How to hide Xiaomi notes: all the ways from standard to secret

Notes on Xiaomi smartphones often contain sensitive information, such as passwords, financial details, personal records or work plans. But the standard Notes app does not always provide sufficient protection — just one careless gesture will allow an outsider to access your secrets. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to hide notes on devices with MIUI 14/15, including little-known system functions and third-party solutions.

It's important to understand that simply deleting a note doesn't guarantee it's gone. Files can stay in cache or backups, and synchronization with Mi Account stores data on Xiaomi servers. So true privacy requires a holistic approach, from encryption to physical removal of traces. We tested each method on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO F5 models to ensure that instructions work.

1. Built-in "Closed Notes" function in MIUI

The easiest way to hide notes is to use the built-in Closed Notes tool available in the standard Notes app, which encrypts content and requires a password or fingerprint to access it. However, it has limitations: notes remain visible on the list (just marked as closed), and passwords are easy to reset via Mi Account if the attacker knows your credentials.

To activate the mode:

• 📱 Open the Notes app and select the desired note.
• 🔒 Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Close the note.
• 🔐 Set a password (minimum 4 digits) or use biometrics.
• 🔄 Repeat the action for other notes – each is encrypted separately.

⚠️ Note: If you forget your password, you can only restore access to closed notes through Mi Account. When you reset your phone to factory settings, all closed notes are irrevocably deleted - backups do not store their contents!

2. Transfer of notes to the "Black List" (Second Space)

The MIUI Second Space feature allows you to create an isolated environment with separate applications and data, and it's the perfect solution for hiding notes, because the second profile is password-protected and not visible in the main interface, and the disadvantage of the method is the need to manually transfer notes and the inability to synchronize between profiles.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Second Space.
2. Create a new profile with a unique password (don’t use the same PIN as your main space!).
3. In the new profile, install the Notes app (if it is not available) via Google Play.
4. Transfer the necessary notes manually or create new ones directly in Second Space.

💡 Useful tip: Second Space can install alternative note-taking apps (like Google Keep or Evernote) that support cloud sync, so you can access records from other devices without revealing them in your main profile.

3. Hiding notes through password-archiving

If you need to not just hide but encrypt notes, the best option is to export them to a secure archive, which is suitable for long-term storage of sensitive data, since files can be deleted from your phone, leaving only an archived copy in the cloud or on a flash drive, we recommend using 7-Zip or RAR with the AES-256 encryption algorithm.

Step-by-step:

To export notes:

1. Open the Notes app → click on three points → Settings → Export notes.
2. Select the format (.txt or.xml) and the folder to save (for example, Downloads).
3. Install an archiver (e.g. 7-Zip from Google Play).
4. Create an archive with a note file by setting a password at least 12 characters long.
5. Delete the original notes and the exported file – leave only the archive.

⚠️ Note: Do not store your password archive in cloud services (e.g. Google Drive or Mi Cloud) if your password is weak. Attackers can hack it with a brute force attack.

4.Using hidden folders and file manager

One of the most reliable ways to hide notes is to hide them in a hidden folder with a dot at the beginning of the name (for example, a dot at the beginning of the name,.secret_notes). These folders are not displayed in a standard conductor. MIUI, It is available through file managers such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.The method works even after resetting, if the folder is on the memory card.

How to create a hidden folder:

• 📁 Install a file manager with hidden files (e.g. Solid Explorer).
• 🔍 Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
• 📂 Create a new folder with a name starting at a point (e.g,.my_notes).
• 📄 Export notes to a file and move it to a hidden folder.
• 🔒 Disable the display of hidden files in the manager.

For additional protection, you can:

• 🔐 Archive the folder with the password (see section 3).
• 📱 Move it to the memory card and remove it if necessary.
• 🔄 Change the folder name regularly to make it harder to find.

5. Third-party applications for concealing notes

If you don't like the built-in MIUI features, consider the dedicated privacy-note apps, which offer advanced features: self-destruction of records, masking as other programs (like a calculator), two-tier authentication, and we tested 5 popular solutions and selected the best ones:

🔹 Recommendation: For maximum security, choose open source applications (such as KeepassDX or Cryptomator). They do not send data to third-party servers and allow you to check the code for vulnerabilities. Avoid little-known programs with suspicious permissions (access to the security system). SMS, Calls, geolocations).

⚠️ Note: Some note-hiding apps (such as Hide It Pro) may conflict with memory optimization in the home. MIUI. After the system update, they may stop cloaking or losing data. Before installing, check user reviews on your smartphone model.

Physical removal of traces of notes

If you plan to sell or transfer a smartphone, it’s not enough to simply delete notes — traces of them may remain in the app cache, Mi Cloud backups, or database files.

Detailed instructions:

1. Delete all notes manually through the Notes app.
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Notes → Storage → Clear the cache.
3. Turn off sync: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Notes → Turn off.
4. Perform a reset to factory settings: Settings → About phone → Reset settings.
5. (Optional) To ensure removal, use utilities like SD Maid or iShredder that rewrite free space with zeros.

💡 Key takeaway: Even after resetting, data can be recovered using specialized software (such as Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver). If you sell a phone, we recommend encrypting the storage before resetting: Settings → Additionally. → Encryption and credentials → Encrypt the phone. It'll make it almost impossible to recover data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding notes on Xiaomi