How to Find Everything You Need in a Xiaomi Phone: From Files to Hidden Features

Why Xiaomi Search is Different from Other Smartphones

Xiaomi smartphones based on the shell MIUI They have a unique storage structure that often raises questions among users. Unlike pure Android, files can be hidden in non-obvious folders, and settings can be scattered across multiple menus. /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/, It's not a standard gallery, and even experienced users sometimes get lost trying to find a downloaded document or a disabled feature.

Duplication of features makes the same option more confusing: the same option can be called differently depending on the model (Redmi Note 12 vs. POCO X5) version MIUI. Xiaomi is also using Mi Cloud cloud storage, which automatically synchronizes some of the data to make it “invisible” in local search. This article will help you understand everything from basic search to working with system files.

How to find files in the phone Xiaomi

MIUI It offers several built-in tools for finding files, but not all of them are equally effective.

1. Standard conductor search

Open the Files app (yellow folder icon) and tap on the magnifier in the upper right corner, and you can search by file name, but there are limitations:

• 🔍 Do not search inside archives (.zip,.rar)
• 📁 Does not show hidden system folders (for example, /data/data/)
• 🕒 Does not support filtering by date of creation

2. Advanced search through "Smart Assistant"

Swipe left on the home screen to open the Smart Assistant (or find it in the app menu).

• 📄 File and folder names
• 📱 Applications and their settings
• 🔧 System settings (e.g. “Developer mode")

3. Search through Google Files

If the built-in tools don't work, install Google Files from the Play Market.

• 🗃️ Shows junk files and cache
• 🔎 Looking for duplicate photos
• 📊 Sorts files by category (documents, APK, audio)

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To find files downloaded in Telegram, open a folder in the Explorer /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/Telegram Documents/. This is where all the media from chats are stored, even if you didn’t manually save them.

How to find hidden files and system folders

MIUI hides some files by default, this applies to both user data (for example, screenshots from some games) and system files:

Step 1: Enable the display of hidden files

1. Open the Files app.
2. Slip on three points in the upper right corner → Settings
3. Activate the switch Show hidden files

Step 2: Access to system folders

For looking at folders like /data/ or /system/ You'll need root rights. Without root rights, you'll see only one thing:

• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/ — storage
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Android/ — file
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ — system-file MIUI

Step 3. Search through ADB (advanced)

If you need to find the file on the exact path, connect the phone to the PC and use the command:

adb shell ls /path/k/folder/

Example for searching all files with extension.mp4:

adb shell find /storage/emulated/0/ -name "*.mp4"

Search for installed and hidden applications

V MIUI Applications can be hidden in two ways: disabled (not shown on the menu, but take up space) or hidden in a special section:

1. Through system settings

Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management. This is the mapping:

• 📱 All installed applications (including system applications)
• 🔄 Applications with administrator rights
• 📊 Memory utilization statistics

2. Search for disabled applications

In the same Application Management menu, select the filter Disabled. Here you will find:

• 🚫 Pre-installed annexes MIUI (For example, Mi Video)
• 📦 Applications disabled manually
• 🔧 System services (disabling them can disrupt the operation of the phone)

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The apps that are disabled continue to take up space on the phone, and to completely remove them, you need root rights or use. ADB-team.

Search through Security

Open the Security app → Acceleration → Deep cleaning. This is the picture:

• 🗑️ Cash app.
• 📦 Residual files after deleting programs
• 🔍 Applications in the background

How to find specific settings in MIUI

Xiaomi’s settings often move between versions MIUI. Here are the latest versions of the (MIUI 14–16):

Advice for new models (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13): Many settings are duplicated in the Security app. For example, control of auto-run applications is also available in Settings → Applications, and in Security → Acceleration.

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To quickly find the setting, tell the Xiao voice assistant AI: "Find the setting. It works even if you don't know the exact path.

Search by content: texts, photos, music

MIUI It can search not only by file names, but also by their contents. Here's how it works for different types of data:

1. Search for text in documents and screenshots

Files app can scan text on images (OCR). For that:

1. Open the folder with screenshots
2. Put it on the magnifying glass. → select the tab Text
3. Enter a keyword (such as “password”)

2. Search by photo

gallery MIUI automatically sorts the photos by:

• 📅 Date of shooting.
• 📍 Location (if geolocation is enabled)
• 👥 Persons (function of People's Albums)

To find all the photos with a specific person:

1. Open the gallery. → Albums.
2. Choose People.
3. Put it on the right face.

3. Search for music by bits (even without tags)

If you have a melody but don’t know its name:

• 🎵 Use Shazam or Google Sound Search
• 🔊 V MIUI Music Player has the function to Identify the song (microphone in the upper right corner)

What to do if the search does not find the right file

If standard methods don’t work, try these steps:

1.Verify cloud storage

MIUI automatically synchronizes a portion of the files with:

• ☁️ Mi Cloud (Photos, Contacts, Notes)
• 📁 Google Drive (if backup is configured)
• 💬 Telegram Cloud (saved files from chat rooms)

2. Restore deleted files

If the file was deleted less than 30 days ago:

1. Open the files. → Basket
2. Select the file you want. → Restore

For deep scanning, use DiskDigger or Recuva (requires root for full access).

3. Check external drives

MIUI Sometimes "lost" files on:

• 📱 Outside. SD-maps (check in the Files) → Devices)
• 🖥️ USB-storage devices (connected through OTG)
• 🕹️ Memory of game consoles (if the phone was used as storage)

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If a file has been moved or renamed, try searching through your computer. USB file transfer (MTP) Use Total Commander or Far Manager with content search enabled.

⚠️ Note: When connecting your phone to your PC USB Select File Transfer mode, not Charge mode. In Charge mode, access to the file system will be restricted.

Side-side search tools in Xiaomi

If embedded facilities MIUI You are not satisfied, consider these applications:

How to choose a file manager?

• 📱 For everyday use: Files by Google or Mi File Manager
• 🔧 For archives and clouds: Solid Explorer
• 🛠️ For systemic change: FX File Explorer (from root)

⚠️ Note: When using root conductors (Root Explorer, ES File Explorer: Never edit files in folders /system/ or /vendor/. This can lead to a device blink (complete inoperability).

FAQ: Frequent questions about search in Xiaomi