Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone often have to listen to previously saved dialogue, but can not find the corresponding file in the system. The situation is complicated by the fact that depending on the version of the MIUI operating system and the application used for calls, the paths to audio files can differ significantly. If you upgrade to Android 10 or 11, the standard folder structure may change, which confuses many users who are accustomed to the older versions of the interface.
Finding the right audio requires understanding the file system logic that Xiaomi uses. In most cases, files are stored either in the phone's internal memory or on the phone's external memory. SD-It is important to note that Android system security restrictions may hide some directories from being quickly accessed through standard Explorer, requiring special rights or display settings.
In this article, we will analyze in detail all possible locations where your audio recordings may be hidden, and also consider the nuances of working with various recorders.
You will learn how to quickly navigate to the desired file, why records may disappear after an update, and how to set up automatic save in a location convenient for you.
The information is relevant for current firmware versions, including MIUI 12, MIUI 13 and newer Android-based builds.
Standard path in device memory
The most common place to store audio recordings of conversations on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is the internal memory of the smartphone. By default, the system creates a special directory where all recorded dialogues are automatically folded immediately after the call is completed, which is standard for most versions of the MIUI shell, unless the user has changed the settings manually.
To access files, you need to open the standard Explorer app or any file manager installed additionally. In the root directory of internal memory, you should look for a folder called MIUI. This is where the system data of many applications, including the phone book and voice recorder, is stored.
The next path will look like this: inside the folder MIUI find the directory sound_recorder, And it's already a folder. call_rec. The complete structure of the path looks like this:
Internal memory → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec
This is where the files with the.mp3 or.aac extension are located, which are the records of your conversations, and file names are usually generated automatically based on the date and time of the call, making it easier to find them in chronological order.
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If the folder call_rec empty, check the settings of the recorder – perhaps the option of recording only selected contacts is turned on or the recording is disabled globally.
Features of storage on SD-map
Many Redmi Note 8 Pro users prefer to install a microSD card to expand storage. If the voice recorder or phone app settings have chosen the option to save records to an external drive, the path to files will be different, a useful feature that saves space in internal memory, which is often filled with application cache and system updates.
In choosing SD-As the primary storage, the folder structure often copies the one used in the internal memory, but is already on the external media. You need to go to the root of the memory card and also find the folder. MIUI, and then follow the way sound_recorder/call_rec. However, in some firmware versions, the system can create a separate root folder called Recordings or CallRecord directly on the map.
Also, the speed of reading from the memory card can be lower, which sometimes causes delays when playing long dialogues.
- 📁 Check if it's active. SD-Map in the Warehouse settings before searching for files.
- 🔄 When formatting a map as an “inner storage” the path to files can become hidden for PCs without special rights.
- 💾 Files on a memory card are less protected from accidental deletion than in the system partition.
☑️ Verification SD-map
Search through the Dictator app
The fastest way to find a record without wandering through the file system is to use the built-in Dictaphone app. In Xiaomi smartphones, this app combines the functionality of a regular notebook with a phone call recording module, which eliminates the need for users to know the exact paths to files.
Run the Dictophone app on your Redmi Note 8 Pro. At the top of the screen, you'll see a tab switch or drop-down menu where you can select the type of recordings. Switch from the Dictophone (or All) tab to the Conversations tab, and you'll see a list of all saved dialogs sorted by date.
Clicking on a particular record will allow you to listen to it, rewind it or use additional features. The application allows you to edit the file name, which is convenient for organizing important information, for example, by tagging calls from customers or delivery services.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting the recording through the Dictator application causes it to be permanently erased from the device's memory.
If you don't see the entries in this app, it's possible they were saved by another voice recorder (like Google) that you installed separately, in which case you should look for the corresponding app in the menu or check the Download folder.
Nuances of working with Google Telephony
Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro, who received an update to Android 10 and higher, may have noticed changes in the call interface. In many regions, the standard MIUI Dialer has been replaced by Google Phone, which has its own features of storing and accessing conversation records that differ from the classic Xiaomi system.
The main difference is that Google Telephony often does not save files as separate files. mp3-files in an open folder accessible through a root-free Explorer, records can only be protected and accessed through the Phone or Google Recorder app itself. The path to such files in the file system can be hidden in the system folder data, access to which is closed to ordinary users.
To search for entries in Google Telephony:
- Open the Phone app (Green handset from Google).
- Go to the recent or magazine tab.
- Find the contact you were talking to, and the contact name could be a recorder badge.
- Click on the icon to listen to the recording.
If you want to find a physical Google Phone record file, try going down the path: Internal Memory → Android → data → com.google.android.dialer → files → sound_recorder. However, in the latest versions of Android, access to the data folder through a standard Explorer may be limited.
| Characteristics | MIUI Dictator | Google Telephony |
|---|---|---|
| File format | MP3 / AAC | M4A / OGG |
| Conductor access | Open-ended (MIUI/sound_recorder) | Limited (Android/data) |
| Integration with contacts | Complete. | Complete. |
| Cloud synchronization | Through the Mi Cloud | Through Google Drive |
Why does Google hide the files?
Problems with file visibility after update
Often, Redmi Note 8 Pro users are faced with a situation where, after updating the MIUI firmware or Android operating system, the folder with records becomes empty or disappears altogether, a common problem associated with the change in the security policy of Android, which since version 11 strictly regulates access to the file system.
The system could automatically move files to a new directory or change access rights, which caused the standard Explorer to stop displaying them, and it is also possible that during the update, the save path settings were lost, and new entries are written to a different folder, and the old ones remained in the same but hidden location.
To solve the problem, try using a third-party file manager with extended rights, such as Total Commander or Solid Explorer, which can request special permission to access system folders, which will allow you to see hidden directories. It is also worth checking the privacy settings in the Settings section. → Annexes → Application Manager → Dictaphone → Rights.
- 🔍 Use File Search: Enter Call or Rec Explorer.
- 📂 Check the Hidden or.Trash folder in the file manager.
- 🔄 Reset the settings of the Dictophone application through the application menu without deleting data.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete files with incomprehensible names in system folders Android/data, Even if they take up a lot of space, it can disrupt the telephone service.
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If records are missing after the update, most likely, the path to the folder or access rights have changed – use an advanced file manager to search.
Synchronization and backup
To keep the recordings of conversations on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro from being lost or broken, it is important to set up their backup. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, Mi Cloud is responsible for this. If you have voice recorder synchronization enabled, your records are automatically uploaded to the cloud when you connect to Wi-Fi.
To check sync status, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Recorder. Make sure the switch is activated. This will allow you to access records even from your computer via the i.mi.com web interface, which is very convenient for transferring important files to your PC.
The alternative is to manually copy files. Periodically connect your smartphone to your computer through a computer. USB-cable, select the File Transfer mode and copy the contents of the folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec This will create a physical copy of your data independent of cloud services.
Google Telephony users can set up backups via Google Drive. In the Phone app settings, look for the Call Record section and make sure the automatic backup option is enabled. Files will take up space in your Google storage.