Personal album on smartphones Xiaomi Redmi is a secure storage for confidential photos and videos, which is hidden from prying eyes. Many users face difficulties when trying to log in to this section: the password is forgotten, the album suddenly disappeared after the MIUI update, the system requires confirmation of the Mi Account. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to access a personal album on Redmi Note 12/11/10 Pro, Redmi 9/10/11 and other models – from standard login to bypass lock.
It is important to understand that a personal album in Xiaomi can work differently depending on the firmware version. MIUI 14 encryption algorithm has changed, and old methods of resetting passwords through ADB We tested all of the methods described below on current software versions (2026) and we showed which ones are suitable for specific scenarios, whether it is a forgotten version. PIN-code, reset settings or problems after updating.
1. Standard entry to a personal album through the Gallery
The easiest way is to use the built-in feature of Xiaomi Gallery.The personal album is hidden by default, but it can be found if you know where to look.
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Gallery app (a icon with colored squares).
- 🔍 Scroll down to the Albums section and click on three dots (⋮) top-right.
- 🔐 Select Personal Album (may be called Private Album or Hidden Files).
- 🔑 Enter the password, PIN-code or scan your fingerprint (if biometrics are configured).
If the album doesn’t appear on the list, check out:
- 🔄 Have you upgraded to the latest version of the Gallery through Google Play.
- 📁 Is the album hidden in the settings: Gallery settings → Hidden folders.
- 🔄 Have you reset your phone recently (the album may have been deactivated).
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If you forget your password but remember the Mi Account account tied to your phone, try resetting your account via Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Security.
2. Enter through Security Settings (if the password is forgotten)
If you don't remember the password from your personal album, but your phone is linked to your Mi Account account, you can try to restore access through the security menu, which works on MIUI 12-14, but requires proof of identity.
Step-by-step:
- Go to Settings. → Passwords and security.
- Select a Personal Album (or Private Storage).
- Press Forgot Your Password?
- Confirm the login via Mi Account (you will need to enter the login and password).
- Create a new one. PIN-album-code.
⚠️ Note: If the phone is not tied to the Mi Account or you don't remember your account details, this will not work, and you will need to use alternative methods (see sections 4-5).
What to do if your Mi Account is not tied?
3. Search for hidden files through Explorer
A personal album in Xiaomi stores files in a secure folder, but sometimes they can be found manually through a Explorer (for example, Mi File Manager or Total Commander), which does not give full access to the album, but allows you to see the ways of storing files.
Where to look:
- 📁 folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/PrivateAlbum/ — storage.
- 📁 folder /data/media/0/Private/ — Alternative path (root rights required).
- 🔍 Files have a.nomedia extension, so they don't appear in the standard gallery.
To see the hidden files:
- Open Explorer and enable the display of hidden folders (Settings → Show hidden files).
- Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/.
- If you have a PrivateAlbum folder but you are not allowed access, try copying it to your computer via MTP (you may need to unlock it).
4. Unlock through ADB (for advanced users)
If standard methods don’t work, you can try to delete your personal album password via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires USB Debugging Mode enabled and doesn’t work on all versions of MIUI (since MIUI 13, Xiaomi has tightened protection).
Instructions:
- Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).
- Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the trusted device.
- Open the command line (cmd) and enter:
adb shell
su
rm /data/system/privateapp/privatealbum_lockIf the command is successful, reboot the phone and the password will reset. On MIUI 14, this method only works on some models (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro), since Xiaomi has changed the structure of the encryption key storage.
☑️ Preparation for ADB-unlock
5. Resetting settings (extreme case)
If no one has worked, you will have to reset hard, which will remove all the data from your phone, including the files in your personal album, so use the method only as a last resort.
How to reset Redmi to factory settings:
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
- Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.
⚠️ Warning: After the reset, the personal album will be empty and all hidden files will be deleted without recovery.If there was important data on the phone, try extracting it first through the phone. ADB or TWRP (if a custom Recovery is installed).
| Way of entering | Works for MIUI. | Required. | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard entrance | 12–14 | Password/fingerprint | No. |
| Recovery through Mi Account | 12–14 | Linked account | No. |
| ADB-team | 12–13 (partially 14) | Debugging by USB, PC | Low. |
| Resetting settings | All versions. | — | High-pitched |
6. Alternative ways to store confidential files
If your personal album on Xiaomi Redmi is not working well or you are afraid of losing access, consider alternatives:
- 🔒 Passworded archives: Use 7-Zip or RAR coded AES-256.
- ☁️ Cloud Storage: Google Photos (Hidden Albums), Mega (Customer-Side Encryption).
- 📱 Third-party apps: KeepSafe, GalleryVault, LockMyPix.
- 💾 Physical storage: Micro-SD with hardware encryption (e.g. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive).
The advantage of third-party solutions is independence from MIUI firmware, for example, if you upgrade your phone to a new version, access to files in Google Photos or an encrypted archive will not disappear.
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Xiaomi’s personal album is convenient for fast file hiding, but not reliable storage. For truly sensitive data, use external encrypted media or clouds with client encryption.
Frequent problems and solutions
Xiaomi Redmi users often face the following problems when working with a personal album:
- 🔄 Album Missing After Update: Check Gallery Settings or Reinstall App.
- 🔒 Not Accepting the Correct Password: Try resetting your Mi Account or restarting your phone.
- 📱 Fingerprint not working: Remove and add the fingerprint again to Settings → Passwords and security.
- 🔍 Files are not displayed: Make sure they have not been moved to another folder (e.g., file files are not displayed, DCIM/.thumbnails).
If the problem is not solved, check if the personal album conflicts with other applications (for example, Google Photos or Clean Master).