How to Include Hidden Notes in Xiaomi: Secret Features of the App MIUI

Hidden notes in Xiaomi smartphones are one of the most useful but little-known features of the company’s Notes app. MIUI It's possible to create sensitive records that don't show up in the main list and are protected by a password or fingerprint, and this feature is especially relevant for those who store sensitive information on their phone, such as passwords, financial data or personal diaries.

Unlike standard notes, hidden entries do not make it to the search results on the device, are not synced to the cloud (unless otherwise configured), and are not visible when connecting the phone to your computer via a device. MTP. But it's not easy to turn them on, because it's hidden in the depths of the app's settings. In this article, we'll go through all the ways you can activate hidden notes on different versions. MIUI, including Redmi, Poco and Black Shark, and how to avoid typical setup errors.

What are hidden notes in Xiaomi and why you need them

Hidden notes in MIUI — It's a secure partition inside the standard Notes app, where you can store sensitive information:

• 🔒 Password or biometrics protected – without authorization, access to them is impossible, even if the phone is unlocked.
• 👁️‍🗨️ Not visible in the main interface – to see them, you need to switch to hidden notes mode.
• 📱 Not synced by default – data is stored locally, which reduces the risk of leakage when a cloud account is hacked.
• 🔍 Not indexed by the system – not appearing in Xiaomi’s global search (Quick Search).

The main advantage of hidden notes over third-party applications (for example, Google Keep or Evernote) is deep integration with the Internet. MIUI. They do not require separate installation, do not load the system and support all the functions of standard notes: text formatting, image insertion, voice recordings and even handwriting on models with Mi Pen support.

⚠️ Note: Hidden notes are not encrypted at the file system level – they can be extracted through the file system. ADB or backups if the attacker has physical access to the phone. For maximum security, use additional device encryption in the Security settings → Encryption of the telephone.

What Xiaomi models support hidden notes

The function of hidden notes is available on all smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco and Black Shark running MIUI 10 and newer. There are nuances, though:

To check if your device supports hidden notes, open the Notes app and try to find Hidden Notes on the menu (three dots in the upper right corner). If it is not, then the feature is either disabled in the firmware or an update is required.

Step-by-step: how to include hidden notes

Activation of hidden notes takes no more than a minute, but the process slightly differs depending on the version. MIUI. Below is a general-purpose instruction that works on most devices.

Method 1: Through Application Settings Notes

This is the simplest method that is suitable for MIUI 12–14:

1. Open the Notes app (an icon in the form of a yellow notebook).
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Privacy section and click Hidden Notes.
4. Turn on the switch to show hidden notes.
5. Set a password or select biometric authorization (print/face).

After that, a new Hidden tab will appear in the main menu of the app (usually next to All Notes). To hide an existing note, open it, click More (three dots) and select Hide.

Update the Notes app to the latest version|

Check the free space on the device (you need to). ~50MB)|

Remember the password for hidden notes|

Disable VPN (can block sync)

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Method 2: Through system settings (for older versions) MIUI)

If there is no Hidden Notes in the Notes app, try enabling the feature through system settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Notes list (com.miui.notes) and open its settings.
3. Slip on Warehouse and cache, then press Space Management.
4. At the bottom of the screen will appear button Restore default settings – press it.
5. Restart the Notes app and check for Hidden Notes in the menu.

This method works if the function was disabled due to a failure or incorrect update. If it does not work, move to the next method.

Method 3: Through ADB (for advanced users)

If hidden notes are not activated by standard methods, you can force them to include through the ADB. This method requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Put the debugging on. USB on the phone: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Use the command to activate hidden notes: adb shell settings put global hidden_notes_enabled 1
5. Reboot the phone.

After the reboot, open Notes — Hidden tab should appear. If not, try to do more:

adb shell am force-stop com.miui.notes


adb shell pm clear com.miui.notes

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB Notes may reset your application settings, including unsaved changes. Before executing, back up your data through Settings → System system → Backup.

How to use hidden notes: basic functions

Once activated, the hidden notes work much like the normal ones, but with a few key differences, and we'll look at the basic features and nuances of use.

Creating and editing hidden notes

To create a new hidden note:

1. Open the Notes app and go to the Hidden tab.
2. Slip on the plus icon (+) lower-right.
3. Enter text, add images or voice recordings (if necessary).
4. Click Save – the note will automatically be marked as hidden.

For editing:

• Open the note and make changes.
• Click Ready or go back – the changes will be saved automatically.

Important: Hidden notes do not support sharing (unlike regular notes), and cannot be sent via a link or exported in.txt format without first disclosing them.

Transfer of ordinary notes to hidden (and back)

If you want to hide an existing note:

1. Open the note in the main section.
2. Click on the three dots in the top menu and select Hide.
3. Confirm the action with a password or biometrics.

To get the note back:

1. Go to the Hidden tab.
2. Open the note, press three dots. → Show me.

Note: When you move a note from hidden to normal content, it becomes searchable and synced to the cloud (if enabled).

Security and backup settings

Hidden notes are not synced with Mi Cloud by default, but you can change this:

1. Open Settings in the Notes app.
2. Go to Synchronization. → Synchronization settings.
3. Turn on the switch to sync hidden notes.
4. Select a Xiaomi account to sync.

Safety recommendations:

• 🔐 Use a complex password (at least 8 characters with numbers and special signs).
• 📱 Enable two-factor authentication for your Mi Account.
• 🔄 Regularly create local backups through Settings → System system → Backup.
• 🚫 Do not store the password for hidden notes in the phone itself (for example, in a notebook or screenshot).

💡

If you forget the password for hidden notes, you can only reset it through a full reset of the Notes app (all data will be deleted!).To avoid data loss, regularly export notes manually: open a note → More. → Exports → Select the.txt or.zip format (for attachment notes).

Frequent problems and their solutions

Despite the ease of use, hidden notes sometimes have problems, and we'll look at some of the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

Problem 1: The Hidden tab is not displayed

If you have enabled the function but the tab does not appear:

• 🔄 Restart the app – close it in the multitasking menu and reopen it.
• 📱 Update the app via Play Market or App Store (for global firmware).
• 🛠️ Clear the cache: Settings → Annexes → Notes → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📲 Check the firmware region – on some versions MIUI European feature disabled (needs firmware for China or global developer).

Problem 2: The fingerprint authorization is not working

If the biometrics don't work:

• 👆 Re-register the fingerprint in settings: Settings → Passwords and security → Fingerprint.
• 🔋 Check the sensor – if it is contaminated, wipe it with a dry wipe.
• 📱 Update the firmware - in older versions MIUI There are biometric bugs.
• 🔒 Make sure that the fingerprint unlock is enabled for the phone itself.

Problem 3: Hidden notes are missing after the update

After the update MIUI hidden notes have disappeared:

1. Check if the settings of the application have reset (go to Settings). → Confidentiality).
2. If the notes are not displayed, but the disk space is occupied, try to restore from a backup:
3. If nothing helps, contact Xiaomi support via Settings. → The phone. → Feedback.

Alternatives to Hidden Notes in Xiaomi

If hidden notes don’t work for you for some reason (like on an Android One device), consider alternative ways to protect sensitive information.

Third-party applications with encryption

A few proven apps for safe notes:

• 🔐 Cryptomator – Creates encrypted containers for files (including text notes).
• 📝 Standard Notes – open source with end-to-end encryption and Markdown support.
• 🛡️ Joplin – a cross-platform notebook with encryption and synchronization via Nextcloud.
• 🔒 KeepassDX – password manager with the ability to store encrypted notes.

The advantage of third-party solutions is more reliable encryption (for example, AES-256 Cryptomator, but they require separate installation and setup.

Encrypted archives

If you need to hide not only the text, but also attachments (photos, documents), you can use encrypted archives:

1. Install a file manager with encryption support (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Create a.zip archive or.7z password-wise:
3. Delete the original files and only keep the archive.

The disadvantage of the method is the inconvenience of editing (you have to unpack the archive every time).

Secret folders in MIUI

V MIUI There is a built-in function Secret folders in the Files application:

1. Open Files (com.mi.android.fileexplorer).
2. Go to the Category section → Secret folders.
3. Create a new folder and set a password.
4. Transfer text files with notes (for example,.txt) to it.

This is less convenient than hidden notes, but more secure (files are encrypted at the file system level).

💡

Hidden notes in MIUI They are convenient for quick access to sensitive information, but do not replace full encryption. For maximum security, combine them with backups in an encrypted cloud (for example, Proton Drive) or local encrypted containers.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions