How to hide a folder on Xiaomi Redmi 8: from standard settings to hidden tricks

Xiaomi Redmi 8 remains a popular budget smartphone, but its owners often face the need to hide personal files from prying eyes. Unlike the flagship models with MIUI 14+, there is no built-in “Private Storage”, but there are at least 5 working ways to hide the folder – from standard tools to little-known tricks with.nomedia and encryption. In this article, we will analyze each method with the features of Redmi 8 (codename olive), where there is no NFC and there are performance restrictions.

It is important to understand: hiding a folder ≠ If an attacker gains physical access to the phone, some methods (such as renaming) will not save you from viewing through the Internet. ADB But for most scenarios, hiding photos from children, hiding work papers from colleagues, or removing unnecessary screenshots from the gallery, the solutions that are proposed will be sufficient.

1. Hiding a folder through the built-in MIUI file manager

The easiest way to do this is to not need to install third-party applications. MIUI 10-12 (current for Redmi 8) folder hiding function implemented through the standard "Conductor" (com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer). SD-This method won't work.

Instructions:

• 📁 Open the Explorer app (the folder icon on the desktop).
• 🔍 Find the folder you want to hide and make a long click on its icon.
• 🔒 In the menu that appears, select More → Hide (on some firmware, the item may be called Hidden Files).
• 🔄 Confirm action. The folder will disappear from the main view, but will remain accessible through the filter Hidden in the Explorer menu.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Doesn't work for folders on SD-map (MIUI Blocks the change of external storage attributes).
• ❌ Hidden folders are visible in other file managers (e.g. Total Commander or other file managers). FX File Explorer).
• ❌ After resetting (Factory Reset) hidden folders become visible.

💡

If the hidden folder reappears after the MIUI update, repeat the hide procedure – sometimes system updates reset file attributes.

2.Use of.nomedia file to hide from gallery

The.nomedia method doesn't hide the folder completely, but it does exclude its content from the Android media scanner, which means that the photos and videos from the folder will not be displayed in the Gallery, Google Photos and other applications that scan media files. MIUI 11 on the Redmi 8.

How to create.nomedia:

1. Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the folder that you need to hide from the gallery.
3. Create a new text file: touch.nomedia Or manually: click Create → File and call it.nomedia (dot at the beginning is mandatory!).
4. Restart your phone or manually update your media base through Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear the data.

Important nuances:

• 🔄 The.nomedia file should be empty – any content can cause scanning errors.
• 📁 The method doesn't hide the folder itself, but only the contents of the folder from the media applications.
• 🔄 If you delete.nomedia, the files will reappear in the gallery after the reboot.

3. Encrypting folder with the help of the archiver (ZIP with password)

If you need to not only hide files, but also password-protect them, the best way is to pack a folder into a ZIP or RAR archive with encryption, which is reliable because without a password, you can't extract files (with the right encryption algorithm). Redmi 8 will do this with RAR for Android or ZArchiver.

Step-by-step:

• 📦 Install ZArchiver from Google Play.
• 🔍 Open the application and find the folder you want to archive.
• 🔒 Highlight it with a long press, then click Add to the archive.
• 🔐 In the archive settings, select: 📌 Format: ZIP (or 7z stronger-encrypted). 🔑 Encryption method: AES-256 (maximum protection). 🔑 Set a password (at least 12 characters with numbers and special characters).
• 🗑️ After creating the archive, delete the original folder (it can only be restored from the archive with a password).

Important: If you forget your password, file recovery will be impossible, even through Xiaomi service centers. Store your password in a safe place (for example, in KeePassDX).

Built-in conductor MIUI|File.nomedia|Password archive|Third-party applications (for example, Hide It Pro)|Don't hide files.-->

4. Hiding folders through third-party applications

If the built-in methods do not work, you can use specialized applications to hide files. For Xiaomi Redmi 8, we recommend:

• 🔐 Hide It Pro (Audio Manager) – masquerades as an audio player, supports PIN-code.
• 🗃️ AppLock & GalleryVault – hides files and blocks access to applications.
• 📁 Calculator Vault – simulates a calculator, inside which the storage is hidden.

Example of Hide It Pro setup:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. At the first launch, install PIN-code (minimum 6 digits).
3. Click + → Import and select folders to hide.
4. In the settings, turn on Stealth Mode – the app icon will disappear from the menu (access only through dialing *#1234# in the phone).

⚠️ Note: Some file hiding applications (e.g. GalleryVault) may conflict with MIUI Optimization is a system process that closes the background tasks. If hidden files disappear after a reboot, add the application to the battery exceptions: Settings → Battery → Choice of applications → No restrictions.

Installed PIN-code-in|Hidden files are not displayed in the gallery|Appendix added to battery exceptions|Created a backup of important files-->

5. Direct Hiding Through ADB (For Power Users)

If you are ready to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), You can hide the folder at the file system level. This method requires you to connect to the PC and enable debugging. USB, It's a great way to control the Redmi 8 on any version. MIUI.

Instructions:

1. Enable Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect Redmi 8 to your PC and open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS).
4. Enter the commands: adb shell su chmod 000 /sdcard/Names (replace names with real names).
5. Reboot your phone. The folder will be invisible to all applications except root managers.

To reclaim access:

adb shell


su




chmod 755 /sdcard/NameFolders

⚠️ Note: Incorrect use of chmod can result in loss of access to ALL files on the device. If you are not sure about commands, use more secure methods (for example, archiving with a password.

6.Alternative methods: cloud storage and "Private mode"

If you need to not just hide files from your phone, but completely remove them from your phone, consider the options:

• ☁️ Cloud Storage with Encryption: 🔒 Cryptomator + Google Drive: Creates an encrypted container in the cloud. 🔒 Proton Drive – Swiss storage with end-to-end encryption.
• 📱 "Private regime in MIUI (Not available on all firmware: Go to Settings → Special facilities → Private mode: Activate the function and add files to secure storage, access to files only after you enter the password.

The advantages of cloud solutions:

• ✅ Files are not physically stored on the phone – they can’t be extracted even through the phone. ADB.
• ✅ Access from any device (PC, tablet).
• ✅ Automatic backup.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Internet is required for access.
• ❌ Free rates are limited in volume (usually 5-15 GB).

💡

For maximum security, combine methods: for example, archive a folder with a password, and then upload the archive to an encrypted cloud (Cryptomator + Google Drive).

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding folders on Xiaomi Redmi 8