How to hide photos on Xiaomi Redmi: everything from built-in tools to secret folders

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones store thousands of personal photos, from family shots to sensitive screenshots. But what if you want to hide some of the images from prying eyes? MIUI has built-in tools to hide files, but they work in an unobvious way, and some methods require additional adjustments. This article will reveal all the current ways to hide photos on Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11 and other models – from standard features to advanced techniques using third-party applications.

It's important to understand that simply moving a photo to a folder called "Hidden" won't really protect you, that files will remain accessible through any file manager or when you connect to a PC, and that we'll look at methods that completely delete images from the gallery, encrypt them or hide them behind a password. We will pay special attention to the nuances MIUI 14/15, where the logic of working with hidden files has changed compared to previous versions.

1. Built-in Hidden Albums feature in MIUI

The easiest way to hide photos is to use the standard MIUI tool. This feature is available on all Xiaomi Redmi with a shell version at least MIUI 12. It does not encrypt files, but securely removes them from the main gallery, leaving access only through a special menu.

To activate the hidden album:

• 📁 Open the Gallery app and select the photos you want (hold your finger for multiple selections).
• 🔒 Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Hide (or Add to Hidden Album in new versions).
• 🔐 Confirm the action – the photos will disappear from the main view, but will remain in the memory of the device.

To see the hidden pictures:

1. Come to the gallery. → Albums.
2. Scroll down and click on Hidden Album (a password or fingerprint may be required).
3. To return the photos to the main gallery, select them and select Show.

💡

If the Hide option is not on the menu, update the Gallery app via Google Play or check the settings in Settings → Apps → Gallery → Permissions (should be a storage access permit).

2. password protection of the folder through "Safe Place" (Second Space)

The MIUI's Second Space feature allows you to create an isolated environment with separate applications and files. It's not just hiding, it's completely isolating photos from your main profile, including password or pattern lock protection. It's suitable for Redmi with MIUI 13+.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Second Space (or Settings → Special Features → Second Space on some models).
2. Create a second profile by setting a unique password (not the same as your main account!).
3. Return to the main profile, transfer the necessary photos to the folder MIUI/SecondSpace/ via file manager.
4. Restart your phone, and now photos will only be available after switching to Second Space.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔐 Full isolation: photos are not visible even when connected to a PC.
• 📱 Separate settings: you can install other wallpaper, applications and even SIM-map.
• 🔄 Quick switching: changing profiles takes 2-3 seconds.

3. Encryption of photos through archivers

If you need to not just hide photos, but encrypt them, use password-enabled archivers, which works on any Xiaomi Redmi, including root-free models, and the right apps are RAR, 7Z or ZArchiver.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ZArchiver from Google Play.
2. Open the app, find the folder with photos.
3. Select files, click Archive and select the ZIP or 7z format.
4. In the archive menu, activate the Encrypt option and set a password (at least 8 characters with numbers and letters).
5. After creating the archive, delete the original photos.

To open the photo:

• 📂 Find the archive in the file manager.
• 🔑 Open it through ZArchiver by entering the password.
• 🖼️ Remove the necessary files to the temporary folder.

Complex password (12+ characters) | Archive is not stored in Download | Original files deleted | Password does not match unlocking phone | Password backup in the cloud

-->

An important nuance:.7z archives support more robust encryption (AES-256) than.zip. However, 7z does not open with standard Android tools - you will need ZArchiver or 7Z.

4. Hiding through the file manager (point at the beginning of the name)

In Linux systems (and Android is built on it), files and folders that start with a dot are considered hidden, a method that works on all Xiaomi Redmis, but has limitations: photos will remain available through some file managers.

How to hide a photo:

1. Install FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer (they show hidden files).
2. Go to the photo folder (usually /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/).
3. Select files, click Rename and add a dot to the beginning of the name (e.g..photo1.jpg).
4. Move files to the root directory or create a.hidden folder.

To regain visibility:

• 🔍 Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings.
• 📝 Remove the point from the beginning of the file name.

💡

This method does not protect against power users! files will be visible when connected to a PC or through ADB. Use it only for basic cloaking.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Doesn't work in a standard gallery. MIUI — Photos can still be displayed.
• ❌ Seen in Google Photos and other cloud services.
• ✅ Suitable for temporary concealment from casual viewing.

5. applications for hiding photos (TOP-3 solutions)

Third-party apps offer advanced features: encryption, false passwords, calculator masking. We tested dozens of programs and selected the 3 most reliable for Xiaomi Redmi.

Selection recommendations:

• 🔒 For maximum security: KeepSafe (encryption) + cloud).
• 🕵️ For stealth: GalleryVault (masking under the calculator).
• ⚡ For weak smartphones: Hide Something (minimalistic, does not load the system).

💡

Check reviews from the last month before installing – some apps start showing annoying ads after updates or require unnecessary permissions.

6 Advanced methods: encrypted containers and root access

For users who are ready to experiment, there are methods with full encryption and root rights, which guarantee maximum protection, but require technical skills.

Method 1: Encrypted container via Cryptomator

1. Install Cryptomator from F-Droid (open version without trackers).
2. Create a new container (Vault) and set a password.
3. Transfer the photos to the assembled container.
4. Unmount the container – files will become unavailable without a password.

Method 2: Hiding through.nomedia (for experienced)

• Create an empty.nomedia file in the photo folder (via FX Explorer or Termux).
• The photos will disappear from the gallery, but will remain in the file system.
• ⚠️ Note: This method may fail after updates MIUI.

Method 3: Root + App Ops app

⚠️ Note: Getting root rights voids the warranty and may result in the inability to use banking applications (due to the SafetyNet trigger!

1. Get root through Magisk (instructions for Redmi are available on 4PDA).
2. Install App Ops and disable storage access for Gallery and Google Photos.
3. Hide photos in the system folder (e.g. /data/media/0/secret/).

7. Cloud services with password protection

If you don't want to store sensitive photos on your phone, move them to a secure cloud.

• 🔐 Proton Drive: Swiss cloud with end-to-end encryption, free 1GB.
• 📁 Cryptomator + Google Drive: Create an encrypted container and upload it to Google Drive.
• 🔒 NordLocker: Encrypts files before downloading, integration with NordVPN.

How to transfer photos to Proton Drive:

1. Install the Proton Drive app from Google Play.
2. Register (a free account gives 1 GB).
3. Upload the photos to the Private folder (it is encrypted automatically).
4. Remove the originals from your phone (pre-check that the files have been downloaded).

The advantages of cloud storage:

• 🌍 Access from any device.
• 🔄 Automatic backup.
• 🛡️ Protection against phone loss.

⚠️ Note: Even in encrypted clouds, metadata (date of creation, geolocation) can be stored. To delete it, use ExifTool before downloading.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding photos on Xiaomi Redmi