How to hide photos on Xiaomi: all working ways in 2026

Why Standard Photo Deletion Is Not Safe

Ever wonder what happens to deleted photos on your Xiaomi? Most users just click Delete in the gallery, unaware that files remain in the device's memory for another 30-60 days (depending on the shopping cart settings). Even after cleaning the cart, you can restore photos using special utilities — 5 minutes is enough and a connection to a PC. This makes standard deletion completely ineffective for protecting privacy.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones based on MIUI offer several built-in mechanisms for real photo hiding – from simple moving to a secure folder to hardware encryption. However, 78% of users (according to a survey by Xiaomi Community in 2023) are unaware of these features or use them incorrectly. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods, including those that work even after resetting the phone to factory settings.

Before we get to the instructions, it is important to understand the key difference between “hiding” and “secure storage”:

• 🔍 Hiding – photos remain in the phone’s memory but are not displayed in the gallery (they can be found through the file manager).
• 🔒 Protection – files are encrypted or moved to an isolated storage that requires a password/fingerprint to access.
• 🗑️ Delete without recovery – files are erased from memory at the physical level (root or special utilities are needed).

Method 1: Built-in Protected Folder in MIUI

The easiest and most reliable method is to use the built-in Secure Folder feature available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later. This folder works like a safe: the files inside it are not displayed in the gallery, are not indexed by the system and require authentication to access. Even if someone connects your phone to your computer, the contents of the folder will not be available without unlocking.

To activate the function:

1. Open the Settings app → Confidentiality.
2. Select a Secure Folder → Turn on.
3. Set a PIN (minimum 6 digits) or use a fingerprint.
4. Return to the Gallery, select the photos you need, click More (three dots) → Move to a secure folder.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the PIN from the secure folder, it will be impossible to restore access - even through the Mi Account. Xiaomi does not provide tools to reset the password of this feature. The only way out is to reset the phone to factory settings, but this will delete all data from the device.

Backup important photos in the cloud

Set a complex PIN (not date of birth)

Check if your fingerprint is added to the system.

Remember or record a PIN in a safe place-->

Advantages of the method:

• 🔐 Hardware encryption – files are stored in encrypted form.
• 📱 No dependence on the Internet – it works offline.
• 🚫 Not visible in file managers (including Mi File Manager).

* On flagship models, the restriction depends on the free space in the /data section.

Method 2: Hiding through “Private Mode” in the Gallery

If you need to temporarily hide photos from prying eyes (for example, when you give your phone to friends), private mode in the standard Xiaomi gallery will do. Unlike a secure folder, this method does not encrypt files, but makes them invisible in the main interface.

Algorithm of action:

1. Open the Gallery → Click on Albums → Private Mode.
2. Enable the function and set the password (you can use a pattern lock).
3. Select the right photos, click Hide.
4. To view hidden photos again go to Private mode and enter the password.

⚠️ Note: Files hidden through private mode remain accessible through file manager along the way /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.private. To fully protect the photo, combine this method with encryption (see Method). 4).

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If you often use private mode, add its shortcut to the home screen: press the Gallery icon → Shortcuts → Private mode.

Differences between a private mode and a protected folder:

• ✅ Quick access (no need to enter a password every time).
• ❌ Files are not encrypted and can be seen through ADB or a root explorer.
• ✅ You can hide entire albums (such as screenshots or downloads).

Method 3: Archiving photos in ZIP with password

If you need to send photos by mail or save them to the cloud (like Google Drive or Mi Cloud) with additional protection, the best option is to archive files in ZIP with a password.This method is suitable for Xiaomi on any version of MIUI, including older models like Redmi 4X or Mi A1.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with archiving support (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
2. Select the photo in the DCIM/Camera folder → press Compress.
3. Select the ZIP format and check the Encrypt box.
4. Create a complex password (we recommend using 12+ characters with numbers and special signs).
5. After creating the archive, delete the original photos (through the cart or irrevocably).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 Password protects archive even when file leaks.
• 📤 Convenient for sending by mail or messengers.
• 🛡️ Works on any device (including PC).

⚠️ Warning: Do not store a password archive in cloud services (such as Mi Cloud or Google Photos) if the password is weak.In 2022, hackers hacked the accounts of more than 500,000 Mi Cloud users through a vulnerability in two-factor authentication. Use local storage or external drives (flash drives, SD-map).

Method 4: Encrypt a photo folder with Vaulty or KeepSafe

For those looking for maximum protection, specialised safe applications such as Vaulty, KeepSafe or GalleryVault are suitable.

• 🔐 Encrypt files according to standard AES-256 (military-level).
• 📱 Masquerades as other applications (for example, a calculator).
• 🚨 Make fake notifications about the “wrong password” when trying to hack.
• 🌐 Synchronized with the cloud (optional).

We recommend Vaulty for Xiaomi, as it is optimized for MIUI and supports:

• 👆 Unlocking by fingerprint (on models with Fingerprint Scanner).
• 📸 Automatically Hiding New Screenshots.
• 🔄 Backup in Google Drive with encryption.

Instructions for setting:

1. Download Vaulty from Google Play (or APKMirror if the app is blocked in your area).
2. When you first start, set the main password and a recovery question.
3. Click Import → select a photo from the gallery.
4. Enable the option to Remove originals after import.
5. Activate Invisible Mode in the settings (the app will disappear from the menu).

💡

Safeware applications like Vaulty protect photos even if your phone is stolen or lost, and unlike the built-in MIUI features, they allow you to remotely erase data when needed (via a web dashboard).

⚠️ Note: Some safe apps (e.g. Gallery Lock) contain advertising modules that can collect metadata from your photos. → Annexes → Permits and disable access to Contacts, Locations and Microphone.

Method 5: Hiding by renaming and changing the extension

If you need to hide a photo from inexperienced users (such as children or colleagues), you can use a simple trick to rename the file and change its extension. Android will not recognize such files as images, and they will not appear in the gallery.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Mi File Manager and go to the photo folder (usually DCIM/Camera).
2. Select the file → Rename.
3. Change the extension from.jpg to.txt or.dat (e.g. photo123.dat).
4. To restore, simply return the original extension.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method:

⚠️ Note: This method does not protect against recovery through programs like Recuva or DiskDigger. If you need to securely delete a photo, use Secure Delete in Mi File Manager (available on the site). MIUI 14+).

What to do if you want to hide photos on older Xiaomi models (MIUI 11 and below)

If you have an older device (such as the Redmi Note 7 or Mi 9 on MIUI 11), the built-in concealment features may not be available.

1. Use third-party applications: 📱 QuickPic (with support for hidden albums). 🔒 Hide Something (encryption) + calculator).

Create a hidden folder manually

1. Connect the phone to the PC.


2. In the root directory, create a folder called.hiddenphotos (the point at the beginning makes it hidden).




3. Move the photo to this folder.

Update MIUI to the latest version

• 📲 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔄 If the update is not available, download the firmware from the official Xiaomi website.

⚠️ Note: On older versions MIUI (below 12) there is a vulnerability that allows you to bypass the gallery protection through ADB. If you want 100% privacy, use encryption (Method 4) or transfer the photo to encrypted SD-map.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding photos on Xiaomi