How to create a folder for photos on Xiaomi: 5 working ways + tips for organizing

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi and POCO lines) offer several ways to organize photos, but not all users know how to properly create folders for easy sorting. Without structured storage, photos quickly turn into chaos: hundreds of files in a shared gallery, duplicates, lost memories. This article will help you understand how to create a folder for photos on Xiaomi in various ways, from standard MIUI tools to third-party applications.

We're going to look at the basics, but also the nuances: why folders sometimes don't show up in the gallery, how to move photos there, and what apps will help you automate your sorting. We're going to focus on the differences between models with MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, and we're going to give you backup tips. If you're tired of looking for photos among thousands of files, this is the guide for you.

Why Xiaomi can’t create a folder for photos in standard ways

Many users find that the folder option in the Xiaomi gallery is simply not available, and the reason lies in the MIUI architecture: by default, the system uses virtual albums that are not tied to the real file structure.

• 📁 Folders in the Gallery are tags, not physical directories in the phone’s memory.
• 🔍 The files are still stored in /DCIM/Camera/ or /Pictures/, albumless.
• 🔄 When the album is removed from the gallery, the photos themselves remain in place.

To create a real folder, you need to work directly with the file system through Explorer or third-party applications, except for the model with MIUI 15, where you have the option to create physical folders directly in the gallery (but only for selected regions).

Another common problem is hidden folders, such as images from messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) are automatically saved to /Pictures/, but not always displayed in the main gallery, the solution is to enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings.

Method 1: Create a folder through a standard MIUI Explorer

The most reliable method is to use the built-in Explorer (Files app), which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and other models.

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to internal memory: press Device → Internal storage.
3. Open the DCIM folder (for camera photos) or Pictures (for uploaded images).
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Create a folder.
5. Enter the title (e.g., Vacation 2026) and press OK.

Now you can move the photo to a new folder.

• 📷 Select the desired files with a long press.
• 📋 Click Move (or Copy).
• 📂 Select the folder created and confirm the action.

Important: If you are using SD-map, create folders in /storage/{ID_map}/DCIM/. Otherwise, the gallery may not see new files.

Method 2: Use of MIUI Gallery (for MIUI 15 and later)

The latest versions of MIUI 15 (starting with the Xiaomi 13, Redmi K60 and other flagships from 2023-2026) have the ability to create physical folders right in the gallery. This is convenient if you don't want to use a conductor.

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Go to the Albums section (bottom of the screen).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Create an album.
4. Choose Create a folder (not to be confused with Create an album – it’s a virtual band!).
5. Enter the name and path (e.g. /DCIM/Vacation).
6. Press Ready.

And then the folder will appear in the conductor and the gallery, but there are limitations to the method.

On models older than 2022 (MIUI 13 and below), this method does not work – use Explorer or third-party applications.

Method 3: Create folders through Google Photos (automatic sorting)

If you use Google Photos, you can organize photos without manually moving them, and the service automatically groups the images into:

• 📅 Dates (by year/months).
• 👤 Humans (facial recognition).
• 🏝️ Mestam (geotege).
• 🎉 Events (travel, holidays).

To make a hand-held album:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Select a photo by holding your finger on one of them.
3. Click Add Add to → Make an album.
4. Give me a name and save it.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 Synchronization between devices.
• 📱 Access to PC via photos.google.com.
• 🔍 Strong keyword search (e.g., “beach 2023").

⚠️ Attention: Albums in Google Photos are tags, not physical folders. When you delete an album from the app, photos remain in the cloud and on the device. To make room, you need to manually delete files from the Xiaomi Gallery.

Method 4: Third-party file managers (for advanced users)

If standard MIUI Explorer seems inconvenient, try alternative file managers, which offer more features for working with folders:

Instructions for Solid Explorer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Give access to memory (Settings → Permissions).
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.
4. Click + → folder in the lower menu.
5. Enter the title (e.g. Documents scans) and save.

Tip: Solid Explorer allows you to set up quick access to frequently used folders, and drag the folder to the Favorites panel in the side menu.

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If the folder doesn’t show up in the gallery after you’ve created it, reboot your phone or use the Media Update app from Google Play to force you to scan new files.

Method 5: Automatic sorting with hoster applications

For those who don't want to manually move thousands of photos, there are host apps that analyze the metadata of the images (date, location, faces) and distribute them automatically to folders.

• 📊 Photo Organizer: sorting by dates, events, color tags.
• 🤖 Auto Photo Sorter: Creates folders by templates (e.g, 2026/05_May/).
• 🔍 Gallery Doctor: Finds duplicates and empty folders.

Example of Auto Photo Sorter settings:

1. Install the application and give access to the memory.
2. Select the source (for example, /DCIM/Camera/).
3. Set the rule of sorting: Year/month name (e.g., name: 2026/05_Holiday Sochi/)
4. Press Start and wait until it is completed.

⚠️ Note: Before automatically sorting, back up your photo! Some applications may move files incorrectly if the metadata is in error (e.g. no shooting date).

Frequent mistakes and how to fix them

Even after folders are created, users face problems, and here are the most common solutions.

If the folder is created, but the photos in it are not displayed:

1. Make sure that the files have the correct extension (.jpg,.png).
2. Check if they are hidden (in the Explorer, turn on the display of hidden files).
3. Update your media database through the Media Rescan app.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

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For long-term storage of photos, use the rule "3-2-1": 3 copies (phone + cloud + external drive), 2 types of media (SSD + cloud), 1 copy outside the home (for example, in the cloud or bank box).