How to completely disable the voice recorder on Xiaomi Redmi 7: 5 proven ways

The Xiaomi Redmi 7 recorder can automatically turn on while making calls, record conversations in the background, or save audio files without your knowledge. This not only consumes battery power, but also poses privacy risks — especially if the phone falls into the wrong hands. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to turn off the recorder, including hidden system settings and application rights restrictions.

It's important to understand that Redmi 7 (codenamed onc) has a voice recorder integrated into MIUI firmware and can work even after the icon is removed from the desktop. We've tested each method on current versions of MIUI 12-14, so the instructions will work regardless of the shell, and if you're faced with the fact that the recording is secret — for example, when you make calls via WhatsApp or Telegram — here you will find a solution.

Why Redmi 7's voice recorder could work without you knowing

On Xiaomi smartphones, the voice recorder is often activated implicitly through:

• 📞 Automatic call recording – the feature is built into the Phone app and can be enabled by default.
• 🔍 System services such as com.android.voicerecorder or com.miui.voicerecord that run in the background.
• 🛠️ Third-party apps — messengers, note-taking programs, or even launchers can request access to the microphone.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI — after upgrading the firmware settings of the recorder can be reset.

Especially insidious is the situation when recording is conducted without notice in the curtain, this is typical for older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5) or if the user manually disabled the alerts for the recorder. You can check the activity of recording through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Recorder → Battery – if there is a “Background Activity” item, then the application is secretive.

Method 1: Disconnect via the settings of the application "Dictophone"

The most obvious, but not always effective, method is that many users limit themselves to removing the icon from the desktop, but the app itself keeps working.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type "Dictophon" (or Recorder in English firmware).
3. Select the app and click “Disable”** (not “Delete Updates”!).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI The "Disable" button may be gray, which means that the application is protected by the system.

Method 2: Limiting microphone rights for all applications

If the recorder continues to record sound, the problem may lie in accessing the microphone. On Redmi 7, this is set up separately for each application, but there is a way to massively ban the use of the microphone for all services except calls:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Application Permissions → Microphone.
2. Sort the list by status "Allowed".
3. For each application (except for Phone and instant messengers if needed), turn off the switch.
4. For the system recorder (com.miui.voicerecord), click on it and select "Disallow".

⚠️ Attention: After a mass microphone shutdown, voice commands for Google Assistant and Alice (if installed) will stop working, and video calls in Zoom or Skype may also be problematic.

Method 3: Remove the recorder via ADB (for advanced)

If the system methods do not work, then the device is forced to remove the recorder via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to the computer, but is guaranteed to remove the application without the possibility of recovery (until the next reset).

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers).

Instructions:

1. Connect Redmi 7 to your PC and run the command line in the adb folder.
2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices must appear serial number of the device.
3. Remove the Xiaomi voice recorder: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.voicerecord
4. Remove the standard Android voice recorder (optional): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.voicerecorder

⚠️ Attention: After removal through ADB The app will disappear from the menu, but its files will remain in memory. To clear them, use any file manager (for example, Mi File Manager) and manually delete folders:

• /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder — basics.
• /sdcard/Recordings – backups (if any)

Method 4: Turning off automatic call recording

One of the most common reasons for secret recording is the automatic call recording feature, which is activated in the Phone app, which can work on Redmi 7 even if you've never manually turned it on.

1. Open the phone application** (telephone icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → “Settings”**.
3. Select "Talk Recording"** (or Call Recording in English).
4. Turn off the Automatic Recording switch**.
5. Delete all existing records through Records Management → Delete All.

If you don't have "Talk Record" on the menu, it's disabled at the firmware level, but you should check the hidden settings through the code:

1. Open the phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##284## (code for call recording test).
3. If you have a menu with settings, turn off all options related to Call Record.

💡

On some MIUI firmware, call recording is managed via the Security app. Go there, select Settings → Call Recording and turn off the feature.

Method 5: Resetting settings to factory (extreme case)

If none of these methods work, you have to reset completely, and it's a radical solution, but it's guaranteed to remove all traces of the recorder and reset the application rights.

• 📱 Make a backup of the data through Settings → The phone. → Backup.
• 🔐 Make sure you know the username and password from your Mi Account (required to unlock after resetting).
• 📝 Take a picture or take a picture of your important settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth devices, etc.).

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”**.
3. Enter your password (if requested) and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, set up the phone as new without restoring a backup (it may contain voice recorder settings).

⚠️ Warning: On Redmi 7 with unlocked bootloader, reset could lead to lockdown FRP (Factory Reset Protection.If you forget your Mi Account, your phone will become a brick. Before reset, check the lock status through Settings. → Xiaomi account → Security of the device.

💡

Resetting is the only way to remove embedded system applications (including voice recorders) that cannot be disabled by standard methods, however, it will also delete all your data, so use this method only as a last resort.

How to check if the recorder is actually turned off

Even after all the manipulations, you should make sure that the recording is no longer being done. Here are 4 ways to verify:

1. Monitor microphone activity: Install Access Dots (available on Google Play) and it will show a green dot in the status bar when the microphone is in use.
2. Check folders with records: Open the file manager and go to /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder. If the folder is empty or not, the recorder does not work.
3. Test call: Call another phone and talk for 1-2 minutes. After the call is complete, check if new files have appeared in the record folder.

Analysis of battery consumption:

• Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Use.
• If the recorder is on the list, it is still active.