Where and how to find the application in Xiaomi Explorer: hidden folders, APK-files and system utilities

Have you ever tried to find an installed application file on a Xiaomi smartphone but couldn’t find it in the standard MIUI Explorer? This problem is familiar to many brand users — despite the intuitive interface, finding.apk files or folders with these programs often turns into a quest. Unlike “pure” Android, the MIUI shell hides part of the system directories, changes storage paths and even blocks access to some sections without additional settings.

In this article, we will explore all possible ways to search for applications in Xiaomi Explorer, from basic methods for beginners to advanced techniques for power users.

• 📦 Established APK-files (including cache and data)
• 🔍 System applications and their backup copies
• 📂 Folders with user settings of programs
• 🔒 Hidden directories accessible only through root or ADB

We will pay special attention to the new versions of MIUI 14/15, where the logic of file storage has changed compared to previous firmware.

Why are apps not displayed in Xiaomi Explorer?

The problem with finding applications in MIUI Explorer is the shell architecture, and here are the key reasons why you might not find the files you want:

• 🔐 Access Restrictions: By default, Explorer hides system folders (for example, /data/app), This is designed to protect against the accidental deletion of critical files.
• 🗃️ Modified storage routes: B MIUI 12+ Part of the application is installed in virtual sections (/mnt), which are not displayed without root rights.
• 📱 Division into user and system APK: System applications (such as Mi Browser or Security) are stored in secure directories that are not available through the standard interface.
• 🔄 Automatic cache cleanup: Cache files (.odex,.oat) can be deleted by the system when memory is scarce, making it difficult to find original cache files. APK.

In addition, Xiaomi has a Hidden Apps feature (available in Settings → Applications → Hidden Apps) that not only removes icons from the desktop, but also masks associated files in Explorer. If you activate this mode for the program, its data will not appear in the standard list.

⚠️ Attention: In the firmware MIUI Global and MIUI China can have different paths to system folders, like the Chinese version of the directory. /system/priv-app It is often blocked even for reading without superuser rights.

Method 1: Search through standard MIUI Explorer (without root)

If you need to find a custom app (installed manually or from Google Play), start with the basic method:

1. Open Explorer (the folder icon on the desktop or in the application menu).
2. Go to Device (or Internal Memory in older versions).
3. Open the Android → data → find the folder with the name of the application package (for example, com.whatsapp for WhatsApp).
4. To find the.apk file itself, go to Android → obb (for games) or use the search extension *.apk.

It's important to understand that this directory only stores application data, not the executable files themselves. To find the original APK:

• 🔎 Enter the name of the package in the Explorer search bar (e.g. com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
• 📁 Check the Download folder if you have installed it. APK manually, he could have stayed there.
• 🔄 Use the filter by file type: click on the three dots in the upper right corner → File type → choose APK.

For system applications like Camera or Gallery, this method won't work, their files are stored in secure partitions, so move to Method 2.

Is Hidden Files Showable (Settings Explorer → Show Hidden Files)

Is there a right to read the folder (the green lock should burn)

Is the search query correctly entered (without spaces and with the exact name of the package)

Is Download folder checked for original APK-->

Method 2: Using ADB to access system folders

If standard Explorer doesn’t show the files you need, you can access it via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that doesn’t require root rights, but requires connecting your smartphone to your PC.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode) Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB (enable)
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute in the command line: adb shell ls /data/app This will display a list of all installed user applications.
4. To copy an APK to your computer, use: adb pull /data/app/com.example.package/base.apk C:\Temp\ (replace com.example.package with the real name of the package).

For system applications, the path will be different:

ls /system/priv-app

(for new versions of MIUI):

ls /system/system_ext/priv-app

⚠️ Note: Adb pull commands for system folders (/system/...) You can't do it without root rights, and then you get a Permission denied error. 3 superuser.

Standard MIUI Conductor

ADB via computer

Root Explorer (for example, Root Explorer)

Specialized applications (e.g. APK Extractor)

Never looked.-->

Method 3: Search with root conductor (for power users)

If your Xiaomi has Magisk or another root-rights method installed, you can use super-user-enabled explorers like Root Explorer, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer. This will give you access to all system folders, including:

• 📌 /system/app — standard MIUI;
• 📌 /system/priv-app — Privileged System Programs;
• 📌 /vendor/app — iron-producer;
• 📌 /data/dalvik-cache — Optimized files to speed up work.

Instructions for Root Explorer:

1. Open the application and provide root access when requested.
2. Go to the root directory (/).
3. Open /data/app – all custom APKs (in random name folders) are stored here.
4. For system applications, go to /system/priv-app or /system/app.
5. To copy an APK, hold the file → Copy → select the destination folder (e.g. /sdcard/Download).

Note that in the new versions of MIUI 14/15, some of the system applications are moved to /apex (for example, /apex/com.android.art). These files cannot be copied by standard methods - you will need to extract through adb backup or specialized utilities like APK Extractor.

💡

If you often work with APK-files, install the application APK Extractor from Play Market. APK any installed application (including system) in the ExtractedApks folder on internal memory without the need to use ADB root.

Method 4: Search through the Apps menu in the settings

If your goal is not yourself APK-The file, and the application data (cache, settings, databases), you can do without the Explorer:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application from the list.
3. Click on Memory (or Warehouse in newer versions).
4. You'll see here: 📊 Size APK; 🗃️ Size of data; 🧹 Cache size; 🔗 The path to the data folder (for example, /data/data/com.whatsapp).

Management of space

Open the folder.

This method is suitable for:

• 📸 Clearing the cache of applications (for example, for Gallery or Camera);
• 📂 Backup of user data (e.g. game saves);
• 🔍 Search for large files that occupy a place in memory.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14+ Open folder can be blocked for system applications. ADB root-guide.

Method 5: Extract APKs through specialized applications

If you need to get APK-The file of the installed application (for example, to backup or transfer to another phone), the easiest to use specialized utilities.-3 apps:

Instructions for APK Extractor:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Open it and give access to the storage.
3. In the list, select the desired application (marked with a tick).
4. Click Extract APK – the file will be saved to /sdcard/ExtractedApks/.
5. System applications may require confirmation via USB Debugging.

The advantage of this method is simplicity and speed, and the disadvantage is that some applications (like Google Play Services) may block the extraction of their APKs for security reasons.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When searching for applications in Xiaomi Explorer, users often encounter typical problems, and here are the most common errors and ways to fix them:

• 🚫 "The folder is empty in /data/app: Reason: No viewing rights. Solution: Use ADB or root conductor. ADB: adb shell su -c "ls /data/app"
• 🔍 "File not found" when searching by title: Reason: Packet name does not match app name.Solution: Find out the exact package via adb shell pm list packages | grep "keyword" (replace keyword with part of the name).
• 📂 "No access to the folder": Reason: The folder belongs to another user (e.g. system). Solution: Change the rights through ADB: adb shell chmod 755 /path/to/folder or use root guide.
• 🔄 "APK "Damaged" after extraction: Reason: The file was optimized (.odex,.oat). Solution: Extract APK through APK Extractor or use the command: adb shell pm install -r -t /path/apk integrity-check.

If you’re working with MIUI 14/15, note that some of the system applications are now stored in.apex format (e.g. /apex/com.android.adservices). These files cannot be opened like normal APKs, they are containers with multiple modules.

💡

In the new versions MIUI (14+) user-path APK changed /data/app/[package] on /data/app/~~[random]===/[package]. This is done to improve security, but it makes it harder to manually search. ADB extraction applications APK, avoiding mistakes.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions