How to hide an album on Xiaomi: all the ways to MIUI 12, 13, 14 and 15

Why Hiding Albums on Xiaomi Is Not Just Privacy, But Security

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer users convenient tools to protect personal data, but not everyone knows how to hide albums with photos. Unlike standard deletion, hiding allows you to save files on the device, but make them inaccessible to prying eyes – whether they are random guests, colleagues or even attackers who have temporary access to the phone.

It is important to understand that simply moving a photo to a folder called "Personal" does not solve the problem: such files are easy to find through a file manager or search by device. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods, including built-in functions. MIUI (For example, password folder and notes and third-party applications with encryption, we will pay special attention to the nuances for different versions of firmware - from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15 where the concealment algorithms may differ.

You will also learn how to get around common mistakes that make hidden albums suddenly visible, such as after a reset or system update. Hiding through the Xiaomi System Gallery does not protect files from being retrieved through ADB or data recovery – encryption is required for complete security.

Method 1: Built-in Password-Folder feature in Xiaomi Gallery

The most obvious and quick method is to use the password folder available in the standard Gallery. MIUI. This function creates a protected area that is only accessed after input. PIN-Important: The password for the folder may differ from the main password for unlocking the screen.

To activate it:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Select the photo/video you want to hide (long tap → mark several files).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Move to Password folder.
4. Set a password (if not yet configured) or confirm an existing one.

After that, the files will disappear from the main list of albums, and access to them will be possible only through the Password folder section of the Gallery menu (usually displayed at the bottom of the screen).

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the password folder, you can restore access to files only through a complete reset of the phone - this will delete all data in the protected folder!

Set a complex password (not date of birth)

Disabled the display of notifications about new files in the folder

Check that the folder is not displayed in the "Recent" files

Created a backup of important photos on another device-->

Method 2: Hiding through the Notes app (for photos and documents)

Few people know, but Xiaomi’s standard Notes app allows you to not only create text recordings, but also attach photos to them and then block access, a technique that is suitable for hiding a small number of images that need to be tied to context (such as screenshots of correspondence or checks).

Instructions:

• 📝 Open Notes and Create a New Record.
• 🖼️ Click on the paper clip icon → Select the image and add the desired photo.
• 🔒 In the top menu, click on three dots. → Block it. → set the password.
• 🔍 Now the entry will be displayed in the Blocked section and will not be included in the search results for the Gallery.

The advantage of this method is the ability to add text comments to the photo (for example, explaining why this image is important), but there is a disadvantage: files are not encrypted, and when you connect your phone to your PC, you can extract them through a folder. MIUI/Notes.

Built-in password folder in the Gallery

Annex Notes

Third-party applications (such as KeepSafe)

Password archiving

Don't hide the photo.-->

Method 3: Archiving albums with a password (ZIP/RAR)

If you need to hide a lot of photos or videos, the best option is to archive them in ZIP/RAR with password protection, which works on any Xiaomi device, regardless of the version of MIUI, and provides a higher level of security than the built-in features.

For this:

1. Install a file manager with archiving support (such as Solid Explorer or ZArchiver).
2. Select the folder with the albums in DCIM or Pictures.
3. Select the option to compress → specify the ZIP or RAR format.
4. In the archive settings, set the Encrypt box and set a strong password (at least 12 characters).
5. After you create an archive, delete the original files (pre-regard that the archive opens!).

Your albums will now be stored as an encrypted archive that:

• 🔐 Not displayed in the gallery.
• 🛡️ Protected from viewing without password (including connection to PC).
• 📱 You can move to the cloud or flash drive for additional security.

⚠️ Note: Do not keep your password in your notes or SMS Use a password manager (like Bitwarden) or write it down on paper.

Method 4: Third-party apps to hide albums

If the built-in MIUI features don't suit you, you can use specialized applications that offer additional options, such as:

• 🔄 False. PIN-code (shows an "empty" folder when you enter an incorrect password).
• 📲 Remote erasure (delete hidden files by SMS-team).
• 🔍 Steganography (hiding a photo inside other images).

Top.-3 Proven applications for Xiaomi:

Before installing, check the app’s permissions: it should not request access to SMS, calls, or geolocation for no reason, and we recommend disabling autosynchronization with the clouds (such as Google Photos) so that hidden files do not leak to the network.

💡

Before installing a third-party photo hiding app, create a MIUI restore point: go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and save your current settings. This will help roll back changes if the program starts to conflict with the system.

Method 5: Hiding through a file manager (rename folders)

This is a method that is suitable for advanced users who are willing to work with system folders, the point is to rename the folder with the albums so that MIUI no longer recognizes it as media storage, for example, if you add a dot (.folder number) to the beginning of the folder name, it becomes hidden for most applications.

Step-by-step:

1. Install a file manager with access to root folders (such as FX File Explorer or Root Explorer).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ or /Pictures/.
3. Select a folder with albums (for example, Camera) → Rename her in.hidden_camera.
4. Reboot the phone.

After that, folder:

• ✅ It won't be displayed in the gallery.
• ✅ It will not be in the search results for media files.
• ❌ It will remain available through the file manager or ADB.

⚠️ Note: Do not rename system folders (for example, MIUI Or Android) - this can cause your phone to crash! Also remember that after the update MIUI Some apps can start scanning hidden folders again.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even Xiaomi experienced users sometimes make mistakes that make hidden albums available, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:

1. Error: Using a simple password for a password folder (e.g., 1234 or date of birth). Solution: Set a password at least 8 characters long with alphanumeric combinations. MIUI 14+ can use biometrics (fingerprint or face) as an additional layer of protection.
2. Error: Store hidden photo backups in cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud).Solution: Disable autoload for sensitive data folders or use local encrypted storage (e.g. Cryptomator).
3. Error: Delete the original files before checking the health of the archive/application. Solution: Always test access to hidden data on another device before final deletion of the source.

Another common problem is that hidden albums appear after resetting, and that's because MIUI doesn't always clean protected folders when it restores factory settings.

• 🔧 Before resetting manually delete all files from the Password folder.
• 🗑️ Use the “Non-Return Delete” function (if available) or format internal memory.

💡

None of the methods of hiding albums on Xiaomi offers 100% protection against professional hacking. If you need to securely hide data from law enforcement or hackers, use a combination of encrypted archives. + third-party application PIN-code.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions