“File Type Is Not Supported or Damaged” Error on Xiaomi: A Complete Fixing Guide

You try to open a document, photo or video on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, but instead of content, you see an annoying notification saying, "File type is not supported or file is corrupted"? This error can occur when you work with local files and download content from the Internet, and the reasons lie in three key areas: format incompatibility, data corruption or limitations of system applications.

Unlike similar problems on other brands, the Xiaomi bug is often related to features of the MIUI shell – for example, with strict security rules for third-party files or conflicts between embedded and user applications. In this article, we will discuss unique solutions for Xiaomi that will not help on pure Android, from resetting the cache of system services to manually correcting metadata files via ADB.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t open files: 5 main reasons

Before moving on to fixing, it’s important to understand the root of the problem. On Xiaomi devices, the “file type is not supported” error most often occurs because of:

• 📱 An outdated version MIUI: In the firmware older MIUI 13 no support for modern formats (e.g..heic for photos or.webp for images).
• 🔒 Security lockdown MIUI: The system automatically restricts access to files downloaded from “unreliable” sources (for example, via Telegram or browsers like Kiwi Browser).
• 🗑️ File system damage: More common on eMMC memory devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3), where SD-Cards or power failures damaged metadata files.
• 📂 Application Conflict: If you try to open a file through the Xiaomi Gallery, but it was created in a third-party editor (like Lightroom), the system may not recognize the format.
• 🌐 Wrong. MIME-Types: When downloading files via a browser (especially Mi Browser), the server may transmit an incorrect type of data, which is why the server is not able to download files. MIUI «I don’t know how to handle the file.

Fun fact: on some models (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) the error appears even when trying to open the standard model.mp4-Videos, if they were recorded in the mode HDR10+. This is due to the lack of hardware codec support in the media player. MIUI.

Method 1: Checking a file on another device

Before you interfere with your smartphone settings, make sure the problem isn't in the file itself.

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via a USB-C cable (data mode must be turned on!).
2. Copy the “problem” file to a PC or laptop.
3. Try to open it with standard programs: 🖼️ Images: View Windows or Preview (macOS) photos). 🎵 Video/audio: VLC Media Player or MPC-HC. 📄 Documents: LibreOffice or Microsoft Office Online.

If the file opens on a PC but not on Xiaomi, the problem is the phone settings. If it doesn't open anywhere, the file is corrupted, in which case, try to restore it using specialized tools:

⚠️ Note: If a file was downloaded from Telegram or WhatsApp, try sending it back to yourself. These messengers sometimes compress media files, which leads to the loss of metadata.

Method 2: Update MIUI and system applications

In MIUI, file format support depends on the firmware version, for example, the ability to open.heic only appeared in MIUI 12.5, and full-fledged work with.webp in MIUI 13.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Update MIUI.
2. Click on “Check Updates” and wait for the latest version to load.
3. If an upgrade is available, install it (requires at least 50% battery charge).

Update them through the Play Market or the App Store MIUI (if the application is system-based, the update will come with the firmware).

Backup data | Connect to charging |Free 2+ GB of memory |Do not interrupt the process-->

Method 3: Reset application settings and cache

Often, the "file type not supported" error is caused by a failure in MIUI system services, for example, if you recently installed a third-party video player, it may conflict with the built-in MIUI Video Player.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the application you are trying to open the file through (such as the Gallery or Files).
3. Select “Storage” → “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data”.
4. For a full reset: Go back to App Management, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset App Settings.

If the problem persists, try resetting the settings of Media Storage, the system service responsible for indexing files:

adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.media

This command must be entered through ADB (the setup instructions below). After you reboot the phone, the system will rescan all media files, which can fix the error.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting Media Storage will remove thumbnails in the gallery and temporarily slow down the file manager.All files will remain in place, but they will have to be opened manually before re-indexing.

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

If the built-in MIUI tools refuse to work with the file, install alternative programs. Here are proven options for different types of content:

After installation of the annex:

1. Open the file manager (e.g., Xiaomi Files or Solid Explorer).
2. Find the problem file and click on it.
3. In the window that appears, select “Open with” and specify the installed application.
4. Check the “Always” box so that in the future files of this type are opened through the selected program.

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If the application does not appear in the Open with Help list, clear the cache of the standard MIUI file manager and try again.

Method 5: Manual File Extension Fix

Sometimes an error occurs because the file has an incorrect extension, for example, a.mp4 video can be saved as.dat if it was downloaded through a browser with an error.

1. Install a file manager that supports extension renaming (e.g. FX File Explorer or Total Commander).
2. Find the problem file and hold your finger on it to open the menu.
3. Select "Rename" and change the extension (part after the dot) to the correct one: 📸.heic →.jpg (for compatibility) 🎥.mkv →.mp4 (if the codec is not supported) 📄.pages →.pdf (for Apple documents)

Confirm the change and try to open the file again.

If you are not sure about the correct extension, use the Filext service, where you can find information about the format by the file signature.

⚠️ Note: Do not rename system files in folders /system or /vendor — it could cause a failure. MIUI! Only work with files in /storage/emulated/0/ (internal memory or SD-map.

Method 6: Restore the file system via ADB

If an error occurs for all files on the device (for example, after a failed update or reset), the problem may lie in the corruption of the file system, in which case the fsck command, which can be executed via ADB, will help.

First, set up ADB on your computer:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
2. On Xiaomi, turn on Developer Mode (7 times click on Version) MIUI» In Settings → The phone).
3. In Settings → Additional → For developers, turn on “Debugging by USB”.
4. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.

Now, check the file system:

adb shell


su




fsck -f /dev/block/mmcblk0p1

If the team issues errors, try to fix them automatically:

fsck -y /dev/block/mmcblk0p1

Once complete, restart the device.This method is particularly effective for devices with eMMC memory (e.g. Redmi 9C or POCO C31), where data recording failures are frequent.

Method 7: Formatting SD-cards (if the file is on an external medium)

If the problem is only with the files on SD-The card, its file system could have been damaged:

1. Make a backup of all data from the card to the PC.
2. Go to Settings. → Warehouse → SD-map.
3. Select “Format” (or “Clear” if the card is used as internal memory).
4. After formatting, copy the files back and check their performance.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi is using SD-The card as internal memory (Adoptable Storage function), its formatting will delete all data without the possibility of recovery! In this case, first transfer the files to the PC, then disable the card as internal storage in the settings.

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Formatting SD-The card should be the last step – try other methods first, as this irreversibly deletes the data.

Frequently asked questions