Hidden albums on Xiaomi smartphones are not just a privacy feature, but a real “go-ahead” for those who value personal space. Whether you want to hide family photos from prying eyes, keep working documents safe or just organize the chaos in the gallery – hidden folders in MIUI solve this problem. But how to create them if the standard settings do not have an obvious “Hide” button?
In this article, we'll break down three working methods: through the built-in Xiaomi Gallery, the MIUI Hidden Folder system tool, and third-party applications for advanced users. Each method has its own nuances, from file format restrictions to the level of protection. For example, did you know that hidden albums in MIUI 14 are automatically encrypted, and in MIUI 12 they can be found through a file manager?
Important: If you use MIUI-based POCO or Redmi, the instructions will work for you too, only the menu names differ, and owners of HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14 or POCO F6) should pay attention to some recommendations at the end of the article.
1.Hidden album through the standard Xiaomi Gallery
The easiest way is to use the built-in Xiaomi Gallery, which supports hidden albums on all devices with MIUI 10 and later, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Pro and flagship models, the main advantage of the method is that you do not need to install additional applications.
How does it work? Files are not deleted, they're simply excluded from the gallery stream, and you can only view them through a special section that is password-protected or fingerprint-protected, but there's a caveat: files hidden through the Gallery remain accessible through any file manager (like Files by Google or Mi File Manager) if you know the path to the folder.
- 📁 Step 1. Open the Gallery app and select the photos/video you want to hide (click and hold your finger on the file to highlight).
- 🔒 Step 2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Hide (or Hide in English version).
- 🔑 Step 3: Set a password or use a biometric (footprint/face) if the password is not set, the system will prompt you to create it.
- 🔍 Step 4: To view hidden files, go to Albums → Hidden and enter the password.
⚠️ Warning: If you reset your phone to factory settings, hidden albums in the Gallery will be deleted without recovery!
Make sure that your files are not synced to Google Photos
Password for a hidden album is different from screen locking
File Managers have disabled the option "Show hidden files"
Backup of important data on PC or cloud
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MIUI Hidden Folder: a system tool for hidden files
MIUI Hidden Folder is a built-in storage for sensitive data that works at the system level. Unlike the Gallery, it encrypts files and makes them inaccessible even through file managers (unless you know the exact path), the feature is available on devices with MIUI 12.5 and later, including Xiaomi 13T, Redmi K60 and POCO F5.
Advantages of the method:
- 🔐 Files are encrypted using AES-256 (the same standard as in banking applications).
- 📂 Supported any format: photos, videos, documents, archives.
- 🔄 Synchronization with Mi Cloud (optional).
How to activate Hidden Folder:
- Go to Settings → Privacy → Hidden Folder
- Click Enable and set a password (minimum 6 characters).
- Return to Settings → Privacy and select Add Files to Hidden Folder.
- Select the desired files through the file manager and confirm the transfer.
| Parameter | Xiaomi Gallery | MIUI Hidden Folder |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption of files | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes (AES-256) |
| Access through the file manager | ✅ Yes, if you know the way) | ❌ No (no password) |
| Support for formats | Photo/video only | Any files. |
| Synchronization with Mi Cloud | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes (optional) |
⚠️ Note: If you forget the Hidden Folder password, it will be impossible to restore access to files - even through the Xiaomi service center!
Standard Gallery Xiaomi
MIUI Hidden Folder
Third-party applications (such as KeepSafe)
Archiving password files
Don't hide files.
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3. Third-party apps for hidden albums
If the built-in MIUI tools aren't enough, you can use third-party apps, which offer advanced features: false passwords, calculator masking, metadata deletion, and even self-destruct files after several failed password attempts.
Top.-3 Proven applications for Xiaomi:
- 🛡️ KeepSafe – Supports biometrics, cloud backup and “guest mode” (false album).
- 🔐 GalleryVault – masquerades as a standard gallery, there is a “panic button” function (quick hiding of the application).
- 📁 Hide Something – allows you to hide not only media files, but also applications, SMS, call-up.
How to set up KeepSafe on Xiaomi:
- Download the app from Google Play (or via APKMirror if it is blocked in your area).
- At the first launch, install PIN-code.
- Click + and select the files to import. The application will prompt you to delete the originals (optional).
- In the settings, activate Steganography - this will allow you to hide files inside other images (for example, hide a photo inside an innocuous picture of a cat).
How to get around the APK installation lock on Xiaomi?
Warning: Some applications (e.g. GalleryVault) may conflict with MIUI Optimization, a system process that closes background tasks. To avoid loss of access, add the app to Settings → Battery → Battery → Battery Optimization → All apps and select Unlimited.
4.Where hidden files are stored on Xiaomi: technical details
If you want to manually manage hidden files (e.g., via ADB or Root), it is important to know where they are in the file system.
- 📂 Xiaomi Gallery: Files are moved to the /storage/emulated/0/.Hide (folder is hidden, but is accessible through a file manager with Root rights).
- 🔐 MIUI Hidden Folder: Files are encrypted and stored in the /data/system/users/0/hidden_folder (access only through a Root or Root or ADB).
- 🛡️ Third-party applications: usually create their folders in /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/[package_name].
To see the hidden folders in Mi File Manager:
- Open the file manager.
- Select three points → Settings → Show hidden files.
- Go to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and find the.Hide or.nomedia folder.
adb shell mv /sdcard/DCIM/photo.jpg /sdcard/.Hide/But remember: this violates the integrity of the MIUI media base, and files may disappear from the gallery even after returning to the site.
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For advanced users: If you want to completely remove traces of hidden files, use the command:
adb shell rm -rf /storage/emulated/0/.Hide/*But be careful – this will irretrievably delete all the files hidden through the Gallery!
5 How to Restore Access to Hidden Albums After Resetting
One of the most common problems is losing access to hidden files after a hard reset or MIUI update. Unfortunately, in most cases, it is impossible to restore them, but there are several ways to minimize the risks:
- 🔄 Backup: Before reset, copy the.Hide folder to your PC or cloud. After reset, return it to its place and restart the phone.
- 🔑 Exporting Passwords: If You Use MIUI Hidden Folder, write your password to a secure location (for example, in KeePass or Bitwarden).
- 📱 Sync with Mi Cloud: Hidden Folder can enable backup (but only for files, not passwords!).
If the files are missing after the MIUI update:
- Check the /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/HiddenFolder/backup folder, and sometimes the system backs up.
- Use DiskDigger or Recuva to scan internal memory (Root required).
- Contact Xiaomi for support with the phone model and MIUI version – in rare cases, they can help with metadata recovery.
⚠️ Note: Do not use data recovery software (such as Dr.Fone) on phones with a mobile phone. MIUI 14+ — They can damage the section. /data Because of the modified file system F2FS.
6. Hidden Albums on Xiaomi with HyperOS: What Has Changed
In 2026, Xiaomi began the transition to the new HyperOS firmware, which replaced MIUI on flagship models (Xiaomi 14, 14 Pro, 14 Ultra).
- 🆕 New menu: The path to hidden albums is now Gallery → Profile → Hidden Albums (Instead of Albums) → Hidden).
- 🔐 HyperOS uses File-Based Encryption (FBE), This makes files inaccessible even through TWRP.
- 📱 Mi Account integration: You can now link hidden albums to your Xiaomi account for recovery after a reset (optional).
How to hide files in HyperOS:
- Open the gallery and select the files you need.
- Put it on the icon. ⋮ → Hide.
- Choose Hide with HyperOS (instead of the standard method).
- Confirm the action with a fingerprint or PIN-code.
Important: Hidden files are not displayed in file managers, even with Root rights, in HyperOS, due to the new Scoped Storage data isolation mechanism.
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