How to return a hidden album in the gallery Xiaomi: 5 working ways

Did you open a gallery on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro and important photos or videos of Suddenly disappear? Most often this is due to the accidental hiding of the album through the built-in MIUI features. The manufacturer added the "Hidden Album" option for privacy, but many users activate it unconsciously - just one incorrect touch in the file selection menu.

Unlike complete deletion, hidden albums don't take up space in the cart or appear in the main gallery tape. They can be returned without loss of quality - the main thing is to know where to look. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods for recovering hidden data, including working with the public. MIUI Hidden Folder, File Manager and even ADB-All instructions are relevant to firmware. MIUI 12-14 on Redmi models 9A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Before you start restoring, make sure that the files are actually hidden, not deleted.

  • 🗑️ Gallery Recycle Bin (stores deleted files for 30 days)
  • 🔍 Gallery search (enter a keyword from the file name)
  • 📁 File Manager (Folder) DCIM/.hidden or Pictures/.private)
📊 What kind of Xiaomi model do you have?
Redmi (Note/Pro series)
POCO (F/X/M)
Mi (11/12/13/14)
Another model

The easiest method is to use the built-in Hidden Albums feature in the standard Xiaomi gallery. It is available on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including Redmi 10, POCO F4 and Xiaomi 13T.

  1. Open the Gallery app (an icon with multi-colored squares).
  2. Slip along three horizontal lines (☰) top-right.
  3. In the drop-down menu, select Hidden Albums (may be called Private Folder on global firmware).
  4. Enter a password or confirm with a fingerprint (if previously installed).
  5. Keep your finger on the right album. → Press "Show" (or "Unhide").

If you haven't set a password for hidden albums, the system will suggest you create one when you first sign in. On models with MIUI 14, the default password matches the graphical unlock key of the screen, which makes it easier to access, but reduces security.

Check the MIUI version in settings (Settings → About phone)

Make sure the gallery is updated to the latest version on Google Play

Connect your phone to charge (for long-term operations)

Backup important files on your PC

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⚠️ Warning: If files don't show up in the main gallery after showing the album, restart the device. Sometimes the cache of the gallery doesn't update instantly - it's not a bug, it's a feature. MIUI.

Method 2: Find hidden files through the file manager

If the standard method didn't work, try to find files manually through the file manager. Hidden albums are stored in system folders with a dot at the beginning of the name (for example,.hidden or.private).

  1. Open Files (a standard Xiaomi or Google Files app).
  2. Go to the section "Internal Memory" → DCIM.
  3. Enable the display of hidden files: MIUI File Manager: tap ☰ → "Settings" → "Show hidden files. On Google Files: ☰ → "Settings" → "Show hidden folders".
  4. Look for names: 📂.Hidden – The main folder for hidden albums 📂.Private - Alternative Storage 📂.thumbnails - miniatures (does not contain originals)

DCIM/Camera

Pictures

Some firmware can encrypt the.hidden folder, in which case the files inside will have the.enc extension, which you can't view without special tools.

  • 🔓 Return files via Hidden Albums in the Gallery (Method 1).
  • 🔧 Use it. ADB-teams (Method 4).
What to do if the.hidden folder is empty?
If the folder exists but there are no files inside, check: 1. Gallery Recycle Bin - maybe the files were deleted rather than hidden. 2. Cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) - synchronization could transfer files to the cloud. 3. Other accounts - if there are multiple MIUI profiles on the phone, the hidden files may belong to another user.

Method 3: Use of the Hidden Folder MIUI application

Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi has introduced hidden file management into a separate application, MIUI Hidden Folder, pre-installed on all new devices (e.g. Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 11 Pro+).

  1. Find the Hidden Folder app in the menu (the icon with the lock on the blue background).
  2. Sign in with a password, fingerprint or face.
  3. In the main window you will see all hidden files grouped by type: 📸 Photos - images in formats JPG, PNG, HEIC 🎥 Video — MP4, MOV, MKV 📄 Documents — PDF, DOCX, XLSX

"Restore."

The MIUI Hidden Folder app has additional features:

FunctionDescriptionMIUI 13MIUI 14
Automatic concealmentHiding files when moving to a folder✅✅
Password protectionSeparate password for access✅✅
BiometryUnlocking by fingerprint/face❌✅
Cloud reservationsSynchronization with Mi Cloud❌✅

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g. Redmi) 9C s MIUI 12.5) The Hidden Folder application may not be available, in which case use Method 1 or Method 2.

Method 4: Recovery through ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t help and files are critical, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method requires connecting the phone to a PC and basic command line knowledge, suitable for all Xiaomi models, including: POCO F3 GT Mi 11 Lite.

Preparation:

  1. Download ADB Tools for Windows/macOS/Linux.
  2. Enable USB debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB
  3. Connect your phone to your PC via cable (use Xiaomi’s original cable for a stable connection).

Recovery teams:

adb shell


su




cd /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.hidden




Ls -la # View the list of hidden files




cp -r * /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera/ # Copying to a visible folder

If the.hidden folder is encrypted, use an alternative path:

adb pull /data/media/0/DCIM/.hidden C:\Xiaomi_Recovery # Copy to PC


adb shell "chmod 777 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.hidden/*" # Demand protection

💡

Before working with ADB, create a restore point in TWRP (if you have custom Recovery installed) to help roll back changes when you make mistakes.

Method 5: Recovery through Mi Cloud Backup

If you've previously enabled sync with Mi Cloud, hidden albums could be backed up in the cloud to be returned:

  1. Open "Settings" → "Mi Account".
  2. Go to "Mi Cloud" → "gallery".
  3. Click "Restore" and select the backup date.
  4. Confirm the recovery – the files will appear in the DCIM/CloudBackup folder.

Please note:

  • 🔄 The free Mi Cloud account only provides 5GB of space, and if the backup exceeds this limit, the files may not be saved.
  • ⏳ Recovery takes time – speed depends on internet speed.
  • 📱 On some models (Redmi) A1, POCO C40) Gallery synchronization is disabled by default.

💡

Mi Cloud only saves hidden albums if the gallery settings enable the option "Reserve hidden files." Check this in Settings → Gallery → Backup.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If none of these methods worked, consider the following options:

  • 🛠️ Data recovery software: DiskDigger scans internal memory for deleted files. Recuva (requires root rights) restores files by signatures. Dr.Fone is a paid solution with a high recovery rate.
  • 📥 Contacting the service center: Xiaomi official centers can extract data using service tools (paid).
  • 🔍 Checking other devices: If files are synced with Google Photos, check the web version of photos.google.com. On some models (Xiaomi Pad 5), hidden files can be displayed on a connected TV via Mi Share.

Before using third-party recovery programs:

⚠️ Warning: Do not install programs on the same partition of memory where lost files were stored. This can overwrite them without recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hidden albums in Xiaomi

Can you hide an album without being found through a file manager?
Yes, use encrypted containers to do this: Keepsafe or GalleryVault creates secure folders; the "Private Safe" feature in MIUI 14 encrypts files with a hardware key; however, such files will not be accessible without a password even after a phone is reset.
Why did the hidden albums disappear after the MIUI update?
With major updates (e.g., MIUI 12 → MIUI 13), the folder structure may change. Check: New MIUI/Hidden folder. Hidden Folder app settings (possibly require re-authorization). Gallery cache (clean to Settings → Applications → Gallery → Memory). If files are not found, try rolling back to the previous version of MIUI via Fastboot.
How to hide an album without it appearing in the "Recent Files"?
V MIUI 14 added the option "Exclude from recent": Open the Gallery → Select files. Slip "More" (⋮) → "Hide and delete. Files will not be displayed in Settings → Memory. → Recent files, older versions. MIUI Use third-party galleries (e.g. Simple Gallery) with the Hidden Folders feature".
Can I recover hidden albums after resetting my phone to factory settings?
It depends on the type of discharge: 🔄 Soft reset (via settings): hidden files will be saved, but you will need to re-enter the password. ⚠️ Hard Reset (via Recovery):.hidden files will be deleted without recovery. 💾 Resetting with data retention (MIUI 14): hidden albums will remain, but may require reauthorization. If the reset is already done, try programs like EaseUS MobiSaver (root required).
Why do hidden albums take up space in your phone’s memory?
Hidden files are physically left on the device — they're just excluded from the gallery indexing. To make space: Return files via Hidden Folder. Move them to a memory card or PC. Delete the originals through the file manager. Alternatively, use cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) to store sensitive files.