How to hide photos in the Xiaomi gallery: all the ways from standard to hidden

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi line) offer several built-in and hidden ways to protect personal photos from prying eyes. However, not everyone knows that in addition to the standard archive, there are more reliable methods in the MIUI Gallery, from creating password-protected folders to using system tools like Safe Folder or even manually hiding through the file system.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to hide photos on Xiaomi in 2026, including those that work without third-party apps. We’ll focus on the nuances of why some methods stop working after MIUI updates, how to get around the restrictions on HyperOS models, and what to do if hidden files suddenly become visible. If you need to not just hide photos from random glances, but also protect them from recovery through Recovery or PC, here you will find solutions for any level of privacy.

1. Standard archive at MIUI Gallery: fast but unreliable

The most obvious way is to use the built-in archiving feature in the Gallery app, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later (including HyperOS), the advantage of the method is simple: a few touches are enough to remove a photo from the main stream, but this method has critical disadvantages:

• 🔍 Files remain accessible through any file manager (e.g. Files by Google or Mi File Manager) along the way. /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/.nomedia.
• 🔄 After resetting settings or flashing the archive can become visible.
• 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F5) The archive is displayed in a separate gallery tab.

To archive the photo:

1. Open the Gallery and select the photos you want (hold your finger on one for multiple selection).
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Archive.
3. Confirm the action. The photos will disappear from the main album, but will remain in the.nomedia folder.

⚠️ Note: If you connect your phone to your PC through MTP, The archived photos will be visible in the Pictures folder as normal files. To avoid this, use the methods in the following sections.

2.Safe Folder: Official Password Album from Xiaomi

Safe Folder (called Private Folder in some versions of MIUI) is a built-in tool to protect sensitive files with a password or fingerprint. Unlike archive, it encrypts files and doesn't show up in either a gallery or a file manager without authorization. It works on all devices with MIUI 13+ and HyperOS.

How to set up Safe Folder:

1. Open the Gallery → swipe to the right to open the side menu.
2. Select Safe Folder (or Private Folder).
3. When you first start, the system will prompt you to set a password or use biometrics.
4. Add files by holding your finger in the picture → Move to Safe Folder.

Important nuances:

• 🔐 The Safe Folder password is different from the unlock password of the screen. If you forget it, you can only restore access through the Mi Account (linked to the device).
• 📁 Files are stored in encrypted form along the way /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/files/SafeFolder.
• ⚠️ When resetting to factory settings, the contents of Safe Folder are permanently deleted (unless a backup is made).

Set a strong password (at least 8 characters)

Link Mi Account to restore access

Backup important files on the cloud

Check the work of biometric authorization-->

3. Hidden system folders: a method for advanced users

If you have to hide your photos so they don't show up in either the gallery or the file manager without manual intervention, you can use the system hidden folders, which require access to the file system and works even without the Internet or any additional applications.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC or use a file manager (e.g., Solid Explorer with Root mode enabled if you have superuser rights).
2. Create a folder with a dot at the beginning of the name (such as.myprivatephotos) in any part of internal memory other than DCIM or Pictures.
3. Put the photos you want in there. The folder won't show up in the standard gallery because of the dot in the name.

For reliability, add an empty.nomedia file to your folder:

touch /storage/emulated/0/.myprivatephotos/.nomedia

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) Hidden folders may become visible after the system update. To avoid this, use encryption (see section 5).

4. Third-party applications: when embedded tools are not enough

If you need to not just hide photos, but encrypt them with a military level of protection, you should consider third-party solutions.

• 🔒 KeepSafe – encrypts files in the cloud, supports biometrics and fake PIN-emergency code.
• 📂 GalleryVault – creates password albums, masquerades as a calculator.
• 🛡️ Hide Something – offers steism mode (the app looks like a regular calculator).

How to set up KeepSafe:

1. Download the app from Google Play (or APKMirror if it is blocked in your area).
2. At the first launch, ask PIN-code or use a fingerprint.
3. Import photos from a gallery or file manager to a private album.
4. Enable the Stealth Mode option in the settings to hide the app icon.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• ✅ Encrypting files (as opposed to a standard archive).
• ✅ Masking for other applications (calculator, weather).
• ✅ Cloud backup with encryption (in KeepSafe).

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Gallery Lock) may conflict with MIUI Optimization, causing lags in the gallery. If you notice braking after installation, add the application to the battery exceptions (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).

5. File Encryption: Maximum Protection

If you keep sensitive photos on your phone (documents, passport scans, intimate photos), conventional concealment will not be enough, in which case encryption using archivers or specialized tools will help.

Ways to encrypt photos:

• 📦 7-Zip or RAR: Install. 7-Zip From Google Play. Select a photo. → Add to the archive. Specify the format. 7z, encryption AES-256 and set the password.

VeraCrypt

1. Connect the phone to the computer.
2. Create an encrypted container in VeraCrypt and move the photo there.
3. Install the container only when necessary.

💡

If you use 7-Zip for encryption, choose the 7z archive format over ZIP – it supports more robust AES-256 encryption, whereas ZIP is limited by the weak ZipCrypto algorithm.

6. Reset visibility: what to do if hidden photos reappear

Sometimes, after a MIUI or HyperOS update, hidden photos suddenly become visible.

• 🔄 Gallery cache reset (.nomedia folders ignored).
• 📱 Changes in storage policy (e.g., HyperOS, media scanning becomes more aggressive).
• 🔧 File system errors (for example, after incorrect extraction) SD-map).

💡

If hidden photos are visible after the HyperOS update, check the MediaScanner settings in Settings → Additional → Special features → MediaScanner. Turn off the option to Scan Hidden Files (if any).

Alternative methods: clouds, SD-maps and physical removal

If you need not just hide the photo, but completely exclude their presence on the phone, consider these options:

• ☁️ Cloud storage with client encryption: Mega (50GB free, client-side encryption); Proton Drive (Swiss open source service). How to transfer photos: Upload files to the cloud through the application. Remove the originals from your phone (use Safe Delete in Files by Google to erase data without recovery options).
• 📱 SD-Encrypted card: Insert SD-card to phone. Go to settings. → Warehouse → SD-map → Set it up as an internal storage (this will encrypt the map). Transfer the photo to the map and retrieve it (store it separately from the phone).

Warning: Even after deleting, photos can be recovered using programs like DiskDigger or Recuva, if no irrevocable erasure (secure delete) was used. MIUI need:

1. Enable USB debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (7 times) → Additional → Developers → USB debugging).


2. Connect the phone to the PC and perform:




adb shell sm erase force internal

⚠️ Note: sm erase force completely erases all data on the internal drive, including apps and settings. Use only before selling or putting the phone in repair.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding photos on Xiaomi