How to hide folders on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways from MIUI to ADB

Hiding folders on Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that comes with a variety of reasons, from wanting to hide personal photos to needing to protect sensitive documents. Unlike iOS, where file hiding functionality is limited, MIUI firmware (especially versions 14 and 15) offers several built-in and third-party solutions. However, not all of them are equally reliable: some methods can fly off after a system update, and others require technical skills.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to hide folders on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO – from the simplest (via a standard file manager) to advanced (using ADB and Termux).

If you're looking for a way to hide a folder from prying eyes, but you don't want to install additional applications, start with the section on built-in MIUI functions. For experienced users, instructions on how to work with ADB or change file attributes through Termux. And if you need to not just hide, but also encrypt data, pay attention to the block on archiving with a password.

1. Built-in MIUI features: hiding without third-party applications

The easiest way to hide a folder on Xiaomi is to use a standard file manager (Files by Google or built-in MI File Manager).This method does not require root rights and works on all devices with MIUI 12+, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13.

To hide the folder:

1. Open the Files app (Blue folder icon).
2. Go to the Category section → Internal memory.
3. Find the folder you want to hide and hold it with your finger for 2 seconds.
4. In the bottom menu, select More → Hide.
5. Confirm the action with a password or fingerprint (if the application lock is enabled).

The folders that are hidden in this way will not appear in the standard file manager, but will remain available:

• 🔍 Search in Files (if you know the name).
• 📁 Other file managers (e.g. Solid Explorer).
• 💻 When connecting the phone to the PC USB.

To return the folder back, go to Files → Settings → Hidden Files and turn off the Hide System Files option. Or just find the folder through search and select Show in the context menu.

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If you hid the folder through a standard manager, but it is still visible in Google Photos or a gallery, clear the cache of these applications in the phone settings.

2. Hiding through a point at the beginning of the folder name (Linux method)

In Linux-based operating systems (and Android is built on that), folders and files that start with a dot are hidden by default, a method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones, but requires the use of a file manager with root or Termux permissions.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as FX File Explorer or Root Explorer).
2. Find the folder you want and rename it by adding a dot at the beginning (for example,.MoiPhoto).
3. Confirm the change.

After that, the folder will disappear from the standard file manager, so to return it back, rename it again, removing the dot.

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Note: If you use MIUI 14/15, some system applications (e.g. Gallery) may still display files from such folders. To completely hide the content, combine this method with archiving (see section 4).

An alternative way is to use Termux (command line application):

termux-setup-storage


mv /sdcard/Folders /sdcard/.Folders

3.Use of applications to hide folders

If integrated functions MIUI You don't like it, you can use third-party apps, and they offer you additional options: encryption, fingerprint locking, safe-keeping.-3 tested solutions.

📌 The Best Apps to Hide Folders on Xiaomi:

• 🔒 Hide Something – simple interface, hiding photos/video/documents, pin code or print.
• 🗃️ Calculator Vault – Masquerades as a calculator, supports cloud backup.
• 🛡️ KeepSafe – file encryption, automatic hiding when connected to unsecured networks.

Example of Hide Something setting:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. At the first start, set the pin code.
3. Click + and select folders to hide.
4. Activate Hide from the Gallery.

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Note: Some applications (e.g. Calculator Vault) may conflict with the MIUI optimizer, making hidden files temporarily visible. To avoid this, add the application to Settings → Applications → Special Rights → No restrictions.

Comparison of applications by functionality:

Install the application from the official store|Create a backup copy of important files|Disable battery optimization for the application|Check for free space (at least 10% of the volume of files hidden)-->

4. Password Archive: A Reliable, But Inconvenient Way

If you don't just hide a folder, but you also need to protect it from unauthorized access, the best option is password archiving, which is suitable for sensitive documents or backups, and the disadvantage is that you have to unpack the archive every time you access the files.

Instructions:

1. Install an archiver (such as RAR or ZArchiver).
2. Select the folder you want to hide.
3. Select Add to Archive and set the ZIP or RAR format.
4. In the archiving settings, activate Set a password and come up with a reliable code (at least 12 characters).
5. After creating the archive, delete the original folder.

🔹 Advantages of the method:

• 🔐 Files are password protected even when connecting your phone to your PC.
• 📱 The archive will not appear in a gallery or music player.
• ☁️ You can upload the archive to the cloud (like Google Drive) and delete it from your phone.

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Note: If you forget your password, it will be impossible to restore access to files, even through Xiaomi service centers. Store your password in a safe place (for example, in the Bitwarden password manager).

For additional protection, you can:

1. Rename the archive to an innocent title (e.g, notes_backup.zip).
2. Move it to a folder with system files (e.g. /Android/obb/).

5. Advanced Methods: ADB and Termux for Power Users

If you're ready to dive into technical details, you can hide folders using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or Termux. These methods are suitable for MIUI of any generation, but require USB debugging and basic command line knowledge to be enabled.

🔧 Hiding through ADB:

1. Turn on Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: Adb shell mv /sdcard/Names Dad. /sdcard/.Names Dad.

🐧 Hiding through Termux:

1. Install Termux from F-Droid (the version from Google Play is outdated).
2. Follow the commands: pkg update && pkg upgrade termux-setup-storage mv ~/storage/shared/NameFolds ~/storage/shared/.NameFolds

💡 How to get the folder back?

• For ADB: adb shell mv /sdcard/.NameFolds /sdcard/NameFolds
• For Termux: mv ~/storage/shared/.NameFolders ~/storage/shared/NameFolders

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Note: When using ADB or Termux, there is a risk of accidentally moving or deleting system files. Never execute commands with superuser rights (su) unless you understand the consequences of these commands, which may cause MIUI to fail.

6.Restore access to hidden folders after resetting settings

One of the most frustrating things is when you hide a folder, and after you reset your phone to factory settings or upgrade your MIUI, you can't find it.

🔄 If the folder is hidden through a standard manager:

• 🔍 Check the Files section. → Recycle bin (files are stored there for 30 days).
• 📁 Connect your phone to your PC and use Total Commander to search all memory areas.

🔐 If the folder is archived with a password:

• 📱 Check out the Google Drive, Mi Cloud, where the archive may have been downloaded.
• 💾 Use utilities like this. 7-Zip on a PC to try to select a password (if you remember part of the combination).

🛠️ If the folder is hidden through a dot in the name:

• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC and enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View) → Hidden elements).
• 📱 In Termux, execute the command: ls. -a ~/storage/shared/ to see all the hidden folders.

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Note: If you have used third-party folder hiding apps (like Calculator Vault), once you reset, file access can only be restored through a backup. Many of these apps don't sync data to the cloud by default - check the settings before resetting!

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Check for hidden folders regularly after MIUI updates. Some updates (such as switching from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14) may reset the file manager settings.

7. How to hide folders from specific applications (Gallery, Music)

Sometimes you don't have to hide the folder completely, but only from certain applications -- for example, so that the photos don't show up in the Gallery, but remain available in the file manager.

Instructions:

1. Create an empty text file through any manager (e.g. MI File Manager).
2. Rename it.nomedia (important: no extension!).
3. Move the file to the folder you want to hide from multimedia applications.

🎵 What apps ignore folders with.nomedia:

• 📷 Xiaomi Gallery and Google Photos.
• 🎶 Music and Mi Music.
• 🎬 Video player.

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Note: The.nomedia file does not hide the folder completely, it will remain visible in the file manager and when you connect to the PC, and some applications (for example, VLC) ignore this file and still display media.

If you want to hide the folder from the file manager, combine the method with.nomedia with other methods (for example, renaming through a dot or archiving).

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding folders on Xiaomi