Why Redmi Smart Albums Are Irritating to Users – and Can They Be Deleted Forever?
Smart albums in the Xiaomi Redmi Gallery are automatically generated folders with photos that the system groups by date, place, event or even person. On paper, it sounds convenient: you do not need to manually sort thousands of pictures. But in practice, many users find that these albums clutter the interface, duplicate files and prevent quick search of the desired photos. Especially annoying when smart albums appear even after they are “deleted” – they simply recover on the next scan of the gallery.
Complicating the problem is that MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) does not provide a direct “Deactivate Smart Albums Forever” button. At best, you can hide them from view, but they continue to take up space in memory and are processed by the system in the background. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways, from basic settings to radical methods using ADB and third-party applications. Importantly, the effectiveness of each method depends on the version of MIUI and the Redmi model (for example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Redmi 10A settings may differ).
If you're willing to sacrifice some of the functionality of the gallery for the sake of clean interface, read on. We'll also reveal the hidden trick of rolling back the version of the Gallery app, which works even on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15.
Method 1: Hiding smart albums through gallery settings (without root)
The easiest and safest way to do this is to hide smart albums from view without physically deleting them, and it won't free up memory, but at least it will clean up the interface. MIUI 12–15:
- Open the Gallery app (an icon with a flower on a blue background).
- Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select Settings.
- Go to Albums or Album Management (name depends on version).
- Find the Smart Album option and turn off the slider.
- In some versions of MIUI, you need to additionally click Hide next to each type of smart album (for example, Screenshots, Downloads, Video).
⚠️ Note: After updating the gallery through Google Play, the settings may reset. To avoid this, prevent the app from auto-updating in the Play Store settings.
Backup of important photos|Check the version. MIUI at the Settings → The phone.|Disable Auto-Update Gallery|Reboot your phone after the changes-->
If you don't have a Smart Album option in your settings, your version of MIUI uses a different mechanism.
- In the gallery, swipe to the right to open the side menu.
- Slip on the albums. → Management.
- Take off the boxes from unnecessary smart categories.
Method 2: Reverse the Gallery app (powered by MIUI 13-15)
In MIUI 13 and later, Xiaomi simplified the gallery interface, but also made smart albums undeleteable through standard settings. But there's a lifehack: a rollback to an older version of the app where it was still disabled. Here's how to do it:
- Remove updates for the Gallery app: Go to Settings → Apps → Application Management. Find Gallery → tap three dots → Remove updates.
- Open Google Play, search for Gallery.
- Slip on three points → uncheck the checkmark with Auto Update.
- Reboot the phone.
After the rollback in the gallery will appear the old version of the interface, where you can:
- 📁 Completely disable smart albums in settings.
- 🔍 Hide specific categories (e.g., “Screenshots” or “Documents").
- 🚫 Block the creation of new smart folders.
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If the gallery is unstable after rolling back, clear its cache in Settings → Apps → Gallery → Memory → Clear the cache.
⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) K50) A rollback can cause a loss of facial recognition in a photo. If it's critical, use the following method.
Method 3: Using ADB for deep shutdown (for advanced)
If standard methods don't work and you don't want to get root rights, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which works on 90 percent of Redmi models, but requires a PC connection.
- 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
- 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
- 📱 Included debugging by USB phone-on.
Steps:
- Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times)
- Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
- Connect Redmi to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.
- Download ADB Tools and unpack.
- Open the command line in the folder with ADB and type: adb shell pm hide com.miui.gallery Then: adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job
These commands will hide the gallery's system app, but they won't delete it.
adb shell pm unhide com.miui.galleryWhat if the ADB can’t see the device?
⚠️ Attention: After application ADB-Install an alternative (e.g. Google Photos or Simple Gallery) before executing the commands!
Method 4: Install a third-party gallery (radical solution)
If you are happy with the loss of functions MIUI-gallery (e.g., photo editing with Xiaomi effects), you can completely switch to a third-party app:
| Annex | Pluses | Cons | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Photo | Automatic backup, search for content photos, no smart albums | Requires a Google account, free storage restriction | Play Market |
| Simple Gallery | Lightweight, no ads, supports hidden folders | No cloud backup, simple editor | Play Market |
| A+ Gallery | RAW support, photo tagging, no unnecessary albums | The interface may seem overloaded. | Play Market |
To make a third-party gallery the default app:
- Install the selected application from the Play Store.
- Go to Settings → Applications → By default → Gallery.
- Select a new application.
- Turn off notifications from the standard MIUI gallery (so as not to interfere).
🔹 Important: After installing a third-party gallery, do not remove the standard one - this can cause failures in the camera and other system functions.
Standard. MIUI|Google Photo|Simple Gallery|A+ Gallery|other-->
Method 5: Root access and deletion of system files (for experts)
If you're willing to go to extreme lengths and have root rights, you can physically delete the files that are responsible for the smart albums. This method is irreversible and can lead to unstable phone performance if you do something wrong. Use it at your own risk!
Procedure:
- Get root access using Magisk or TWRP (instructions depend on the Redmi model).
- Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
- Go to /system/priv-app/MiuiGallery or (for newer MIUI versions): /system/product/priv-app/MiuiGallery
- Delete or rename the files: MiuiGallery.apk and MiuiGallery.odex (if any).
- Reboot the phone.
⚠️ Warning: After that, the standard gallery will stop working. Install an alternative gallery in advance:
- 📸 Quick editing of photos from the system menu "Share".
- 🎞️ Creating a video from photos in the app "Camera".
- 🔒 Hidden albums (if you used this feature).
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Deleting gallery system files can disrupt other Xiaomi applications, such as Camera or Security. Always back up before you do this!
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When trying to remove smart albums, users often face typical problems. Here's how to solve them:
- 🔄 Smart albums return after reboot: This means the gallery has updated in the background.Ban auto-update in the Play Store and roll back the app version (see Method 2).
- 🚫 There is no option for "Smart Albums" in the settings: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for Redmi Note 11) this option is hidden. Try changing the region of the phone to India or Europe in the settings.
- ⚠️ After ADB-commands phone glitches: Perform a cache reset via TWRP or return the hidden application with the command adb shell pm unhide com.miui.gallery.
- 📱 Away from the gallery doesn't see all the photos: Check permissions for the app in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Warehouse.
If none of these methods worked, your Redmi model may be using a unique firmware (for example, for the Chinese market).
- 🔧 Reflashing to the global version MIUI.
- 🛠️ Install custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS).