How to rename a folder to Android Xiaomi: all the ways for MIUI 12-14

Rename folders on Xiaomi smartphones seems to be a simple task – until you encounter the features of the shell MIUI. Unlike pure Android, there are often limitations: some system folders are locked, and the standard Files by Google file manager may not show hidden directories, but the “failed to rename” error appears even when working with user data on the Internet. SD-map.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to rename a folder to Xiaomi (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), taking into account the nuances of different versions of MIUI 12-14. From simple renaming through the built-in Explorer to using ADB and third-party utilities, you will find a solution even for blocked system directories. And if you need to massively rename hundreds of folders (for example, for organizing photo albums), we will show you how to automate the process.

Important: Some methods require root rights or developer mode enabled, and if you've never worked with ADB or you don't know what fastboot is, start with the first three. They're safe and don't require any deep technical knowledge.

1. Standard method: through the built-in MIUI file manager

The most obvious method is to use a pre-installed File Explorer (or Mi File Manager in older versions) that is suitable for renaming user folders to internal memory and SD-map, but has limitations:

• 🔹 Does not work with system folders (for example, /Android/data/ or /MIUI/).
• 🔹 Can block the change of folder names created by some applications (for example, WhatsApp or Telegram).
• 🔹 Nana MIUI 14 requires additional confirmation when working with protected directories.

To rename the folder:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Device section or SD-card (if the folder is on an external drive).
3. Find the folder and hold your finger on its name for 1-2 seconds.
4. In the menu that appears, select Rename (or pencil icon).
5. Enter a new name and press OK.

If the Rename button is inactive or absent:

• 🔸 Try copying the folder to another location (like desktop), renaming it there, and then returning it back.
• 🔸 Check if the Read Only mode is enabled SD-maps (in storage settings).

2.Use of third-party file managers

Xiaomi’s built-in Explorer doesn’t always manage to rename, especially if the folder contains special characters or is in a protected partition, and alternative file managers can help:

• 📁 Solid Explorer – supports root, dual-panel mode and cloud storage.
• 📁 FX File Explorer – has a built-in ADB-Manager for accessing system files.
• 📁 Total Commander – a classic manager with support for plugins (including Root).

Example of renaming through Solid Explorer:

1. Install the app from Google Play and open it.
2. Go to the Root Directory section (if you need to work with system folders, provide root access in advance).
3. Find the folder, hold its name and select Rename.
4. Type in a new name. If you have an error, try it.

Remove spaces or special characters (e.g., replace "!!" with " ").


Add the "nomedia" extension (if the folder is not displayed in the gallery).




Move the folder to another location before renaming.

Important: Some managers (e.g. FX) allow folders to be renamed through ADB without full root access.

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging.
2. In FX File Explorer, go to ADB File Browser.
3. Find the folder and rename it through the context menu.

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If the folder is not renamed due to the File is being used error, reboot the phone in Safe Mode (hold the power button → Reboot Safe Mode) and this will disable background processes that can block the file.

3. Renaming through PC (Windows/macOS/Linux)

If nothing works on your phone, connect Xiaomi to your computer and use Windows Explorer, Finder (macOS) or Nautilus (Linux), a method that is more reliable because it bypasses the limitations of MIUI at the file system level.

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
2. On the phone, select the file transfer mode: File Manager (MTP).
3. Open This Computer → Find a Xiaomi device (usually displayed as Redmi X or MI 11).
4. Go to the appropriate section (internal memory or SD-map).
5. Right-click on the folder → Rename → enter a new name.

Frequent problems and solutions:

For macOS/Linux installation may be required MTP-driver:

• 🍎 On Mac: Install Android File Transfer from the official website.
• 🐧 On Linux: use gMTP or jmtpfs (installed via terminal).

Connect the original USB-cable|Select a regime MTP phone-on|Unlock the Xiaomi screen|Disable "Optimization" MIUI" In the developer settings (if any)|Check the visibility of the folder in the conductor-->

4. Rename through ADB (for system folders)

If the folder is in a protected partition (e.g. /data/data/ or /system/), standard methods will not work, and ADB, an Android debugging tool that allows you to execute commands directly on the file system, will help.

Warning: misuse of ADB can cause system failure.Do not rename folders to /system without backup - this can make the phone inoperable.

Instructions:

1. Enable Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

ADB-driver

Platform Tools

cmd

Terminal

adb devices

If the device appears in the list, run the command to rename (example for /sdcard/Download/OldName):

adb shell mv /sdcard/Download/OldName /sdcard/Download/NewName

Examples of teams for different cases:

• 📂 Rename the folder to SD-map: Adb shell mv /storage/1234-5678/OldFolder /storage/1234-5678/NewFolder
• 🔧 Rename the system folder (requires root): adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system mv /system/old /system/new mount -o ro,remount /system

⚠️ Note: After renaming system folders through ADB If the phone doesn't turn on, try resetting via Recovery Mode (hold Power). + Volume Up when switched on).

5. Mass renaming of folders (for photos, music, documents)

If you want to rename dozens of folders (like putting a photo or music collection in order), manual methods will take too much time.

• 🖼️ Bulk Rename Utility (Windows) – supports regular expressions and batch processing.
• 📱 Rename My Files (Android) – works directly on your phone, without a PC connection.
• 🐧 mmv (Linux/macOS) — console utility for mass renaming.

Example of using Bulk Rename Utility:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC in MTP mode.
2. Open the program and select the folder with files.
3. Set the rules for renaming (for example, replace all spaces with " ").
4. Preview the changes and confirm them.

For Android (no PC):

1. Install Rename My Files from Google Play.
2. Select the folders to rename (regular expressions are supported).
3. Apply the changes and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Warning: When renaming mass, avoid using symbols \ /: *?" < > | — They can cause errors in the file system. F2FS, It is used by modern Xiaomi.

6. Features of working with SD-maps on Xiaomi

Folders on. SD-The card often behaves differently than the internal memory. MIUI and features of the file system exFAT/FAT32. Here's what you need to know:

• 📱 MIUI can block renaming of folders created by system applications (for example, DCIM/Camera or Android/obb).
• 🔄 After extraction SD-Some folders can “reset” names – this is due to metadata caching.
• 🔒 Access rights: If the card is formatted as internal memory (in the storage settings), renaming system folders will become impossible without root.

How to rename a folder to SD-card if the standard method does not work:

1. Remove the card and connect it to the PC through the card reader.
2. Use Windows/macOS Explorer to rename.
3. If an error occurs, format the card in exFAT (pre-copy the data!).

Photographer’s advice: If you rename your photo folders frequently (for example, to sort by date), set up an automatic backup in Google Photos or Mi Cloud to restore folder structure even after a crash.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you may encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, the problem may be deeper:

• 🛠️ Faulty File System – Check with Adb Shell fsck.
• 🔄 Conflict with MIUI Optimization – Turn off optimization in the developer settings.
• 📱 Firmware error - update MIUI Up to the latest version or reset your settings.

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If the folder is not renamed in any way, it is likely locked at the Android kernel level, in which case only obtaining root rights or contacting Xiaomi support will help.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions