Where and how to find hidden videos on Xiaomi phone: the full guide 2026

Have you accidentally hidden an important video on Xiaomi and now you can't find it? Or suspect that the device is storing hidden videos that you didn't know about? The MIUI operating system has several mechanisms for hiding files, both intentional (via "Private Mode") and system (app cache, backups). In this article, we will examine all possible ways to detect hidden videos, including little-known tricks with the file system and recovery of deleted data.

It is important to understand that the term “hidden videos” on Xiaomi can mean:

• 📁 Files hidden by the user through standard functions MIUI (For example, "Private folder" or "Secure storage")
• 🔍 Videos automatically hidden by the system (messaging cache, temporary editor files)
• 🗑️ Remote videos that have not yet been overwritten with new data (recovery is possible)
• 🔐 Encrypted files from third-party applications (e.g. GalleryVault or Vaulty)

We tested all methods on devices with MIUI 12-15 (including Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5) and selected only working solutions. If you are looking for a specific video, start with the section on user hidden files, if you want to check the device for cleanliness, look at the system folders.

1. Search for videos hidden by the user through MIUI

The most obvious way to hide a video on Xiaomi is to use built-in privacy features.

1. Private folder (Settings → Privacy → Private folder) – requires a password or fingerprint;
2. Secure storage in the gallery - hides files from viewing in the main tape;
3. Hidden albums in the Gallery app are available by swipe down on the home screen.

To find the video in the Private Folder:

1. Open Settings → Privacy → Private folder;
2. Enter your password (if you don’t remember, reset it via Mi Account);
3. Go to the Video tab or search by file name.

Open the Gallery appendix

Swipe down on the main screen

Click on "Hidden Albums" (if any)

Enter. PIN-code (if requested)

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If you haven't set a password but you suspect that the video is hidden, check guest mode. MIUI has a "Second Space" feature where one user's files are not visible to another.

1. Unlock the phone;
2. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
3. Tap on the profile avatar → select "Second space".

⚠️ Note: If you haven't created a second space, but it's showing up, it could be a sign that someone else has used the device. → Accounts. → Users with unknown profiles.

2. System folders where MIUI hides video

MIUI automatically hides some videos from the user so as not to download the gallery, and these files are stored in service folders and are not usually displayed in standard file managers.

To access these folders:

1. Install a file manager with root access support (e.g. FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Turn on the display of hidden files in the manager settings;
3. Follow one of the paths from the table above.

💡

If the video in the messenger cache is not played, rename it by adding an extension.mp4 (for example, video_123 → video_123.mp4).

Viewing video from MIUI backups may require special software, such as MIUI Backup Extractor (available on XDA Developers), which usually have the.mbk extension and require unpacking.

3. Recover deleted videos on Xiaomi

If a video has been deleted but not overwritten by new data, it can be restored. Xiaomi has two features that make it difficult to do:

• 🗑️ The Recycle Bin in the Gallery only stores files for 30 days (after that, they are deleted irrevocably);
• 🔄 TRIM-team MIUI Automatically cleans the “junk” memory blocks, which reduces the chances of recovery.

Check the basket first:

1. Open the Gallery app;
2. Slip on three points in the upper right corner → Basket;
3. Find the video and click Restore.

If the video is not in the cart, use recovery software:

• 📱 DiskDigger (there is a version for Android without root);
• 💻 Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery (requires a phone to connect to a PC in mode) MTP).

⚠️ Warning: Do not install recovery software on the same disk where the deleted videos were stored! This will overwrite the data and make recovery impossible. Use a memory card or other media.

I'm accidentally deleting it in a gallery.

Files disappear after MIUI update

The phone was reset to factory settings

Video disappears after transfer to memory card

Another option

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To increase the chances of recovery:

1. Turn off Auto Sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud
2. Do not record new videos or install apps.
3. Use the aircraft mode to prevent background data recording.

4. Search for videos via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can scan the file system through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires USB Debugging and is suitable for finding videos hidden by viruses or third-party apps.

Instructions:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers);
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm trust in the device;
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell


su




find /storage/ -name ".mp4" -o -name ".mov" -o -name "*.3gp" 2>/dev/null

This command recursively searches for video formats (.mp4,.mov,.3gp) in all folders of the device, and the results will be displayed in the console, to copy the files found on the PC:

adb pull /path/to/file/video.mp4C:\folder to pc\

On devices with MIUI 14+, the su command may not work due to security limitations, in which case use an alternative method via Termux (install it from F-Droid and execute the same commands without the adb shell).

5. Virus and spyware checks

If the videos are lost without your participation, it may be the work of a virus or spy app, and some malware specifically hides media files to blackmail the user or mask their activity.

Signs of infection:

• 📉 Unexplained decrease in free memory;
• 🔄 Self-appearance of unknown folders (e.g.,.thumbs,.nomedia);
• 🚨 Notifications of “device infection” from suspicious applications;
• 📥 Appearance of unfamiliar videos in the gallery (usually with titles like video_12345.mp4).

To check the device:

1. Install antivirus (Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light)
2. Scan the folders /storage/emulated/0/ and /sdcard/;
3. Check the list of installed applications in Settings → Applications → Application Management (sorting by installation date).

If you find suspicious software, delete it and restart the phone, and then check the hidden folders again, and sometimes the videos come back to place after the virus is uninstalled.

💡

Viruses often mask their files as system files by adding a point (e.g.,.video.mp4) to the beginning of the name. Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager to see them.

6.Alternative methods: cloud storage and third-party applications

Sometimes videos disappear from your phone because they've been automatically uploaded to the cloud.

• 🌥️ Mi Cloud (Settings) → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → gallery);
• 📷 Google Photos (open the app and check the Archive folder);
• ☁️ Other clouds: Yandex Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive (if you used autosynchronization).

The videos could also be hidden by third-party privacy apps:

If you forget the password from such an application, try resetting it through email or answering check questions. In extreme cases, delete the application (but this can lead to the loss of hidden files!).

FAQ: Frequent questions about hidden videos on Xiaomi