How to recover hidden files on Xiaomi: from simple ways to ADB

Hidden files on Xiaomi smartphones are a frequent headache for users. MIUI automatically hides some folders (such as.thumbnails or.nomedia), and viruses or crashes can make personal photos, documents and even archives invisible. In 80% of cases, files are not deleted, but simply hidden from view - they can be returned without special programs.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods for recovering hidden files, from standard MIUI tools to commands via ADB. You will learn how to turn on the display of hidden folders in the Explorer, where to look for system backups, and what to do if files are lost after an update or a virus attack. All instructions are relevant for the models of Redmi, POCO and Mi based on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS.

Why Files Are Hidden on Xiaomi

Before recovering, it is important to understand the cause of the disappearance of files, and on Xiaomi smartphones, this happens in three main scenarios:

• 🔹 System settings MIUI: The default shell hides folders with a point at the beginning (such as.config or.data) and files with a hidden attribute (like Windows), which also applies to user data if you manually changed attributes through the file manager.
• 🔹 Viruses and malware: Some Trojans (like Android.Triada) hide files by adding a symbol to their names or changing attributes, often accompanied by ads or redirects to phishing sites.
• 🔹 Failures after the update: when switching to a new version MIUI or HyperOS can get lost in the indexing of the file system, so the folders stay in place, but the conductor can't see them.

Less commonly, the problem is associated with physical memory damage (such as after a phone crash) or F2FS/ext4 file system errors, which will require low-level PC recovery, as we will discuss in the last section.

⚠️ Note: If files are missing after connecting your phone to your computer, check your settings MTP (Media Transfer Protocol: Sometimes Windows automatically hides files with "unsupported" extensions (e.g.,.apk or.zip).

Method 1: Enabling the Display of Hidden Files in MIUI

The easiest method is to activate the hidden elements display in Xiaomi’s standard Explorer, which works for files that the system has hidden by default (such as.nomedia folders or.backup backups).

Instructions:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → select “Settings”.
3. Scroll down and turn on the "Show Hidden Files" switch.
4. Go back to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) and check for gray folders with a dot at the beginning of the name.

If the files don't show up, try updating the list by pulling the screen down (swipe down gesture) or clicking on the update icon in the upper right corner. For models on HyperOS, the path may be different: Settings → Additional → Show hidden elements.

Method 2: Search through MIUI Hidden Settings (Hidden Menu)

MIUI has a hidden engineering menu where you can control the display of files at the system level, which helps if the standard conductor settings don't work.

How to open Hidden Settings:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the line "Version" MIUI" (A message will appear: You have become a developer").
3. Return to the main settings menu and open "Additional settings" → "Developer options".
4. Activate the switch "Enable MIUI Hidden Settings" (could be called "Advanced Settings").
5. Now a folder will appear in the conductor.miui_hidden — It stores files temporarily hidden by the system.

If the folder.miui_hidden Empty, try manually checking the following directories:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ — There may be hidden app caches here.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ — backups and logs of the system.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/.thumbnails/ — Image miniatures (sometimes take up gigabytes!).

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files from the folder /Android/obb/ — This is game and app data, and recovery may require re-downloading from Google Play.

Method 3: Recovery through ADB (for power users)

If files are missing after a virus or crash, but the disk space is not reduced, they can be returned via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires connecting the phone to a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive to the root of the C:\ disk.
2. On your phone, turn on "Debugging by USB" (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps → "Developer Options" → "Debugging by USB").
3. Connect your phone to your PC and in the command line (on behalf of the administrator) do:

cd C:\platform-tools


adb devices




adb shell




su




ls -la /storage/emulated/0/ | grep "^\."

This command will list all the hidden folders in the root directory. To make them visible, use:

chmod 755 /storage/emulated/0/. folder name

To restore file attributes inside the folder:

find /storage/emulated/0/.name of folder -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Critical: If files are accessed after executing commands, but their names begin with. (e.g.. photo.jpg), use the rename command 's/\._//' * in directories with files for mass renaming.

💡

Before working with ADB, back up your data via the command adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab. This will save all applications and files to the archive on your PC.

Method 4: Using Third-Party File Managers

If the standard MIUI Explorer doesn’t show hidden files even after you turn on the option, try alternative managers, which bypass system limitations and give you access to service folders.

Top.-3 recovery:

• 📂 Solid Explorer: supports Root access and dual-panel mode. You can manually change file attributes (right-hand button) → "Properties" → "Remove the "Hidden" flag").
• 📂 FX File Explorer: has a built-in Hex viewer for analyzing corrupted files, useful if files are "zero size".
• 📂 MiXplorer: Optimized for Xiaomi, shows hidden folders MIUI by default (e.g., by default, /data/user_de/0/).

How to use:

1. Install one of the apps (links to APKMirror if not in Google Play).
2. Open the menu → settings → turn on “Show hidden files” and “System files”.
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/ and find folders with a dot or gray color.
4. To recover: select files → “Properties” → uncheck “Hidden”.

If files are found but not opened (file corrupted error), try copying them to your PC and using utilities like Recuva or PhotoRec for deep recovery.

💡

Partition file managers often show files that standard MIUI Explorer ignores because of security policies, but root rights are required to access /data/ or /system/ folders.

Method 5: Recovery from MIUI backups

MIUI automatically backs up user data once a week, and these copies are stored in /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/ and may contain lost files.

How to restore:

1. Open the Backup app (or Settings → System and Device → Backup).
2. Select the last restore point (sort by date).
3. Click "Restore" and tick the desired categories (for example, "Gallery" or "Documents").
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (the phone will restart).

If the backup is damaged or missing, check the folder /MIUI/Backup/AllBackup/ manually — sometimes copies are saved in.bak or.tar formats. 7-Zip WinRAR.

For models with HyperOS, the path to backups may be different:

• 🔄 /HyperOS/Backup/ — mainfolder.
• 🔄 /HyperOS/CloudBackup/ — If synchronization with Xiaomi Cloud was enabled.

⚠️ Warning: Recovery from backup will overwrite current data. If you add new files after you create a backup, they will be lost.

What to do if nothing works: Low-level recovery

If files are lost after physical damage to the phone (fall, moisture) or the file system is damaged, drastic measures will be required.

• 🛠️ Connect memory as an external drive: Remove the microSD or connect the phone in Mass Storage mode (requires an unlocked bootloader).
• 🛠️ Using TestDisk or PhotoRec: These utilities scan memory at a low level and restore files by signature (even without name).

For self-recovery through TestDisk:

1. Connect your phone to your PC in MTP mode (or remove the memory card).
2. Run TestDisk and select your drive.
3. Select [Analyse] → [Quick Search].
4. After scanning, press P to view the files found and C to copy them.

Important: low-level recovery can take hours, and the chances of success depend on the extent of the damage, so if the phone doesn't turn on, don't try to disassemble it yourself, which can lead to complete data loss.

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If you have physical memory damage, each new recording cycle reduces your chances of recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hidden files on Xiaomi