How to Make a Hidden Folder on Xiaomi’s Desktop: All Ways to 2026

Hidden folders on Xiaomi are not only a way to protect personal files from prying eyes, but also an effective way to organize your workspace. Unlike standard methods of archiving or transferring files to the cloud, hidden folders remain quickly accessible but invisible to casual observers, especially for users who share a smartphone with family members or colleagues.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to create hidden folders on Xiaomi desktop (including models on MIUI 12-14), from built-in features to third-party applications. You’ll learn how to hide a folder without root rights, what restrictions exist in different versions of the firmware, and how to return access to files if something goes wrong. Importantly, some methods may differ depending on the model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.), so we’ll point out the nuances for popular devices.

Why the standard folder hiding in MIUI doesn't work

Many Xiaomi users are facing a problem: the file manager menu does not have the option to “Hide the folder” although older versions of MIUI (before the 11th) did, the reason lies in the security policy of Xiaomi, which since 2020 has tightened control over system folders.

• 📁 System folders (e.g, DCIM/.thumbnails)
• 🔒 Protected media files (photo/video in "Private Album")
• 📱 Applications with permissions (e.g. Gallery Vault)

There are workarounds, however. For example, MIUI 14 can hide a folder through Settings → Privacy → Hidden Files, but this method doesn’t work well on some devices (for example, Redmi 10 may not have an option).

If you want to hide a folder securely on your desktop, you'll have to combine methods or use third-party tools, and then we'll look at each method in detail, taking into account the features of different versions of MIUI.

Method 1: Hiding through a point in the folder name (works on MIUI 12 and below)

This method is based on the Linux system (and Android is built on it): folders and files that start with the (.) point are hidden by default. In older versions of MIUI (up to the 12th inclusive), this trick worked steadily, but new firmware may require additional configuration of the file manager.

Instructions:

1. Open Files (Standard Xiaomi Manager)
2. Go to the Internal Memory section → Folders.
3. Click Create a folder and call it.my hidden folder (required to have a dot at the beginning!).
4. Transfer the files to it.
5. Return to the desktop, the folder will disappear.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 13/14 This method may not work right away. To make the folder invisible, you need to make it invisible:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.
• 📱 Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings (Three dots) → Settings → Show hidden files, and then turn off.

If the folder is still visible, try an alternative: add the name to the beginning. nomedia_ (for example, nomedia_This will prevent the folder from being scanned by media players, but it won't hide it completely.

Method 2: Using a “Private Album” in the Xiaomi Gallery

If you need to hide photos and videos, the easiest way to do this is to use Xiaomi’s built-in feature called Private Album, which is available on all devices with MIUI 11 and up, including Redmi, POCO and flagship models, and the main advantage is that files are not only hidden, but also protected by password or fingerprint.

How to set up:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Choose the photos/videos you want to hide.
3. Click More (three dots) → Move to Private Album.
4. When you first use it, set a password or add biometrics.

⚠️ Note: The files in the Private Album don’t appear in the standard file manager, but they can be found along the way:

/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.PrivateAlbum/

To completely hide the folder from the desktop:

• 📁 Rename it.PrivateAlbum (if visible).
• 🔒 Install a third-party file manager (such as Solid Explorer) and disable the hidden folder display.

Method 3: Third-party applications for hiding folders

If the built-in methods don't work, you can use specialized applications. We tested 5 popular tools and selected the best ones for Xiaomi:

Recommendation: For most Xiaomi users, Gallery Vault is the best choice. It does not require root, supports biometric authorization and can hide not only media files, but also documents, APKs, archives, while masquerading as a standard calculator, which adds a level of protection.

How to hide the folder through Gallery Vault:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Run it and set the password.
3. Select Import Files and specify the folder you want to hide.
4. Click Hide – the folder will disappear from the desktop and from the file manager.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Calculator Vault) may conflict with MIUI Optimizer is Xiaomi’s system process that clears the cache. If hidden files disappear after a reboot, turn off optimization in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (5 times) → For developers → Shut down. MIUI Optimizer).

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If you use Hide Something, enable the "Hide icon from the app menu" option in the app settings, which will make the program invisible in the list of installed applications, but access to it will remain through the widget or search.

Method 4: Hiding through password-archiving

If you don’t just need to hide the folder, but also protect its contents, the best option is to archive it with a password, which works on all versions of MIUI and does not require the installation of additional applications (a standard Archivator or WinRAR for Android is enough).

Step-by-step:

1. Install RAR or ZArchiver from Google Play.
2. Open the app and find the folder you want to hide.
3. Choose Add to Archive (in ZArchiver) or Compress (in RAR).
4. Specify the ZIP or RAR format and set the password.
5. After creating the archive, delete the original folder.

✅ Pros of the method:

• 🔐 Strong protection – without a password files cannot be removed.
• 📱 It works on all Xiaomi models, including older models (Redmi) 4X, Mi A1).
• 📤 It can be stored in the cloud (for example, in Google Drive with encryption).

⚠️ Note: If you forget your password, it will be impossible to restore access to files, even through root or specialized programs).

Method 5: Hiding through ADB (for advanced users)

This method is suitable for those who are ready to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to hide the folder at the system level, but requires a PC connection and basic command line knowledge, the advantage is that the folder will be hidden even from the file manager with root rights.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on Xiaomi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (5 times) → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB Type C C Cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Hide the folder with the command (replace /sdcard/my folder on your way): adb shell "mv /sdcard/my folder /sdcard/.my folder"
4. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

⚠️ Attention: Some teams ADB It may not work for Xiaomi due to restrictions. MIUI. If you see a Read-only file system error, your device does not support changes to system folders without root:

adb shell "am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MEDIA_SCANNER_SCAN_FILE -d file:///sdcard/.nomedia"

This command will create a.nomedia file that hides the folder from the media scanner, but does not make it completely invisible.

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ADB-The method is the most reliable way to hide folders, but it requires caution. The wrong command can cause a system to crash. Always check the paths before running!

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you hide folders on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and we've collected the most common ones and ways to solve them:

💡 Tip: If you often work with hidden files, back up your important data in the cloud (such as Mi Cloud or Google Drive) with encryption enabled, which will protect you from file loss if your system crashes or resets.

Another common mistake is to try to hide system folders (such as Android or MIUI), which can lead to unstable smartphone operation, Xiaomi blocks changes to such folders without root rights, so it is better not to take risks.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions