How to enter a personal album on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all the ways (including hidden)

The personal album on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is a secure storage for photos and videos, which is by default hidden from prying eyes. Many users do not even know its existence until they are faced with the need to hide confidential files or notice the missing images from the main gallery. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to access a personal album, including standard and alternative methods.

It is important to understand that the functionality of the personal album depends on the version of the MIUI firmware. Redmi 9 from the box installs MIUI 11/12 based on Android 10, but after the updates, the version may change. We will take into account all the nuances, including the differences in the interface for different builds. If you are not sure about the version of your firmware, you can check it in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version.

It's also worth noting that a personal album is not the same as hidden folders or archived files, it's a separate MIUI feature with its own encryption mechanism, and if you're looking for hidden folders, you'll need a different approach (we'll talk about it in one section below).

Method 1: Standard access through the Gallery app

The most obvious and safe method is to use the regular Gallery app** (an icon with colorful mountain peaks), which works on all versions of Redmi 9 without additional settings.

1. Open the Gallery app** on the home screen or in the app menu.
2. In the upper right corner, tap the Albums icon** (three horizontal lines or a plus square).
3. Scroll down the album list to the Personal section** (may be called Private in English firmware).
4. Tap the album – the system will ask for a password, fingerprint or pattern lock if they are installed.

If the “Personal” section** is not on the list, it may mean:

• 🔹 You haven’t added files to your personal album yet (it’s automatically created when you first use it).
• 🔹 Function disabled in settings MIUI (How to turn it on – read in the next section).
• 🔹 You have custom firmware installed without support for personal albums (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience).

On some firmware, the Personal section** may be hidden under a spoiler. To open it, pull down the album list or click on the arrow. ⌄ Next to the inscription Other albums.

Method 2: Enabling a personal album in MIUI settings

If you have never used a personal album, the section can be deactivated in the system settings to enable the function:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Gallery → Gallery settings.
2. Find Personal Albums** (or Private Albums) and activate the switch.
3. Return to the Gallery app** and update your album list (pull the screen down).

On some versions of MIUI 12.5+, the path may be different:

Settings → Privacy → Special Permits → Personal Albums

If there is no item at all, then your firmware does not support this function, in which case alternative methods can be used (see the section on File Manager).

⚠️ Note: After you turn on your personal album, all files added to it will be automatically excluded from backup to Mi Cloud. To save them to the cloud, first export the files to a regular folder.

Method 3: Access through File Manager (for power users)

The personal album stores files in a secure folder on the internal drive, which is accessible through the File Manager, but requires additional actions.

1. Open the Files app** (yellow folder icon).
2. Go to Categories → Images (or Images).
3. In the top menu, tap the icon "..."** (three dots) and select Show Hidden Files.
4. Find the folder.PrivateAlbum or MIUI/PrivateAlbum – this is the storage of a personal album.

Please note:

• 📁 The.PrivateAlbum folder can be hidden even after you turn on the hidden files, in which case use a root Explorer (for example, Root Explorer).
• 🔒 The files in the folder are encrypted, you can't just copy them to another device.
• 📱 On some firmware, the path may be different: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Gallery/private/.

⚠️ Note: Deleting or moving files directly through the File Manager may result in their loss.The personal album is synchronized with the MediaProvider database, and manual changes will disrupt this connection.

💡

If you need to transfer files from your personal album to another phone, first export them to a regular folder through the Gallery app, and then copy through the File Manager.

Method 4: Using a password or biometrics to access

A personal album on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is protected by the same password as unlocking the screen.

• 🔐 pattern lock
• 🔢 PIN code (4-6 digits)
• 🔑 Password (alphanumeric)
• 👆 Fingerprint (if configured)

If you have forgotten the password from your personal album, you can restore access in two ways:

1. Lock screen password reset: Go to Settings → Password & Security → Lock screen password. Select Forgot password? and follow the instructions (Mi Account will be required).
2. Delete personal album data: This will result in the loss of all files in the album! Go to Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear the data.

If the phone does not have a Mi Account set up, you can't reset the password of your personal album without losing data, and the only option is to completely reset the phone to factory settings.

Method 5: Alternative galleries for viewing hidden files

If the standard Gallery** doesn't show a personal album, you can use third-party apps.The best options for Xiaomi Redmi 9 are:

• 📷 Google Photos - Does not show a personal album MIUI, It can display hidden folders if they are not encrypted.
• 🖼️ Simple Gallery – has the function of showing hidden files (setting in Settings) → Show hidden files).
• 🔍 File Manager+ — Allows you to view system folders, including.PrivateAlbum.
• 🛡️ KeepSafe – a special application for hidden photos (can import files from a personal album) MIUI).

To transfer files from a personal album to a third-party gallery:

1. Open the standard Gallery and find a personal album.
2. Select the files you need and click Export or Share.
3. Select the target folder (like DCIM/Camera) or send files to the cloud.
4. The files will be available in any gallery.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. Google Photos) can automatically upload exported files to the cloud. If this is not desirable, turn off autoboot in the app settings.

Method 6: Recovering Access After Resetting Your Phone

If you reset Redmi 9 to factory settings, your personal album won't disappear, but access to it will be blocked.

1. After the reset, log in to the same Mi Account that was previously linked.
2. Open the Gallery and check for the Personal section.
3. If the album is not available, but the files are important, use ADB to retrieve: adb pull /sdcard/.PrivateAlbum C:\Backup\PrivateAlbum This will copy the folder to your computer, but the files will remain encrypted.

To decrypt the files will require:

• 🔓 Install the same version MIUI, before the dump.
• 📱 Sign in to the same Mi Account.
• 🔄 Return files to the.PrivateAlbum folder via ADB.

If these conditions are not met, file recovery is impossible without data loss, in which case you can only extract them in encrypted form and try to decrypt them using specialized tools (for example, MIUI Decrypt Tool, but success is not guaranteed).

💡

The only reliable way to save files from a personal album before resetting is to export them to a regular folder through a standard Gallery.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When working with a personal album on Xiaomi Redmi 9, users encounter typical errors.

If none of these methods helped, check:

• 📱 Firmware integrity: system files may be damaged.
• 🔧 Developer Settings: Disable Do Not Save Actions in Settings → For developers.
• 🛠️ Application rights: make sure that the Gallery has access to the storage (Settings) → Annexes → gallery → Permits).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions