How to Create a Folder on Xiaomi: 5 Proven Ways to Create a MIUI 12-14

Creating folders on Xiaomi smartphones is a seemingly elementary task, but many users are faced with the nuances of the MIUI interface. Depending on the shell version (12, 13 or 14) and the phone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T), the ways of organizing files may differ. This article covers all the current methods, from creating folders on the desktop to working with the file manager and the Mi Cloud storage.

We'll look at not only the basics, but also the little-knowns: how to hide folders from prying eyes, why sometimes you can't rename a folder, and what to do if the system doesn't save changes, and we'll focus on the differences between the global (stable) and Chinese versions of firmware, which affect the availability of certain features.

1. Creating a folder on the desktop (MIUI launcher)

The fastest way to organize apps is to group them into folders right on the home screen, a method that works on all Xiaomi models, including Redmi and POCO, regardless of the MIUI version.

Instructions:

• 📱 Press and hold your finger on any app you want to add to your folder. 1-2 It will "rise" above the screen.
• 📂 Drag it to another application – a folder called “New folder” (or “Folder” in English localization) will automatically appear).
• ✏️ Tap the folder name to rename it (for example, in "Social Network" or "Games").
• ➕ To add more apps, just drag them into the folder you created.

Important: MIUI 14 introduced a feature of smart folders that automatically sort applications into categories (e.g., Work, Entertainment) to activate it:

1. Click the empty space on the desktop → select Screen Settings.
2. Go to Smart Grouping and turn on the switch.

💡

If a folder accidentally deleted, don't panic: apps don't disappear from it, they go back to the desktop. They can be grouped again.

2.Working with folders in the MIUI file manager

To manage documents, photos and downloads, a standard File Manager (Files by Google or built-in) is used. MI File Manager. You can create folders in any directory, including Internal Memory and SD-map.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Files app (Blue folder icon).
2. Go to the section where you want to create a folder (for example, Downloads or Documents).
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner → select Create a folder (or New folder).
4. Enter the title (e.g., Work Papers 2026) and click OK.

Features:

• 🔒 In a file. MIUI (system) you can not create new directories - this can disrupt the operation of the phone.
• 📁 Folders on. SD-Maps may not appear in some apps (such as Google Photos) due to Android 11 limitations+.
• 🔄 If the folder does not appear, update the File Manager via Play Market or App Gallery.

3. Hidden folders: how to create and where they are stored

MIUI has a built-in folder hiding feature, but it only works for personal files (photos, videos, documents). System folders can't be hidden - this is a security limitation of Android.

How to hide the folder:

1. Open the files. → Find the folder you want to hide.
2. Press and hold it → select Rename.
3. Add a point to the beginning of the title (for example,.Secret photos).
4. The folder will disappear from the general list, but will remain available through search or manually on the path /storage/emulated/0/.

Alternative method (for MIUI 13/14):

• 🔐 Use the built-in storage Private files:
• 📌 Here you can create a secure folder with a password or fingerprint.

4. folders in the Mi Cloud: synchronization and access

If you use Mi Cloud, you can create folders right in it and sync them between devices, which is convenient for backing up or accessing files from a PC.

Instructions:

• ☁️ Open the Mi Cloud app (or go through Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud).
• 📁 Select the Files section → press + lower-right.
• 🏷️ Enter the folder name (such as Backups) and click Create.
• 🔄 To upload files to the folder, click Download and select the desired documents.

Limitations:

💡

Mi Cloud automatically creates a Camera folder for photos from your phone, but it can be renamed or disabled in the application settings.

5. Problems in creating folders and their solutions

Sometimes users encounter folder errors, and here are the most common cases and ways to fix them:

Problem 1: The folder is not created in the file manager.

• 🔄 Solution: Check access rights. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Files. → Rights and enable access to storage.
• 📱 If used SD-map, reconnect it or format it (data will be deleted!).

Problem 2: The folder disappears after the reboot.

⚠️ Note: This is typical for Chinese firmware MIUI Install a global version or use alternative file managers (e.g. Solid Explorer).

Problem 3: You can’t rename the folder to SD-map.

• 🛠️ Solution: Android 11+ Restricts the write to external drives. Copy the folder into internal memory, rename it, and then return it back.

Make sure your phone has enough memory | Check access rights for Files | Turn off power saving mode (it can block background processes) | Update MIUI to the latest version-->

6. Alternative methods: third-party applications

If standard MIUI tools don't work, you can use third-party file managers, which offer advanced features such as:

• 🔍 Solid Explorer: dual-panel interface, support FTP/Cloud, file-encryption.
• 📦 FX File Explorer: built-in archiver, access to root folders (root).
• 🔐 File Manager +: slip-up PIN-code, storage analysis.

How to create a folder in Solid Explorer:

1. Open the app and select a section (e.g. Internal Storage).
2. Click on the + icon in the lower menu → Folder.
3. Enter the name and click Create.

Advantages of third-party managers:

• 🔄 Support for root access (for rooted devices).
• 🌐 Sync with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive.
• 📊 Built-in tools for cleaning cache and duplicates.

⚠️ Note: When using root access (superuser), you can accidentally delete system folders, which will lead to the inability to boot the phone. Always back up before changing files to the system. /system or /vendor.

FAQ: Frequent questions about folders on Xiaomi