Where to find a personal album on Xiaomi: hidden folders, passwords and access recovery

Have you ever lost important photos on Xiaomi, even though you remember exactly that you saved them to a "personal album"? or tried to hide confidential photos, but then could not find them? The problem is that MIUI hides these files in an unobvious way — they are not displayed in the standard gallery and protected by an additional layer of encryption. Even after resetting, many users can not restore access to their archives.

In this article, we will analyze all the ways to find a personal album on Xiaomi – from basic (via the built-in Gallery) to advanced (using the use of the mobile app). ADB And manual search by system folders. We'll focus on Redmi Note models. 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5 mi 11/12/13, where the file storage logic is different, and you'll also learn what to do if the album disappears after the update. MIUI or account change.

What is a “personal album” on Xiaomi and where is it stored physically?

A personal album in MIUI is not just a folder of photos, but a secure storage that is integrated into the Gallery app (or MIUI Gallery on new versions).

• 🔒 Encryption: Files are stored in encrypted form and linked to a Mi Account or local account PIN-code.
• 📁 Hidden path: physically located at the address /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/private/, But access to it is blocked without special rights.
• 🔄 Synchronization: on models with MIUI 12+ The album can be automatically backed up in Mi Cloud (if the option is enabled).
• 📱 Dependence on firmware: POCO and global versions MIUI The path to the album may be different (for example, /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/).

It's important to understand that if you delete your Mi Account or reset your phone to factory settings without a backup, access to the album can be lost forever. Unlike normal photos, these files are not saved in the DCIM folder and are not indexed by the system.

Method 1: Search through the Standard Gallery (MIUI 12–14)

The easiest method is to use the built-in Gallery app, but many users are unaware that the entrance to a personal album is hidden behind a gesture or an additional menu.

1. Open the Gallery app (icon with multi-colored squares).
2. In the upper right corner, tap three points (⋮) → Choose a Personal Album (or Private Safe in English).
3. The system will ask for a password, PIN-The code or fingerprint you set when creating the album.
4. If the album is empty, check the Recycle Bin section - sometimes files get there after crashes.

On MIUI 14 (for example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the path may be different:

Gallery → Albums → Swipe down → “Personal” (castle icon)

Launch the gallery

Find the lock icon or "Personal"

Enter the correct password

Check the basket folder.

Update the Gallery in Play Market (if no option is available)

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⚠️ Note: If you changed your Mi Account after making the album, the system may require the old login to unlock.In this case, restore access to your previous account via account.xiaomi.com.

Method 2: Access via MIUI Security (for firmware from 2020)

Starting with MIUI 12, the personal album is dubbed in the MIUI Security app, which is relevant for Redmi Note 9 Pro, Mi 10T and later.

• 🛡️ Open Security (Shield icon).
• Go to the Privacy section → Personal album.
• Enter the password (if you forgot, try resetting the password through Forgotten?, but you will need to be linked to Mi Account).
• The album is called Private Safe or Hidden Album.

If there is no partition, update the Security app via Play Market or check for system updates in Settings → About Phone → Update MIUI.

Method 3: Search through the file manager (for power users)

If the standard methods didn't work, you can try to find the folder with the albums manually.

1. Install a file manager with access to system folders, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/private/ or /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/files/Private/
4. Files in these folders are.nomedia or encrypted (type names) enc_12345.dat).

On POCO F3/F4 and global firmware, the path may be different:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/files/PrivateAlbum/

⚠️ Warning: Do not rename or move files from these folders! This may result in loss of access to the album. If you need to copy a photo, first unlock it through the Gallery or MIUI Security.

Method 4: Restoring access through ADB (if the album is missing)

If the personal album disappeared after updating or resetting the settings, but the files are physically left on the phone, you can try to restore them through ADB. This method is suitable for users with unlocked bootloader or root rights.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer (you can download from the official Android website).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and allow debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap to enable Developer Mode, then in Settings → Additional → For Developers, enable Debugging over USB).
3. Open the command line in the folder with ADB and perform: adb shell su ls /data/data/com.miui.gallery/databases/ Look for files with names private_album.db or gallery2.db.
4. Copy the database to your computer: adb pull /data/data/com.miui.gallery/databases/private_album.db
5. Use it. SQL-editorial board, DB Browser for SQLite) to open a file and find ways to access a photo in a table private_items.

💡

If you don’t have root but you have a MIUI backup, try recovering the album through Mi Cloud. Go to i.mi.com, log in and check the Gallery → Personal section.

On MIUI 14, the database structure has changed and it may require specialized software such as MIUI Private Album Recovery Tool (available on XDA Developers forums) to restore it.

Method 5: Recovery via Mi Cloud (if synchronization was enabled)

If your Xiaomi has been activated sync with Mi Cloud, the chances of returning the album are much higher.

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same account you were linked to your phone.
• 📂 Open the Gallery section → Albums. → Find a folder with the name Private or Personal.
• 🔓 If the album is password protected, the system will prompt you to enter it or confirm access through the SMS/email.
• 📥 Download the photos to your computer, then transfer them back to your phone in a folder. DCIM.

Note: a free Mi Cloud account only provides 5GB of space, so if the album is large, some files may not be synced, in which case check the archived copies in the Recycle Bin section (stored for 30 days).

⚠️ Note: If you delete your Mi Account or change your linked phone number, access to cloud data will be lost and can only be restored within 30 days of deleting through Xiaomi Support.

What to do if nothing helps: alternative methods

If all of the above methods fail, radical measures remain, depending on the reason the album is lost:

• 🔄 Firmware rollback: If the album is missing after the update MIUI, Try to roll back to the previous version via Fastboot or Recovery. For instructions for a particular model, look at xiaomi.eu.
• 🛠️ Recovery software: Use utilities like DiskDigger or Recuva (root required) to scan internal memory for deleted files.
• 📞 Support: If the album was linked to Mi Account, write to Xiaomi Support to request that access be restored (IMEI, check).
• 🔧 Hardware recovery: Xiaomi service centers can extract data directly from the memory chip (expensive but effective for physical damage).

POCO F5 and the new Redmi models with MIUI 14 have an Emergency Access feature that allows you to restore the album via backup email.

1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Security.
2. Find the Emergency Access section and add a trusted email.
3. If you lose your password, the system will send a link to restore.

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If the album is missing after being reset to factory settings, the chances of recovery are minimal. Always back up your personal data via Settings → Additional → Backup!

FAQ: Frequent questions about a personal album on Xiaomi