How to hide photos on Xiaomi: from standard tools to hidden folders

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones store thousands of personal photos, from family snapshots to sensitive screenshots. But what if you want to hide some of the photos from prying eyes? The standard MIUI gallery offers basic concealment tools, but they are not always reliable. For example, photos hidden through the gallery are easy to find through the file manager, and the password to the folder is bypassed in seconds through recovery mode.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to hide photos on Xiaomi, from built-in MIUI 14/15 features to third-party encryption applications. We will focus on the vulnerabilities of each method and how to get around them. For example, did you know that photos hidden through the Safe Folder remain accessible through ADB? Or that archiving photos in.zip with a password does not protect against viewing thumbnails? These and other nuances are below.

1. Standard Hiding Through MIUI Gallery

The easiest way is to use the built-in concealment feature in the Gallery app, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13.

• 🔍 Hidden photos remain in the folder DCIM/.hidden and can be seen through any file manager.
• 🔄 After resetting settings or updating MIUI Hidden files can be seen again.
• 📱 On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global) function is unstable.

To hide the photo in a standard way:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Select the right photo, click ⋮ → Hide.
3. Confirm the action (if necessary, enter the password from the lock screen).

Importantly, this method doesn't encrypt files, it just removes them from the main album.

2.Secure Folder - password protection

The Safe Folder (or Private Safe in global firmware) feature allows you to create a password-enabled storage for photos, videos and documents. Unlike standard concealment, it encrypts files and doesn't show up even through ADB without unlocking them.

• 🔐 Password from the folder is tied to the Mi Account account - when it is reset, access is lost.
• 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F4) function is not present in the basic firmware.
• 🔄 After updating MIUI Re-authorization may be required.

How to set up a Safe Folder:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Secure folder.
2. Create a password (not matching the screen unlock!).
3. Add a photo through the Gallery → Select → Add to the Safe folder.

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If the feature is not on the menu, check the firmware region. On MIUI China, it is called and may require a Chinese account to be linked.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the Safe folder, you can only restore access through Mi Account with confirmation of the password. SMS. On devices without an associated account, files will be lost!

3. Hidden folders through the file manager

A lesser-known but effective way is to create a folder with a dot at the beginning of a name (such as.secret), which is not the default folder for most file managers, including the standard Files from Xiaomi, but only works if the following conditions are met:

• 📁 The file should not be in the file. DCIM, a in the root directory or Download.
• 🔍 In the file manager settings, the display of hidden files should be disabled.
• 📱 On the firmware MIUI 14+ The standard manager may ignore this rule.

Instructions:

1. Open a file manager (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/ (internal memory).
3. Create a folder called.myphotos (required to have a dot at the beginning!).
4. Move the photo through the Cut/Insert menu.

Make sure the folder is not visible in the standard gallery | Check the display through ES Explorer (should be hidden) | Try to find the folder through a search by name (should not find) | Make a backup to your PC (in case of a reset)

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Warning: This method doesn't encrypt files! When you connect your phone to your PC, the folder will be visible through MTP-protocol (e.g., in This Windows Computer). For complete privacy, combine it with archiving (see next section).

4. Password archive (ZIP/RAR)

One of the most reliable ways is to pack a photo into an encrypted archive, and unlike previous methods, it encrypts files using AES-256 (WinRAR or 7-Zip), making them inaccessible without a password.

How to archive a photo with a password:

1. Install 7-Zip or WinRAR on your PC.
2. Connect your phone to your computer and copy the photo to a separate folder.
3. Right-click on the folder → 7-Zip → Add to the archive.
4. Select the.7z format, the AES-256 encryption method, and set a password.
5. Remove the original photos from your phone and move the archive back.

⚠️ Warning: Don't use standard.zip without encryption! These archives can be easily opened without a password through any archiver. AES-256 customized.

5.Side of the application: KeepSafe, GalleryVault, HideIt Pro

If embedded tools MIUI They don't suit you, you can use specialized applications. They offer additional features: false. PIN-code, calculator masking, timer deletion, but there are risks:

• 🛡️ Some apps (like Hide It Pro) require root rights to hide them completely.
• 📱 On Xiaomi MIUI Applications may conflict with the built-in gallery.
• 🔗 Free versions often show ads or limit storage space.

Top.-3 Proven applications for hiding photos:

How to hide a photo via KeepSafe:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Create. PIN-code or use a fingerprint.
3. Import photos through the Add Photos menu.
4. Enable the Stealth Mode option in the settings (hiddens the app icon).

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The app side is more reliable than the built-in MIUI tools, but requires regular updates. Before installing, check the reviews for the last 3 months - some apps stop supporting new versions of Android.

6 Advanced methods: disk encryption and root access

For maximum privacy, you can encrypt a memory partition or use root access, which is suitable for advanced users and requires technical knowledge, such as encryption through Veracrypt or creating a hidden partition on the computer. SD-map.

Advantages:

• 🔒 Full password-free access protection (including PC connection).
• 📱 It works on any firmware, including custom (LineageOS, Pixel Experience).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Risk of data loss in encryption errors.
• 🛠️ Requires unlocking the bootloader and root, which deprives of warranty.

If you are ready for experiments, follow the instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (Mi Account binding is required).
2. Install Magisk to obtain root rights.
3. Download the Encryption for Android module from the Magisk repository.
4. Create an encrypted container via Termux: sudo apt install cryptsetup dd if=/dev/zero of=/sdcard/secret.container bs=1M count=100 cryptsetup luksFormat /sdcard/secret.container

⚠️ Note: Encrypting the section on Xiaomi with MIUI This can lead to a bootloop if compatibility conditions are not met. TWRP!

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding photos on Xiaomi