Where is the folder “Notes” on Xiaomi: search for files on Android

You're using the standard Notes app on a Xiaomi smartphone, but suddenly you have to find the files themselves -- for example, to back up, transfer to another phone, or restore deleted records -- the problem is that the note folder doesn't show up in the standard file manager, and the system search doesn't work. It's no accident: MIUI hides user data from the apps in protected memory.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to find a folder with notes on Xiaomi, Redmi and other sites. POCO — From simple access through the file manager to use ADB You'll also learn how to export notes to readable formats (TXT, HTML) What to do if files are missing after resetting. MIUI (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS) and smartphone models released after 2018.

Why is the note folder not visible in the file manager?

The Notes app (com.miui.notes) stores data in a secure directory that is hidden by default from the user.

• 🔒 Security: Preventing Inadvertent Deletion or Change of Files.
• 📱 Optimization of work: MIUI manages access to data through its own API.
• 🔄 Syncs: If you use Mi Account, notes can be stored in the cloud.

But that doesn't mean that files are not available. You can find them in a number of ways, depending on whether you need the database files themselves (for manual recovery) or exported notes in a convenient format.

Method 1: Export notes through the application itself (without root)

The easiest and safest way to access your notes is to export them directly from the app, a method that doesn’t require super-user rights (root) and works on all Xiaomi smartphones:

1. Scroll down and find Export Notes (or Backup in older versions of MIUI).

Downloads.

Documents

Now you can find exported files in the selected folder through any file manager (e.g. Google Files or standard MIUI Explorer). Note that only hand-created notes are exported - synchronized through Mi Cloud may not be archived.

Make sure your notes are not empty |Close all background apps |Connect to Wi-Fi (if notes are synchronized) |Check free space on your device-->

Method 2: Find a note folder through a file manager (with or without root)

If you need original database files (for example, for manual recovery or transfer to another phone), you can find them in the system directory.

Without superuser rights, you can only see cache and temporary files in the folder. /Android/data/com.miui.notes/. The main database (notes.db) is stored in a secure partition. /data/data/, There's no root, but there's a workaround. ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Method 3: Retrieving notes through ADB (without root)

If you don’t have root rights but you have a computer, you can copy note files using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with USB debugging enabled.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your smartphone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Press 7 times on MIUI Version. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.

adb pull /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/notes.db

If the team doesn't work, try:

adb shell


su




cp /data/data/com.miui.notes/databases/notes.db /sdcard/




exit




exit

Then copy the file from the phone manually.

Important: the notes.db file is encrypted – you can’t open it just like that. To view the content you will need special software (for example, SQLite Browser) or transfer the file to another Xiaomi smartphone with the same MIUI.

💡

If the adb pull command gives the error "Permission denied", try first to run the adb shell, then run-as com.miui.notes and copy files from under this user.

Method 4: Recovering Notes After Resetting or Deleting

If you accidentally delete notes or reset your settings, you can try to restore them.

1. Restore from Mi Cloud backup: Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Notes. If sync has been enabled, click Restore and select the desired date.

⚠️ Note: If you have done a full hard reset, the chances of recovering notes without a backup are minimal. notes.db files are deleted irrevocably, and even root access will not help if the data has been overwritten.

Where are the notes stored in the Mi Cloud?

If you use a Mi Account and you've enabled sync, your notes are duplicated in the cloud to access them:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the Services section, select "Notes"**.

Note that the Mi Cloud only stores text, attachments (photos, audio) may not be saved, and sync is not instantaneous: after creating a note on the phone, it can take up to 5 minutes before it appears in the cloud.

💡

Synchronizing notes through Mi Cloud is enabled in the Notes app settings (Mi Account section). Without this, no backups will be created in the cloud!

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you work with notes on Xiaomi, users encounter typical errors. Here's how to fix them:

⚠️ Note: If you are updating MIUI Before HyperOS, the structure of the notebook storage could change. /data/user_de/0/com.miui.notes/databases/. Use it. ADB check out.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions