Xiaomi Gallery: What is this app and how to manage it?

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi or a smartphone POCO, You may have noticed that the Gallery app is pre-installed, and it looks like a standard photo viewer, but it actually hides a lot of useful features that many users don't even know about. Unlike Google Photos, Gallery Xiaomi is tightly integrated with firmware. MIUI It offers unique opportunities for working with media files – from hidden albums to a built-in editor with AI filters.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what Gallery Xiaomi is, how it differs from its counterparts, how to customize it to your needs and what hidden chips will help save space on your phone or quickly find the right photo. And also answer frequent questions: can you uninstall the application, how to transfer photos to the cloud and why sometimes the Xiaomi Gallery does not show all the photos from the phone’s memory.

Gallery (or Gallery in Russian localization) is a standard application for viewing and managing photos, videos and other media files on Xiaomi, Redmi and other smartphones. POCO. It is pre-installed on all devices with a shell MIUI Unlike Google Photos, which requires separate installation and sync with the account, Xiaomi Gallery works out of the box and does not depend on an Internet connection for basic functionality.

The main objectives of the annex are:

  • 📷 Viewing high-resolution photos and videos, including formats RAW and HEIF.
  • 🔍 Album Management: Creating, Rename, Deleting, Hiding.
  • ✂️ Editing with built-in tools (trimming, filters, color correction).
  • ☁️ Sync with the Mi Cloud (optional).
  • 🔒 Protecting confidential files with a password or fingerprint.

It’s important to understand that Gallery Xiaomi is not just a viewer, but a full-fledged media manager, which automatically sorts photos by date, location (if geolocation is enabled), file types, and even recognizes faces in pictures for easy navigation, while using minimal resources compared to Google Photos, which is especially valuable for budget smartphone models.

📊 What gallery do you use on Xiaomi?
Only the standard Xiaomi Gallery
Google Photo
Other applications (such as Simple Gallery)
I don't know what I've got.

Many users are wondering why Xiaomi does not use Google Photos by default, but develops its own solution. The answer lies in several key differences that make Gallery Xiaomi a more profitable choice for owners of devices on the Internet. MIUI.

FunctionGallery XiaomiGoogle PhotoOther galleries (e.g. Simple Gallery)
Pre-installationYeah, all the devices. MIUINo, it requires installation.No, it's set separately.
Offline workFull (all functions are available without the internet)Limited (for example, facial search only works online)Depends on the app.
Hidden albumsYes, with password/fingerprint protection.No (only archive)Mostly not.
Photo editorBuilt-in, with AI filters and correctionBasic editor, advanced functions paidDepends on the app.
Synchronization with the cloudOptional, via Mi Cloud (15GB free)Automatic, via Google Drive (15GB free)Mostly not or paid.

One of the main advantages of Xiaomi Gallery is the integration with system functions. MIUI. For example:

  • 📱 When viewing the photo, you can quickly share it through MIUI Share (Fast File Transfer between Xiaomi Devices).
  • 🔋 Optimized battery consumption: the app doesn’t hang in the background like Google Photos, constantly syncing data.
  • 🛡️ Ability to hide albums from prying eyes right in the gallery interface (without the need to install third-party apps).

But Google Photos has its advantages, like a powerful search for the content of your photos (write "sea" and it will find all the photos on the beach). If you want this feature, you can use both apps in parallel. But for basic work with Gallery photos, Xiaomi is often more convenient and faster.

💡

If you want to save space on your phone, but do not lose high-quality copies of photos, set up Google Photos to save pictures in "High quality" (free), and store the originals in Xiaomi Gallery or on a memory card.

Many users have been using Gallery Xiaomi for years, but are unaware of the hidden features that can make it much easier to work with photos.

1. Hidden albums with a password

If you need to hide personal photos from prying eyes, you don't need to install third-party apps. Gallery Xiaomi has a built-in hidden album feature:

  1. Open the Gallery app.
  2. Choose the photos you want to hide.
  3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Hide.
  4. Set a password or use a fingerprint to protect you.

To see hidden files, go to the Albums section → Hidden and enter the password.

2. Quick collage and video creation

Not everyone knows that Gallery Xiaomi has a built-in tool for creating collages and video editing:

  • 🖼️ For the collage: highlight a few photos → Press More. → Collage → select a template.
  • 🎬 For video: highlight photo/video → More. → Video → Add music and effects.

Search by persons and objects

The app automatically groupes photos by person and object (if the feature is enabled in the settings) to find all photos with a particular person:

  1. Open the Gallery.
  2. Go to the People (or Objects) section.
  3. Select the person or object you want (e.g., “dog”, “machine”).

4. Memory optimization

If the phone runs out of space, Xiaomi Gallery can help free it up:

  • 🗑️ Removal of duplicates: Settings → Cleanup → Duplicate.
  • 📉 Photo compression: Settings → Cleanup → Compress photos (creates smaller copies).
  • ☁️ Moving to the cloud: Settings → Mi Cloud → Synchronization of photos.
How to enable facial recognition in Xiaomi Gallery?
To automatically group photos by face, go to Settings → Facial recognition and enable option. Note that this feature only works for photos taken after activation. Pre-existing images may require manual processing in the People section (click on three dots next to the album and select Update).

Another great thing is the Movie mode, which converts a series of photos into a short video with transition effects. To activate it, select a few pictures and click More. → Cinema.

By default, Xiaomi Gallery works in the basic mode, but it can be flexibly customized to your preferences. Let’s consider the most important options that should be changed for convenience.

1. Change the way albums are displayed

If you don’t like the way the photos are displayed in the gallery, you can change the style:

  1. Open the Gallery.
  2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → species.
  3. Choose one of the options: 📁 List - albums in the form of a list with miniatures. 🖼️ Grid - a classic type with adjustable cell size. 📅 Timeline – photos grouped by date.

2.Sync settings with Mi Cloud

If you use the Mi Cloud, you can automate photo backup:

  1. Go to Settings. → Mi Cloud.
  2. Enable the option of Synchronizing photos.
  3. Choose which albums to sync (all or selected).
  4. Please indicate whether you should only upload your photos over Wi-Fi (recommended for traffic savings).

Please note: 15GB is free, but if you shoot a lot of video in the video 4K, There may not be enough space, so you should either clean the cloud from time to time or buy some extra space.

3. Optimization of productivity

If the gallery is slow (like on Redmi’s budget models), try the following settings:

  • 🔄 Turn off automatic facial recognition: Settings → Facial recognition.
  • 🖼️ Reduce the quality of previews: Settings → Quality of previews → Low.
  • 🗑️ Clear the cache: Settings → Cleanup → Clear the cache.

Disable facial recognition|Reduce the quality of previews|Clear the gallery cache|Disable animations in settings MIUI|Transfer the photos to the memory card-->

4. Change the default folder to save

If you have a memory card installed, you can configure the saving of new photos directly on it:

  1. Open the camera settings (not the galleries!).
  2. Find the option of the save folder.
  3. Select a memory card or another folder.

This is especially useful if your internal memory is scarce and you take pictures often.

💡

Gallery Xiaomi settings sync with your Mi Account. If you log in to the same account on another Xiaomi device, all albums, hidden files and settings will be displayed automatically (when sync is enabled).

Despite the convenience, Gallery Xiaomi sometimes fails. Let's look at the most common problems and ways to fix them.

If some pictures aren’t showing up in the app but you’re sure they’re on your phone, check the following:

  • 🔍 Make sure the files are not hidden. Go to Settings → Show hidden files.
  • 📁 Check the folder. DCIM through any file manager (e.g. Files by Google) and the photos may be saved in a non-standard directory.
  • 🔄 Update the media base: go to Settings → Cleanup → Update media files.

If the application is slow or closed with an error:

  • 🗑️ Clear the cache: Settings → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
  • 🔄 Update the app via Play Market (if available) or firmware MIUI.
  • 📱 Reboot your phone – sometimes it helps with temporary crashes.

3. synchronization with Mi Cloud is not working

If the photos are not uploaded to the cloud:

  • ☁️ Check your internet connection (synchronization only works with a stable connection).
  • 🔒 Make sure you are logged into your Mi Account.
  • 📶 In Mi Cloud settings, enable mobile sync (if you need to upload photos without Wi-Fi).

4 Hidden albums don't open

If you have forgotten the password of the hidden album:

  • 🔐 Try to restore access through your fingerprint (if it was tied).
  • 📱 Reset your password through your Mi Account (if the album is synced to the cloud).
  • ⚠️ In extreme cases, you will have to reset all the settings of the gallery (but this will delete all hidden files!).

💡

Xiaomi Gallery stopped working after the update MIUI, Try to roll back the app via APKMirror or wait for a patch from the developers. Often bugs are fixed in the next versions of the firmware.

⚠️ Note: If you delete or disable Gallery Xiaomi through the application settings, this can cause the camera and other system functions to crash. Instead of deleting, it is better to simply not use the application if you don’t like it.

If you want to make room on your phone or back up your photos, you can transfer them to a memory card, a computer, or the cloud. Let's look at all of these ways.

1. Transfer to a memory card

The easiest way to move the photos to SD-map:

  1. Open the gallery and select the photos you need.
  2. Press More. → Move it.
  3. Select the Memory Card and the destination folder.

If you don’t have the option to Move, use a file manager (e.g. Files by Google):

  1. Open the manager and go to the folder. DCIM → Camera.
  2. Select files → Move → Memory card.

2. Computer copying

To copy photos on the PC:

  • 🖥️ Through USB-cable: Connect your phone to your computer, select File Transfer mode and copy the folder DCIM.
  • ☁️ Through the Cloud: Upload photos to Mi Cloud or Google Drive, then download them to PC.
  • 🌐 Wi-Fi: Use apps like Send Anywhere or Xender for wireless transmission.

3.Export to Google Photos

If you want to go from Gallery Xiaomi to Google Photos, but still save all the albums:

  1. Install Google Photos from the Play Market.
  2. In the Google Photo settings, enable Backup and Synchronization.
  3. Wait until all the photos are uploaded to the cloud.
  4. If necessary, remove local copies to make room.

Please note: Google Photos compresses images if you choose the “High Quality” option (free of charge).

💡

Before mass transfer of photos, check if the camera settings include saving pictures in format HEIF (Not all devices and programs support this format, so it is better to convert photos to JPEG gallery-editor.

Many users want to remove Gallery Xiaomi to make room or switch to another app (like Google Photos or Simple Gallery).

Technically, yes, but:

  • 📱 On most Xiaomi devices, the app is system-based, so it can only be disabled, but not removed completely without root rights.
  • ⚠️ Deleting or disabling a gallery can cause the camera to malfunction, as it uses Gallery's system libraries to save snapshots.
  • 🔄 After disconnecting some functions MIUI (For example, sending a photo quickly through MIUI Share may stop working.

If you want to disable the app,

  1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
  2. Find the Gallery on the list.
  3. Click Disable (if the option is active).

After that, the gallery icon will disappear from the menu, but the files will remain in place and will be available through other apps (for example, Files by Google).

If you have disabled the standard gallery, consider alternatives:

  • 📷 Google Photos – easy search, automatic backup, but requires the Internet to work properly.
  • 🖼️ Simple Gallery – a lightweight open source application, without advertising and unnecessary features.
  • 🔒 QuickPic – a fast gallery with support for cloud services.
  • 📁 Files by Google is not a full-fledged gallery, but allows you to view photos in the file manager.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 12 or later, disabling Gallery Xiaomi may block access to some camera features, such as Pro shooting or saving photos in the camera. RAW. Before disconnecting, check the camera operation!

🔍 Why Xiaomi Gallery doesn’t show photos from memory cards?
This is a common problem that arises from access settings. To fix: Open Settings. → Annexes → gallery → Permits. Make sure that the Warehouse and Memory Card permissions are enabled. Reboot your phone. If the photos still don't show, check if the memory card is damaged (plug it into your computer and run error checks).
☁️ How to turn off automatic photo uploading in Mi Cloud?
To stop syncing: Open Gallery. Go to Settings → Mi Cloud. Turn off Photo Sync. Please note: this will not remove photos already uploaded from the cloud, but will only stop further sync.
🔒 How to Restore Access to a Hidden Album If You Forgot Your Password?
If you forgot the password for a hidden album, try: Restore access via fingerprint (if it was tied); Log in to Mi Account on another Xiaomi device - sometimes hidden albums sync. Reset all gallery settings (but it will delete hidden files!). To do this, go to the Settings. → Additionally. → Reset your settings. If nothing helps, contact Xiaomi with account ownership confirmation.
📱 You can use the Xiaomi Gallery on the Internet.-Xiaomi telephone?
Technically yes, but with reservations: The Xiaomi Gallery app can be installed on any Android device via APK-file (download from sites like APKMirror). MIUI some functions (e.g. synchronization with Mi Cloud or quick sending via MIUI Share will not work. Some phones (such as Samsung or Google Pixel) may not work as well. If you like the Xiaomi Gallery interface but you use a different brand, consider alternatives like Simple Gallery or A.+ Gallery that have similar functionality.
🗑️ How to Clean Xiaomi Gallery Cache Without Deleting Photos?
Gallery cache can take hundreds of megabytes, but cleaning it doesn't affect your photos.To make room: Go to Settings → Annexes → gallery → Storage. Click Clear Cache. Click Clear Cache. Click Clear Data for full cleanup, but note that this will reset the app settings (e.g., sorting albums). If the gallery is slow after cleaning, restart the phone, this will help restore the media base.