When you connect a Xiaomi smartphone to your computer USB-cable, operating system MIUI Video files can be stored in several standard and hidden directories, depending on how they were saved: through the camera, messengers, downloads or third-party applications. DCIM, This doesn’t mean that files are deleted, they just may be somewhere else.
In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to store video on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices when connecting to a PC, including the system directories that are hidden by default in Windows Explorer. You’ll learn how to find files manually, why some folders aren’t displayed, and what to do if videos are lost from standard locations. We’ll also look at the features of different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and the nuances of working with internal memory and microSD card.
Previous articleStandard folders for video on Xiaomi: where to look first
Most of the videos on Xiaomi smartphones are stored in three main folders, which are visible when you connect to a PC in file transfer mode (MTP).
- 📹 Internal storage/DCIM/Camera — It stores videos captured on the main camera or the front camera through the standard Camera app.mp4 or.mov (on new models).
- 📥 Internal storage/Download — here are videos downloaded from the browser, messengers (unless another path is specified) or saved from social networks.
- 🎬 Internal storage/Movies — a folder for videos recorded through the Screen Recorder application or saved from some video players.
If you connect your smartphone to your PC but can’t see these folders, check:
- USB Connection Mode: File Transfer (MTP) must be selected, not Charge or Camera (PTP).
- Settings for displaying hidden files in Windows: turn on the option to Show hidden files, folders and drives in Explorer settings.
- MIUI permissions: Some folders may be hidden due to security restrictions (more on this in the next section).
Hidden and system folders with videos: how to find them
Not all videos are stored in public directories. MIUI creates hidden folders for office files, app cache, and media that are not designed for manual editing. However, sometimes videos get there by mistake or because of the way applications work. Here are the key hidden paths:
| folder | Way | What it keeps. | How to get access |
|---|---|---|---|
| messenger cache | Internal storage/Android/data/com.whatsapp/media/WhatsApp Video | Video from WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber | Requires permission to access hidden folders or file manager with root rights |
| System records | Internal storage/MIUI/screenrecorder | Screen recordings (if the standard Movies folder is not used) | Only when you enable hidden files |
| Cash galleries | Internal storage/Android/media/com.miui.gallery | Miniatures and temporary copies of videos | Accessible via Total Commander or FX File Explorer |
| Cloud synchronization | Internal storage/miui/backups/Video | Backup videos from Mi Cloud | Authorization is required in the Xiaomi account |
Important: folders with Android/data/ prefix are protected by the system and do not appear in the standard Windows Explorer even when you turn on hidden files. To see them, use the file manager on the smartphone itself (for example, Mi File Manager) or specialized utilities for PCs like Droid Explorer.
⚠️ Attention: Delete files from folders Android/data/ For example, cleaning the WhatsApp cache will delete all media from chats, including videos, even if they are displayed in the gallery.
Why Videos Aren't Shown in Folders When Connecting to a PC
The situation where the video is on the smartphone (see in the gallery), but they are not in the folders when you connect to the computer, is common.
- 🔍 Videos are stored in the cloud: if sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos is enabled, files may not be saved locally.
- 📁 The folder is excluded from indexing: in MIUI There's a feature that hides folders from scanning media. To turn it off, go to Settings. → Annexes → gallery → Folders and turn on the display of the desired directory.
- 🔄 Files moved by application: some file managers (such as Files by Google) automatically sort media into categories, creating virtual folders.
- 🛡️ Limitations MIUI: newer versions of firmware (MIUI 13+) Access to some system folders is blocked by default. ADB unlockable.
If the video is missing from the DCIM folder but takes up space in memory, try the following:
- Open the Gallery app on your smartphone, find the missing video, and click on Information (or Details) that will show you the exact path to the file.
- Use a root file manager (such as Root Explorer) to scan the memory for lost files.
- Connect your smartphone to your PC via ADB and run the command to search for video by extension: adb shell find /sdcard -name ".mp4" -o -name ".mov"
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If the videos are not displayed in Windows Explorer but are visible in the smartphone gallery, try rebooting the device. Sometimes MIUI does not update the media base when connecting over USB.
Features of video storage on different models Xiaomi
The logic of video placement may vary depending on the smartphone model and the MIUI version. Below are the key differences for popular lines:
- 📱 Xiaomi 11/12/13 series (MIUI 13+): Video from the camera is saved by default in DCIM/Camera, But the screen recordings can lie in Movies/ScreenRecords or MIUI/screenrecorder.
- 📱 Redmi Note 10/11/12: On these models, the Movies folder is often empty - video screen recordings are stored in the DCIM/Screenshots (Yeah, along with the screenshots!).
- 📱 POCO F3/F4/F5: lightweight POCO Launcher videos from messengers can be duplicated in Download and Android/media/com.xiaomi.midrop.
- 📱 Old models (MIUI 10-12): Videos from the camera app could be saved to DCIM/100MEDIA or DCIM/100ANDRO (inherited from older versions of Android).
On devices with a hybrid memory card slot (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO M3), videos can automatically be saved to a microSD if installed. The path will be SD Card/DCIM/Camera or SD Card/Download. To check where new videos are being saved, open the Camera app, click on Settings (cogs) and look at Memory.
How to find out the MIUI version on your Xiaomi?
How to transfer video from Xiaomi to your computer: step-by-step instructions
If you find the right videos but don’t know how to safely copy them on your PC, follow this guide:
Connect your smartphone to your PC through the original USB-cable|Select File Transfer Mode (MTP) notice USB|Open Windows Explorer and find the folder with the video|Copy files to the desired directory on the PC (for example, D:\Video by Xiaomi)|Check the integrity of files after copying (start one of the videos)
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If the standard method does not work, use alternative methods:
- Wi-Fi (FTP-server: Install the application on the smartphone FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer. FTP-server and connect to the specified IP-address through Windows Explorer (\\192.168.x.x). Copy the video as if it were from a regular network drive.
Through the cloud:
- Upload the video to Google Drive or Mi Cloud from your smartphone.
- Download them to the PC through the web version of the service.
- Through ADB: Connect your smartphone to your PC, open the command line, and do: adb pull. /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/ C:\Xiaomi_Videos\
⚠️ Note: When copying large videos (size) >4 GB through MTP there may be an error 0x800700DF. The solution is to use FTP or divide files into parts using the archiver on a smartphone.
What to do if the video is in a folder, but not played on PC
Sometimes videos are copied to a computer, but they don't open in the player.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Videos do not open in Windows Media Player | There is no codec for.mp4 or.mov | Install K-Lite Codec Pack or use VLC Player |
| File corrupted (Error 0xc00d36c4) | Incomplete copying or failure when recording | Copy the video again, having previously cleared the cache of the gallery on your smartphone |
| Video without sound | No audio codec is supported (e.g. AC3 in.mov) | Convert your video via HandBrake or play it to MPC-HC |
| Videos displayed in green or with artifacts | Damage to the file during transfer | Use FTP instead of MTP or archive video before copying |
If the video is shot on Xiaomi in HEVC (H.265) format, it may not be played by the old computer. To check the format, right-click on the file on your PC, select Properties → Detailed and see the video codec string. To convert to H.264, use HandBrake with the Fast 1080p30 preset.
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Videos from Xiaomi’s HEVC camera take up 2 times less space, but require a modern processor to play.If your PC is older than 2017, it’s better to convert files to H.264.
How to Change the Default Video Save folder
If you don't like the standard video layout, you can change it in your app settings. Here's how to do it for different occasions:
- 📷 For the camera: Open the Camera app. Click on Settings. Select Memory or Save Place. Specify Internal Memory or Map. SD, and also a folder (e.g, DCIM/MyVideos).
For messengers:
- WhatsApp: Settings → Storage and Data → Media Saving
- Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → folder for downloads.
For the browser:
- In Google Chrome: Settings → Downloads → Save Place.
- In Mi Browser: Settings → Additional → Download folder.
⚠️ Warning: Do not save new files to your smartphone after deleting the video, which reduces the chances of recovery. Use a memory card or other media to save the recovered data.