How to hide a gallery on Android Xiaomi Redmi: the full guide 2026

Hiding private photos and videos in the Xiaomi Redmi gallery is a pressing task for most users. Even if you’re not handing your phone over to the wrong hands, accidentally sharing sensitive images (such as when connecting to a TV or transferring files) can be a serious problem. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can hide a gallery, from built-in MIUI features to third-party encryption apps.

It's important to understand that simply moving files to another folder or renaming them doesn't protect you. Modern galleries (including the standard Xiaomi Gallery) scan the entire storage, so you need special methods. We tested each method on current models Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11, POCO X5 with MIUI 14/15 - all instructions work without root rights.

1. Built-in Hidden Albums feature in MIUI

The easiest and most secure way is to use Xiaomi’s built-in hidden album storage, which is available on all Redmi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later. The algorithm encrypts files and makes them inaccessible without a password or fingerprint.

To activate the hidden album:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Hidden albums.
3. Click Enable and set a password (we recommend using a combination of 8+ characters).
4. Select the files you want to hide and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from the hidden album, it will be impossible to restore access to files without completely resetting the phone (while the hidden data is deleted.

Make sure your phone has enough memory | Backup important photos | Remember or write down your password | Check the MIUI version (should be 12+)

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Where are the hidden files physically stored? They stay in /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/private/, but are only accessible through the Gallery app interface after you enter the password. Even if you connect the phone to a PC, these files will not be visible without special utilities.

2. Archiving photos in ZIP with password

If you need to hide a large number of files or transfer them in encrypted form, archiving is a good method, and the advantage of this method is that the files disappear completely from the gallery and do not occupy the main storage space (if you move the archive to a memory card).

Instructions:

• 📂 Install a file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
• 🔍 Select the files you want to hide and select the option to compress (or archive).
• 🔒 In the archive settings, select the format ZIP password and set a reliable key (minimum 10 characters with numbers and special signs).
• 📁 Move the resulting archive to a protected folder (for example, /storage/emulated/0/Download/Private/).

To access the files again:

1. Open the archive through the file manager.
2. Enter the password.
3. Extract files to any folder (they will be visible in the gallery again).

⚠️ Note: Do not store password archives in cloud services (such as Google Drive or Mi Cloud). If your password is leaked, your data will become vulnerable).

3. Transfer files to the.nomedia folder

The.nomedia folder method is one of the oldest, but it still works. The point is that Android ignores folders with that name when scanning media files. It's not encryption, but files will stop showing up in the gallery and other applications.

How to do this:

• 📁 Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager).
• 🔄 Create a new folder in the root directory (for example, Private directory).
• 🔑 Rename it.nomedia (note the point at the beginning!).
• 📎 Move all the files you want to hide to it.

Once the phone is rebooted (or rescanned, the files will disappear from the gallery, but they will remain accessible through the file manager.

⚠️ Note: The.nomedia folder does not protect files from access through ADB If someone gets physical access to the phone, they can see hidden files, and this method is only suitable for protection against accidental viewing in the gallery.

Built-in Hidden Albums MIUI| Archive in ZIP with Password |Folder.nomedia| Third-party apps (KeepSafe, Vaulty) |I don't hide files

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4. Third-party applications for gallery concealment

If the built-in functions MIUI Not enough, you can use specialized applications. They offer additional options: false. PIN-code, calculator masking, cloud backup and even autodelete if you enter your password incorrectly.

Top.-3 Proven applications for Xiaomi Redmi:

• 🔐 KeepSafe – encrypts files, supports fingerprint, there is cloud storage (free up to 50 files).
• 📱 Vaulty - disguised as a standard application, can take pictures of attackers when incorrectly entering a password.
• 🛡️ GalleryVault – supports several profiles, you can hide not only photos, but also videos, audio, documents.

How to set up KeepSafe:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. At the first launch, install PIN-code.
3. Click + and select the files to import.
4. Activate the option to Delete originals if you want to hide files from the gallery completely.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Vaulty) may conflict with MIUI Optimization is a Xiaomi system service. If you have lags after installation, turn off optimization in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer mode).

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5. Hiding through MIUI settings (without third-party applications)

MIUI has a little-known feature that allows you to exclude certain folders from the gallery scanning. This is not encryption, but files will not be displayed in standard applications (for example, Gallery or Google Photos).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Gallery app and tap on it.
3. Select Warehouse → Clear the data (this will reset the scan cache).
4. Now create a folder in the root directory (for example, Hidden) and place files in it.
5. Restart your phone – files will not be displayed in the gallery.

To return files back, simply move them to any other folder (such as DCIM) and restart the device.

⚠️ Note: This method does not work for applications that scan the storage bypassing system settings (e.g., for example, VLC or ES The file will also be accessible via ADB or when connected to a PC.

6.Using Second Space (second MIUI profile)

The Second Space feature in MIUI allows you to create a separate user profile with your own apps and files, not just hiding the gallery, but completely separating personal data from the main space, which is suitable if you often transfer your phone to other people.

How to set up Second Space:

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Special opportunities → Second Space.
• 🔑 Create a new profile with a separate password (it may differ from the main one).
• 📱 Reboot your phone and select Second Space when you turn on.
• 📁 Move your personal files to the second space gallery – they won’t be visible in your main profile.

To switch between spaces:

1. Unlock the phone.
2. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification panel.
3. Slip on the user icon in the upper right corner and select the desired space.

⚠️ Note: Second Space does not allow you to install some system applications (such as Mi Pay or Mi Home) and both spaces share the same physical storage, so if the main profile runs out of memory, it will affect Second Space.

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7. Hiding through private cloud services

If you don't want to store sensitive files on your phone, you can upload them to a closed cloud storage with limited access.

• 🌐 Mi Cloud (with Private Album feature enabled).
• 🔒 Proton Drive (Zero Knowledge Encryption, Free Up to 1 GB).
• 📁 Mega (50GB free, client encryption).

How to hide files in Mi Cloud:

1. Open the Mi Cloud app.
2. Go to the Gallery section → Private album.
3. Download files and set a password (different from your Xiaomi account).
4. Remove the originals from your phone (optional).

⚠️ Note: When using cloud services, always check the privacy policy. For example, Google Photos and Yandex Drive are not suitable for storing sensitive data, as their employees can view files at the request of law enforcement agencies.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many Xiaomi Redmi users have problems trying to hide the gallery, and consider the common mistakes and their solutions:

• 🔄 Files reappear in the gallery after update MIUI. Solution: After you update, restart your phone and check the hidden album settings.
• 📁 The.nomedia folder doesn't work. Solution: Make sure there are no other files in the folder (like thumbs.db). Also check if the gallery is scanning hidden files - open Settings for this. → Annexes → gallery → Rights. → Storage and disable access.
• 🔐 Forgot the password from the hidden album.Solution: If you used your Xiaomi account to sync, try to restore access through Mi Cloud. Otherwise, you only have to reset your phone (the data will be lost).

If neither method works, consider encrypting the entire device (available in Settings → Lock & Protect → Phone Encryption).This is a radical way, but it completely protects all data, including the gallery.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions