer files to an existing album:

1. Select the photos you need (hold your finger on one file, then tap on the others).
2. Click "Add to Album" and select the target folder.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos as your main gallery, Xiaomi folders won't show up. To sync albums, export them to the main gallery. DCIM/Camera via the "Share" menu".

4. Hidden folders and system directories: what can I touch?

On Xiaomi, some folders are hidden by default, and can be seen by enabling the display of hidden files in Mi File Manager:

Settings → Show hidden files

But not all system directories are safe to edit. Here's a quick guide:

• 🔧 Android is the system data of applications. Deleting files here can break programs.
• 📱 MIUI — directory with firmware and shell settings.
• 🔒 DCIM/.thumbnails — You can clean up to make room (recreate automatically).
• 🗑️ Download – Safe to clean if files are not needed.

If you need to create a folder in the root directory (for example, for TWRP or custom firmware), use a Root Explorer (superuser rights are required). Without root, you can not create folders in /system or /data.

5. Download folders: How to change the default path

By default, all files from the Internet are saved to internal memory./Download. To change that:

1. Open Files → click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
2. Select "Default Loading Path".
3. Please specify a new folder (for example, on the SD-map).

If the option is inactive, check:

• 📲 SD-The card is formatted as internal memory (otherwise some applications will not be able to write to it).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone after changing path.
• 🛠️ Update Files to the latest version on Google Play.

For the Mi Browser browser, the download path changes separately:

Mi Browser → Settings → Downloads → Save Way

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If the Download folder is filled with garbage, use the built-in cleanup: open Files → Cleanup → Unnecessary Files. The system will find duplicates and temporary files.

6. Problems and errors in creating folders

Sometimes Xiaomi refuses to create folders or makes errors.

If folders are not created in Mi File Manager, try alternative applications:

• 📂 Solid Explorer - Supports FTP clouds.
• 🔍 FX File Explorer – Works with root and ADB.
• 🌐 Google Files is a simple interface, but without advanced features.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi 11 Ultra) are upgraded to MIUI 15 Loses the ability to create folders on SD-This is related to Google's security policy, which is to format the map as an internal memory (but it will delete all the data on it!).

7. Features for older versions of MIUI (12 and below)

If you are using Xiaomi with MIUI 12 or older, consider the following:

On the desktop:

• Folders are created only by dragging and dropping icons (there is no option through widgets).
• The maximum number of applications in the folder is 16 (in new versions - 32).

In the file manager:

• There's no smart folder feature.
• To see hidden files, you need to manually enter the path to the system folder in the address bar (for example, /storage/emulated/0/Android).

In the gallery:

• There is no way to create albums, just use automatic folders by date.
• To hide the photos, you need to transfer them to the.hidden folder manually.

If you need to update your firmware but your phone doesn’t support MIUI 14/15, check the list of officially updated models on Xiaomi’s website. Unofficial updates will require unlocking the bootloader and installing custom Recovery.

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Nana MIUI 12 and below folder on SD-The cards are created without restrictions, but may not be read by some apps (for example, WhatsApp will not see media files if they are not located in the map). DCIM download).

Frequently asked questions