Owners of modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face the need to restrict access to personal photos, documents or videos. The standard gallery and file manager MIUI offer built-in tools, but they are not always obvious to the beginner. Hiding a folder can be done in a variety of ways, each of which provides a different level of privacy.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to make a hidden folder on Xiaomi using native capabilities of the MIUI shell and third-party applications. You will learn about the nuances of the Hidden Album, the features of the Second Space function and how to mask files through system utilities, which will help you reliably protect private information from prying eyes.
Use of the built-in Hidden Album in the Gallery
The easiest and most popular way to hide media files is to use the Hidden Album feature, which is built directly into the Gallery app and allows you to hide photos and videos with an additional password or biometric key, and to activate this feature, you need to do a few simple steps in the application interface.
Open the standard Gallery and go to the Album tab, and at the top of the folder list, you pull the screen down and hold your finger for a few seconds, and if the function is not activated, the system will prompt you to create a password and link your Mi Account to restore access, and then you'll see hidden partitions.
To put files in a hidden folder, select the desired images or videos in the main tape. Click on the button More (three dots) and select the option Add to the hidden album. The files will disappear from public access and will only be accessible through the swipe gesture described above down in the album menu.
⚠️ Warning: Forgotten password from Hidden Album is almost impossible to reset without the attached Mi ID. Make sure you remember the login details.
This method is ideal for fast masking of media files, but it does not hide APK documents or installation files. Other types of data will require other solutions, which we will talk about later.
Creating a Second Space for Total Isolation
Second Space is a complete, isolated environment inside your smartphone, not just a hidden folder, but actually a second phone with a separate desktop, applications and file system, accessed through a special password or fingerprint other than the main one.
To create Second Space, go to Settings and find Additional (or Advanced Settings) section. Select Second Space and click Enable. The system will prompt you to configure the unlock method and select wallpaper for the new profile.
Once you switch to Second Space, you can install any applications and download files, which will be completely invisible to the user of the main profile, and you can switch between spaces through the notification curtain or using a designated fingerprint when you unlock the screen.
This method provides the maximum level of privacy, since files are physically separated in the system. Even when you connect the phone to the computer in file transfer mode, the contents of the Second Space will not be displayed without authorization.
Can applications be moved between spaces?
Hiding folders through Explorer and renaming
Xiaomi's standard file manager Explorer also has a built-in hide feature. However, it works not by creating a password, but by changing the folder's visibility attribute in the file system. It's less secure than a Hidden Album, but it's convenient for quickly organizing files.
Open the Explorer app and find the folder you want to hide. Press your finger on the folder name to highlight it, then click Also and select Hide. Then the folder disappears from the list. To see hidden objects, you need to turn on the Hidden Files display in the Explorer menu.
There is also an old renaming method, where if you put a dot at the beginning of a folder name (like.Private), many file managers and galleries will no longer display its contents in the shared list, but modern versions of MIUI can ignore this method for system folders.
For more advanced users, root rights mode is available, allowing you to change file attributes directly, but for the average user, there are enough regular Explorer tools that do not require a deep knowledge of the Android file structure.
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Use different passwords to lock the screen and access hidden folders – this will create an additional layer of protection in case of compromise of one of the codes.
Use of third-party storage applications
If built-in tools are not enough, you can use specialized applications from Google Play. Programs such as Calculator Vault or KeepSafe, disguised as ordinary utilities (calculator, flashlight), but stored encrypted data inside.
The way these applications work is by creating a secure container, and when you first run, you set a pin or a pattern lock, and all the files that are placed inside the application are encrypted and made unavailable through standard Explorer without entering a password.
The advantage of third-party solutions is that there is a false password function, and when you enter special code, the application shows a set of harmless photos, creating the appearance of normal work, while real hidden data remains inaccessible.
However, it is worth considering that when you reset your phone settings or uninstall the application, data can be lost if you do not enable sync with the cloud.
☑️ Storage selection criteria
Comparison of data protection methods in MIUI
The choice of the specific way to hide folders depends on what data you want to protect and how high security requirements are. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages that must be considered when setting up a smartphone.
MIUI built-in tools such as Hidden Album and Second Space are optimized to work with the system and do not consume battery in the background. Third-party applications can require more resources and provide access to your data.
Below is a comparative table of basic methods that will help you decide on the right solution for your situation.
| Method | Level of protection | Type of file | Difficulty of access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden album | Medium. | Photos, Videos | Low (gesture + password) |
| Second space | High-pitched | All types | High (separate profile) |
| Conductor (Hide) | Low. | Documents, Archives | Low (incl. display) |
| Third-party Apps | Medium/High | All types | Medium (software installation) |
For most users, a combination of techniques is best: important photos in the Hidden Album and working documents in the Second Space, allowing for flexible management of access to information.
Restoring access and resolving problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where access to hidden data is lost, this can happen after resetting settings, updating the firmware or forgetting the password.
If you forget the password for the Hidden Album, the only way to recover is to log into the Mi Account account that was tied to the album, and without this, you can not return the files, since they are encrypted with the key associated with the account.
In case of problems with the Second Space, you can only delete or unlock it from the main profile, having the device administrator rights. If the phone is locked completely, only a full reset (Hard Reset), which will delete all data, including hidden ones, will help.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting your settings to factory-based (Wipe Data) removes the contents of the Second Space without recovery.
Regularly check the validity of hidden folders and the relevance of passwords. Do not rely on only one method of protection, especially when it comes to critical information.
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The most reliable way to protect is a combination of biometric authentication, a complex password and regular backup of data to the cloud service.