How to watch the hidden album on Xiaomi Mi 9: 5 proven ways

Why photos disappear from the gallery on Mi 9

Owners of Xiaomi Mi 9 often face a situation where important photos or videos suddenly disappear from the standard Gallery, the reasons for this can be different from accidental hiding through the function "Secure Files" to system failures after the MIUI update. Most often, files are not deleted physically - they are simply moved to a hidden folder or archived by the system.

The Mi 9 feature is that Xiaomi actively uses privacy mechanisms, including automatic backups in the Mi Cloud and local hiding through the Security app. For example, when you activate Incognito, the Gallery creates a separate protected album that doesn't appear in the main interface, and files can disappear after being transferred to the main interface. SD-map due to mounting errors.

Important: Before you look for hidden data, make sure that the files have not been permanently deleted. To do this, check the Recycle Bin in the Gallery (stores files for up to 30 days) and the MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder through Explorer. If the pictures are not there, start looking for hidden albums.

Method 1: Standard Gallery and Secure Files

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. Hidden albums are often hidden in the Secure Files section, which is available through the standard Gallery app:

1. Open the Gallery app on Mi 9.
2. Slip along three horizontal lines (menu) in the upper right corner.
3. Select Protected Files (may be called "Private Albums").
4. Enter a password or scan your fingerprint if requested.

If the section is not on the menu, then the hidden albums were created through another application (e.g. Security).

⚠️ Note: When you first log in to Protected Files, the system may request creation PIN-Use a strong password, without which you can't access albums, even after you drop your phone.

Check the basket at the Gallery|Make sure that SD-The card is connected (if used)|Remember the password from the Mi-account|Make a backup copy of important data-->

Method 2: Explorer and Hidden MIUI Folders

MIUI creates hidden folders to store protected data, and you can find them through any file manager, like standard Explorer or MiXplorer, the main ways that hidden albums can be stored:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/private/ — Cloud-based private files
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails/ — thumbnail
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.nomedia/ — albums with the.nomedia flag
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/ — cache Gallery

To see the hidden folders:

1. Open the Explorer and go to the Internal Drive.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner → Settings → turn on Show hidden files.
3. Manually follow the above paths.

Tip: If the.nomedia folder is empty but you're sure the files were there, check it through your PC. Sometimes MIUI hides the content only from mobile explorers.

Method 3: Security App and Second Space

The Xiaomi Mi 9 supports Second Space, which creates an isolated space with separate apps and files, and if you or someone else has activated this mode, hidden albums can be there:

1. Open the Settings. → Second Space.
2. Enter your password (if installed).
3. Switch to the second profile and check the gallery.

Hidden files can also be encrypted through the Security app:

1. Launch Security (Shield icon).
2. Go to Privacy Protection → Private albums.
3. Log in and view the contents.

If Second Space is disabled, but you suspect it was activated earlier, try turning it on again. The system can recover old data from the backup.

Yes, I tried it regularly | But it didn't work | No, I didn't know about it | I don't remember-->

Method 4: ADB-Teams for experienced users

If standard methods don’t work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to find hidden files, which requires connecting the Mi 9 to your PC and enabling the developer mode.

Step 1: Preparation

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → 7 times tap on the MIUI version.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers → Enable Debugging by USB.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.

Step 2: Search for hidden files:

Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell


su




find /storage/emulated/0/ -name ".jpg" -o -name ".png" -o -name "*.mp4" | grep -i "private\|hidden\|secure"

This command recursively searches for media files in folders with keywords private, hidden or secure, and if you find suspicious paths, copy the files to your PC:

adb pull /path/to/file C:\backup\

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB root can disrupt the system. Do not modify or delete files in folders /system or /vendor — It'll cause a breakdown. MIUI.

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If ADB doesn’t see the device, update the drivers via the Mi Unlock Tool or use Google’s universal drivers.

Method 5: Recovery via Mi Cloud and Backups

If files were hidden but not deleted, you can try to recover them from Mi Cloud.

1. Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select Gallery or Backup Copies.
3. Check the Private or Hidden folder in cloud storage.
4. Download the files back to the device.

If the backup was created through Local Reservation:

1. Connect the Mi 9 to the PC.
2. Go to /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/.
3. Find the archive with the date when the files were still available (format) backup_20260515_123456).
4. Unclose it with 7-Zip or WinRAR and extract files from the media folder.

Important: Local backups in MIUI are encrypted, and they may require the original password from the Mi Account associated with the device to be unpacked.

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Before you restore it from a backup, check its integrity. The damaged archives may contain incomplete data or may not be opened at all.

What to do if nothing helps

If all of the above methods have failed, consider the following options:

• 🔍 Verification through third-party applications: Utility like DiskDigger or Recuva (for PC) can find deleted files if they have not already been overwritten.
• 📱 Contact Xiaomi Support: Provide proof of device ownership (checks, IMEI) In some cases, engineers can help with data recovery through service tools.
• 💻 Analysis with Hex Editor: For power users, scan internal memory with HxD or WinHex for signatures JPEG/MP4.

If the files were critical (such as documents or single photos), contact the data recovery lab. The cost of the service starts at 5,000 rubles, but the chances of success depend on the degree of overwriting memory.

Warning: Avoid using questionable "recovery" software from unverified sources that may contain malicious code or permanently damage data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hidden albums on Mi 9