How to hide a folder on Xiaomi: all the ways from standard to hidden

Want to hide personal files from prying eyes on a Xiaomi smartphone? Whether it's photos, documents or archives — there are several ways to make a folder invisible in MIUI, but not all of them are equally reliable: some just hide an icon from a gallery, others encrypt data, and still others require root rights. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods for MIUI 14/15 and Android 13/14, including hidden functions that are not written in the official guides.

Hiding folders on Xiaomi is divided into three levels of protection:

1. Visual concealment – the folder disappears from the explorer, but remains accessible through search or direct links.

2 Password protection – without a code or fingerprint, you can not open the folder, even if it is found.

3. System hiding – files become invisible even for some applications (requires additional settings).

⚠️ Warning: Hidden folders are not protected from deletion when you reset your phone to factory settings.Always back up important data in Settings → Google → Backup.

1. Built-in "Hidden Albums" feature in the Gallery

The easiest way to hide a photo or video folder is to use the built-in option in Xiaomi’s standard Gallery app, which requires no additional software installation and works on all models starting with the Redmi Note 10 and Mi 11.

How it works:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Select the folder or individual files you want to hide.
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Hide.
4. Confirm the action with a password or fingerprint (if the screen lock is configured).

Hidden files will disappear from the main interface, but will remain available in the Albums → Hidden section.

✅ Pros: fast, without third-party applications, supports biometrics.

❌ Cons: only hides media files (not documents, APK, archives, the folder is visible in the file manager through MIUI File Manager → Categories → Hidden.

The correct album (not DCIM system folder)

The phone has a screen lock (PIN/password/fingerprint) set up

The Gallery has the option “Hidden Albums” (Settings → Hidden Albums)

Backup of important files is made-->

2. Hiding through File Manager (rename the folder)

If you want to hide a folder with any files (not just photos), you can use the renaming trick, which works because MIUI does not show folders that start with a dot (like.secret) by default.

Instructions:

1. Open File Manager (or any other conductor, such as Solid Explorer).
2. Find the folder you want to hide and hold on to the name to call the menu.
3. Select Rename and add a point to the beginning of the title (e.g., My Documents).
4. Confirm the change.

The folder will disappear from the standard view, but will remain accessible if you enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings.

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (e.g. Google Photos) may ignore this rule and show files from dot folders. To completely hide data, combine this method with password protection (see section 4).

3.Use Second Space to completely isolate files

Second Space is a unique MIUI feature that creates a second independent user profile with its own applications, files and settings, all of the data in it is completely isolated from the main space.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings. → Second Space.
2. Click Create Second Space and follow the instructions (you will need to create a new password).
3. After creation, switch to Second Space via the notification bar (user icon).
4. Move the files to Second Space folders (they will only be available there).

To return to the main profile, use the notification bar again.

✅ Pros: maximum protection (even when connecting the phone to the PC files are not visible), you can hide not only folders, but also applications.

❌ Cons: requires switching between profiles, takes up extra space on the phone.

Built-in MIUI (Gallery, Second Space)

Third-party applications (Hide It Pro, Calculator Vault)

Rename folders (point at the beginning of the name)

Don't hide files.

Another way.-->

4. Third-party applications for hiding folders

If the built-in MIUI features aren't enough, you can use specialized applications, which offer advanced options: encryption, imitation of other programs (for example, a calculator), cloud backup.

Top.-3 Proven applications for Xiaomi:

• 🔒 Hide It Pro (Audio Manager) – masquerades as an audio manager, supports encryption and password protection.
• 📁 Calculator Vault – looks like a calculator, but opens hidden storage after entering the code.
• 🔐 AppLock – blocks access to folders and applications by fingerprint or pattern lock.

How to hide the folder through Hide It Pro:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and come up with a master password.
3. Click Import → select a folder or files.
4. Confirm the transfer – the original files will be deleted from the previous place and stored in an encrypted storage.

⚠️ Note: When you delete a third-party application (such as Hide It Pro), all files hidden through it will be irretrievably lost unless you make a backup.

5. Hiding folders via.nomedia (for power users)

The.nomedia file is a special marker that tells the Android system not to scan the folder for media, and it is often used to exclude folders from display in the Gallery or music players.

How to create.nomedia:

1. Open the File Manager and go to the folder you want to hide.
2. Click Create a file (or New → File).
3. Enter the file name:.nomedia (the point at the beginning is mandatory!).
4. Save the file – the folder will disappear from the Gallery and most media applications.

⚠️ Important: This method doesn't hide the folder completely - it will remain visible in the file manager and will be accessible through direct links. It is only suitable for eliminating media from automatic scanning.

Where.nomedia doesn't work:

• 📂 Google Photos (ignores this file and scans everything).
• 🔍 When searching through MIUI Search (folder will be displayed in the results).
• 🖥️ When connecting the phone to the PC (folder is visible in the MTP-mode).

💡

If you want to hide a folder from a particular application (like Google Photos), use a combination of methods: rename the folder (add a dot) + create a.nomedia file inside it, which will increase the chances that the files will not be scanned.

6. Advanced methods: encryption and root access

For maximum privacy, you can encrypt a folder or move it to a secure area of the system, which requires root rights or additional knowledge, but provides the highest level of protection.

Ways for Advanced Users:

• 🔐 Cryptomator encryption creates an encrypted container that mounts like a virtual disk. FUSE for Android.
• 📱 Transfer to /data/system — You can move files there through Root Explorer.
• 🔧 Use of the ADB — Adb shell mv /sdcard/folder /data/local/tmp/ Transfer the folder to an area inaccessible to ordinary users.

⚠️ Risks:

💡

If you want a 100% privacy guarantee, combine several methods: for example, transfer the folder to Second Space, then archive it with a password (via 7-Zip or RAR), and delete the original, so even if you hack your phone, an attacker will not be able to quickly access the files.

7. How to Get Hidden Folders Back

If you hid the folder in one of the ways described and can’t find it now, use these instructions:

For folders hidden through a point (.):

1. Open File Manager.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right → Settings → turn on Show hidden files.
3. Find the folder (its name will start with a dot) and rename it by removing the dot.

For folders in Second Space:

1. Switch to Second Space via the notification panel.
2. Find the files you want and move them back to the main space through File Manager.

For files hidden through third-party applications:

1. Open the app (such as Hide It Pro).
2. Enter the password and export the files back to the main memory.

⚠️ Note: If you delete an application that has been hiding files (such as Calculator Vault), you can’t recover data without a backup, in which case you can try to find backups in the cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) or on your PC.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding folders on Xiaomi