How to Create a Folder on Xiaomi Mi 9: 5 Ways + Problem Solving

Creating folders on Xiaomi Mi 9 — It's a basic operation that every user faces, but even this simple task can raise questions about where to look for the right options in the Internet. MIUI, How to properly organize files on internal memory or SD-This is a map, and why sometimes the system doesn't let you create a folder in certain directories. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways to create folders on Mi. 9 (including versions MIUI 12/14), We also reveal the nuances of working with the file system of the smartphone, which are rarely mentioned in standard instructions.

Xiaomi Mi 9 features a hybrid firmware that combines Android 9/10 elements (depending on the software version) and the proprietary MIUI shell. This means that some features may differ from “pure” Android. For example, the Mi 9 defaults to Xiaomi File Explorer, which has a stripped-down functionality compared to Google Files or Solid Explorer. We will show you how to circumvent these restrictions and use the hidden capabilities of the device.

1. Create a folder through a standard MIUI conductor

The most obvious way is to use the built-in Files app, which is suitable for most tasks, but has limitations: for example, you can't create a folder in the root directory /storage/emulated/0/ without root permissions.

1. Open the Files app (if it is not on the desktop, search through the system search).
2. Go to Device or Internal Memory (depending on the MIUI version).
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Create a folder (or tap on the icon + at the bottom of the screen).
4. Enter the folder name in Latin or Cyrillic (avoid special characters like /, \,:, *,?, ", <, >, | - they are prohibited in Android).

If the option to Create a folder is inactive, check:

• 🔹 Access rights: go to Settings → Annexes → Files. → Permits and turn on Warehouse.
• 🔹 Energy saving regime: in MIUI It can block background processes. Turn it off for the Files app.
• 🔹 Limitations MIUI: In some regional versions of the firmware, the ability to create folders in root directories is disabled (for example, DCIM or downloads).

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If you want to create a folder in a protected directory (for example, Android/data/), Use a file manager with root access or ADB-More information in the section on alternative methods.

2. Quickly create a folder on the desktop

On the Xiaomi Mi 9, you can create folders right on the home screen to group applications, a method that is not related to the file system, but is useful for organizing the interface:

1. Hold your finger on any application on your desktop and drag it to another.
2. Release your finger – the system will automatically create a folder with the name Folder without a name.
3. Slip on the folder name to rename it (maximum 12 characters).

Features of this method:

• 📱 Desktop folders don’t appear in the Explorer – they only exist in the launcher. MIUI.
• 🔄 If you reset the launcher settings (Settings) → Desktop → Reset, all folders will disappear.
• 🔒 Up to 16 applications can be added to the folder (in newer versions). MIUI 14 limit increased to 24).

3. Alternative file managers: more features

For advanced operations (creating folders in system directories, working with access rights), it is better to use third-party applications:

Example of folder creation via Solid Explorer:

1. Open the application and give access to the storage.
2. Go to the appropriate directory (e.g. /storage/emulated/0/Music/).
3. Slip on the + icon in the bottom menu and select Folder.
4. Type in the name and press OK.

4. Create folders through ADB (for advanced users)

If you need to create a folder in a protected system directory (for example, /data/local/tmp/), can be used ADB-This method requires the connection of Mi. 9 to the computer and Android installation SDK Platform-Tools.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to unlock Developer Settings), then go back to Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging on USB.
2. Connect the Mi 9 to your PC and open the command line (Win + R → cmd).
3. Check the connection command: Adb devices must display the serial number of the device.
4. Create a folder by command (example for /sdcard/): adb shell mkdir /sdcard/NewFolder

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB It gives you low-level access to the system. It's misused (e.g., rm). -rf /) This can cause a complete reset or failure of the device. Always check the paths before performing.

Important: On the Mi 9s MIUI 12+ some ADB-Teams are blocked by Xiaomi's security policies, and to circumvent restrictions, you need to disable signature verification. MIUI (Instructions: Xiaomi.EU).

5. Work with folders on SD-map

Xiaomi Mi 9 supports microSD cards up to 256 GB (format) FAT32 or exFAT. However, when you create folders on SD-map is nuanced:

• 📁 Formatting: If the card is formatted as internal memory (via Settings) → Warehouse → Memory map, folders are created in the same way as on the internal drive.
• 🔐 Access Rights: Applications must be separately authorized to write to SD-map (in Android 10)+ This is done through settings. → Annexes → Permits → Warehouse).
• ⚡ Performance: Speed of folder creation on microSD class A1 It can be 2-3 times lower than internal memory (tests on Mi 9 show that the memory is not in the same range). ~10 MB/s versus ~30 MB/s).

To create a folder on SD-map:

1. Insert the card into the slot (on the Mi 9 it is located on the left, combined with the tray for SIM).
2. Open the files. → Memory map.
3. Click + → Folder and enter the name. If the option is inactive, format the card as internal memory (data will be deleted!).

Check compatibility (max. 256 GB)|Format in FAT32/exFAT|Insert the slot before clicking.|Grant rights to applications|-->

6. Solving problems when creating folders

If Xiaomi Mi 9 does not allow you to create a folder, the reasons may be as follows:

If you don’t have a folder created in DCIM or Pictures, try:

1. Restart the device (sometimes resetting the Media Storage cache helps).
2. Check the free space: the Mi 9 should have at least 500 MB for stable file system operation.
3. Update the firmware: Older versions of MIUI 10 had bugs with folder permissions.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI missing photo files, check the catalogue /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/. In new firmware versions, Xiaomi automatically transfers media files there to optimize the operation of the gallery.

7. Optimization of folder structure on Mi 9

The right file organization on Xiaomi Mi 9 not only makes navigation easier, but also speeds up the system.

• 📂 Multimedia: Divide into Photos, Videos, Music. Avoid storing files root DCIM — This can slow down the gallery.
• 📄 Documents: Create folders for projects (for example, Work/2026_Projects) Use the Mi Cloud cloud for backups.
• 🎮 Games: Folders with saves (Android/obb) Don’t touch them – moving them will cause the game to crash.
• 🔧 System Files: Do not create folders in Android/data/ — This can disrupt the application.

Example of optimal structure:

/storage/emulated/0/


├── Documents/




│   ├── Work/




│   └── Personal/




├── Media/




│   ├── Photos/




│   ├── Videos/




│   └── Music/




├── Downloads/




│   ├── APK/




│   └── Temp/




└── Backups/

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Use short folder names in Latin – this speeds up the indexing of files by the system and reduces the risk of errors when transferring to other devices.

Frequently asked questions