Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the challenge of keeping an important conversation, whether itβs a business conversation or a carrierβs details up. MIUIβs standard functionality allows you to record calls automatically or manually, but finding saved files in a tangled folder structure can be tricky. Android, which runs the HyperOS shell and earlier versions of MIUI, has a specific media storage logic that has changed over the years.
Understanding where audio files are stored is critical to quickly accessing, transferring to a computer, or transferring them to third parties. If you just recorded an important call and can't find it in a gallery or standard call list, don't panic. In this article, we'll take a look at all the possible ways to search, set up automatic saves, and solve missing records.
Let's start with the simplest and most obvious method, which is to search through the built-in Dictophone app, which is the system storage for all audio recordings on the device, and this is where the files are most often found, but users often confuse folders or overlook hidden tabs.
Search through the Dictator and Call Log
The fastest way to access a record is to use the built-in Xiaomi Recorder app. Unlike many other manufacturers, Xiaomi doesn't hide these files deep in the system directories, but provides a user-friendly interface to manage them. When you open the app, you'll see a few tabs, and that's where you need to be careful not to miss the folder you want.
At the top of the voice recorder screen are tabs, which must necessarily include "Phone" or "Calls." When you click on it, you'll see a list of all recorded conversations, sorted by date. If you can't see this tab, it's possible that the app's settings have disabled the display of call records, or the recording function is not activated at all in the telephony.
For more detailed file management, such as renaming or cropping, you can click on a specific entry and select the appropriate option. It is important to note that the storage format may differ: older models used.amr, while newer ones default to write in a better.m4a or.mp3.
- π± Open the Dictophone app on the main screen.
- π Switch to the βPhoneβ or βCallsβ tab at the top of the screen.
- βοΈ Click on three dots in the corner to access the display settings.
β οΈ Note: If you delete the call history in the Caller, the recorder may be saved, but the link to the phone number will be lost, and the files will be called simply date and time.
Direct Path Through Explorer: Folder Structure
If the voice recorder interface is uncomfortable or the app doesn't work properly, you can always access the file system directly, and this requires a standard file manager called Explorer on Xiaomi, which depends on the version of Android and the MIUI shell installed on your device.
Most modern models with Android 11 and above, and in the shells MIUI 12-14, The path to records is as follows: internal memory, folder MIUI, later sound_recorder, finally call_rec. And that's where all your conversations lie. In the old Android versions, it could have been easier: the root of the internal memory and the Recordings folder.
Using a file manager, you can not only listen to the recording, but also copy it to the cloud, send it via messenger or rename it for future search convenience. Be careful when removing files from system folders so that important data is not accidentally erased.
Below is a table to help determine the current path for your version of the system:
| MIUI / Android version | The way to the folder | File format |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 14 / Android 13+ | /internal_storage/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ | .m4a |
| MIUI 12 / Android 11 | /internal_storage/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ | .m4a / .mp3 |
| MIUI 10 / Android 9 | /internal_storage/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ | .amr |
| Older versions (Android 6-8) | /internal_storage/Recordings/Call_rec/ | .amr |
When you go down the specified path, make sure that the display of hidden files is enabled in the Explorer, although the folder call_rec If the folder is empty, check if the recording function is enabled in the phone settings.
Set up automatic recording of conversations
To avoid searching for a recording button every time an important call is made, it is advisable to set up an automatic recording, which is especially useful for journalists, support staff or simply forgetful users, and is built right into the Phone app.
To activate, open the Phone app, click on three menu bars or a setup gear, then select Call Record. Here you can turn on the Auto Record switch, and the system will offer two options: record all calls or only selected numbers.
You can also set up a recording notification on this menu, and by default Xiaomi will have a voice warning, "Conversation is recorded" for both parties, which is a requirement of many countries' laws, but if you want to keep your archives hidden, you can turn it off, but be aware of the legal risks.
βοΈ Auto-recording setup
β οΈ Note: Disabling voice recording notifications may violate privacy laws in your country. Use this feature only for personal purposes or with the consent of the interlocutor.
Access and rights issues in Android 11-14
With the release of new versions of Android, Google has tightened security policies by restricting applications from accessing the microphone and file system during a call, which has led to the fact that on many global versions of Xiaomi, the call recording function was completely removed or stopped recording the sound of the interlocutor.
If you upgraded to Android 13 or 14 And they noticed that the recordings were either not created, or they were only you, but not the person they were talking to, and the problem was that the system was limited. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec It may not be updated with new files.
The solution may be to use third-party applications such as TapeACall or Cube ACR, which use other audio capture methods (such as through speakerphone or special accessibility services), and changing the region in the phone settings to countries where recording is allowed (such as India or Pakistan), but this does not work on all models.
- π Check the access rights of the βPhoneβ application in the privacy settings.
- π Try changing the region in the settings "Advanced settingsΒ» β Β«RegionΒ».
- π± Install a third-party voice recorder with call recording function from Play Market.
It is worth noting that the use of third-party applications can lead to a decrease in sound quality or interference. The most stable work of native recording is observed on devices with the Chinese version of firmware or on global versions up to Android 10 inclusive.
Why did the recording button go missing?
Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations
It is not uncommon for an important record to be accidentally deleted, and fortunately, Xiaomi has several levels of data protection, and it is worth checking the Recycle Bin in the Dictator or Explorer app if it is enabled, and files can be stored there for up to 30 days.
If there's nothing in the cart, you can try to recover data through the Mi Cloud service. If you have voice recorder sync enabled, deleted files on the device can be saved to the cloud. Go to i.mi.com from your computer, log in and check the Dictator section.
In more complex cases, when a file is permanently deleted, you will need to connect the phone to a PC and use specialized software to recover data, such as Recuva or Dr.Fone. However, success is not guaranteed, since modern phones use encryption, and overwritten memory sectors are almost impossible to recover.
To minimize the risk of data loss, it is recommended to configure automatic folder synchronization call_rec You can do this through the settings of the cloud service itself, adding a folder to the backup list.
π‘
Regularly synchronizing a folder with records to the cloud is the only reliable way to ensure the safety of data in case of a phone breakdown or accidental deletion.