How to hide a gallery on Xiaomi: hide photos and videos from prying eyes

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer several built-in ways to hide personal photos and videos from outsiders. However, many users don’t know that the gallery’s standard Hidden Album feature is far from the only option. In this article, we’ll look at all the working methods, from standard tools to file manager hiding and even system settings.

The MIUI feature is that some features depend on the firmware version and the device model. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14, the file hiding algorithm may differ from the Poco X5 Pro with MIUI 13. We took these nuances into account and collected universal instructions that work on most of the brand’s devices, including the Black Shark and Xiaomi Pad.

It is important to understand: hiding files ≠ Even after using these methods, photos will remain accessible through a file manager or when connected to a PC. To fully protect sensitive data, we recommend using encrypted archives or specialized applications like KeepSafe.

1.Hidden album in the standard MIUI gallery

The easiest way to do this is to use the built-in Hidden Album feature in the Gallery app, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices with MIUI 12 and later, but has a limitation: hidden files will be visible in some system applications (for example, Files or Security).

To hide a photo or video:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Select the desired files with a long press (a tick will appear).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Hide.
4. Confirm the action with a password or fingerprint (if the lock is configured).

To view hidden files:

• 🔍 Come to the gallery. → Albums. → Hidden album.
• 🔐 Enter a password or use biometrics.
• 📤 To return the files back, select them. → three-point → Show me.

⚠️ Warning: If you reset your phone to factory settings, all hidden files will become visible. They are not deleted, but lose their status as "hidden files".

2. Hiding through the file manager (no root)

If you want to hide files from not only the gallery, but also other applications, you can use the standard File Manager, which works by adding a dot to the beginning of the file name (for example,.photo.jpg), which makes it "invisible" for most programs, but the files will remain accessible through Files or when you connect to a PC.

Instructions:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Go to DCIM → Camera (or another folder where your files are stored).
3. Long press on file → Rename.
4. Add a point to the beginning of the name (for example,.IMG_2023.jpg).
5. Confirm the change.

To regain visibility:

• 📁 Go to the files. → Settings → Show hidden files (enable the option).
• 🔄 Find the file with the dot at the beginning and rename it back (remove the dot).
• 🔙 Turn off the display of hidden files in the settings.

Make a backup of important files

Make sure the file name is no more than 255 characters.

Check that the dot is added to the beginning, not the end of the name.

Disable the display of hidden files after renaming

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This is a way to temporarily hide files, but it doesn't provide strong protection, for example, if someone connects your phone to a computer, they can see all files, including those that start from a point if the hidden elements are enabled in the Explorer settings.

3.Using the.nomedia folder

The.nomedia method is one of the most reliable methods for hiding media files from the gallery and most applications. The way it works is that Android ignores the folders that have the file in them when it scans the library. It works without root rights and is suitable for all versions of MIUI.

How to hide the folder with the photo:

1. Open Files and go to the folder you want to hide (for example, DCIM → Secret).
2. Click Create → File.
3. Enter the name.nomedia (just like that, no extension!) and save it.
4. Restart your phone or update the data in the gallery (pull down for an update).

What's important to know:

• 📂 The folder will be invisible to the gallery, but will remain accessible through the Files.
• 🔄 To return visibility, simply delete the.nomedia file.
• 📱 Some apps (like Google Photos) may ignore.nomedia.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos to back up, files from.nomedia folders may not sync. Before using this method, check your backup settings.

4 Encryption of files to archive (maximum protection)

If you need to protect your files, not just hide them, the best option is to pack them into a password-enabled archive, which works on all Xiaomi devices and ensures that no one can view your data without a password.

Instructions:

1. Install an archiver (such as RAR or ZArchiver from Google Play).
2. Open the app and select the files you want to hide.
3. Click Add to Archive (or similar option).
4. Select the ZIP or RAR format and set a password.
5. Delete the original files after you have created the archive.

Security advice:

• 🔑 Use a password at least 12 characters long with numbers and special characters.
• 📱 Do not keep your password in notes or SMS same phone.
• 🔄 Regularly update the archive by adding new files.

💡

If you’re afraid to forget your password, write it down on paper and store it in a safe place (not on your phone!). You can use a password manager like Bitwarden or KeePass for additional protection.

The advantage of this method is that even if someone gets access to your phone or SD-It can't retrieve files without a password, but remember, if you forget the password, it's impossible to recover the data.

5. Hiding through Second Space (Dual Account)

The MIUI’s Second Space feature allows you to create a separate user profile with your own apps, files and settings, ideal if you want to completely isolate personal data, and in the second space you can store a separate gallery, messages and even link another Google account.

How to set up Second Space:

1. Go to Settings. → Second Space.
2. Click Create Second Space and follow the instructions.
3. Set a password or fingerprint to enter.
4. Once created, switch the second space through the notification panel.
5. Copy the files to the second space gallery.

Features of the work:

• 🔄 Switching between spaces occurs via swipe down the notification panel.
• 📱 The second space has separate settings, applications and files.
• 🔒 You can set different passwords for the main and second spaces.

Second Space is one of the most reliable ways to hide data, but it's not available on all models, for example, on some budget Redmis (for example, Redmi 9A), this feature may not be available.

6. Hiding through Security Settings (MIUI 14+)

The latest versions of MIUI 14 and MIUI 15 have introduced a "Private Mode" feature that allows you to hide not only files, but also applications, notifications and even call history, which combines convenience and high level of protection.

How to turn on the Private Mode:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Private mode.
2. Activate the function and set the password.
3. Select Hidden Albums and add the files you want.
4. If you need to hide applications, go to Hidden Applications.

Advantages of the Private Regime:

• 🔐 Password or biometric protection.
• 📱 Hiding not only files, but also applications (for example, messengers).
• 🔄 Quickly switching through the notification panel.

💡

Private mode in MIUI 14+ is the most versatile way to hide data, as it works at the system level and is independent of individual applications.

Note that if you upgrade to HyperOS (the new shell from Xiaomi), the location of your Private Mode settings may change. In this case, look for it in Settings → Security.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding a gallery on Xiaomi