How to find a recording of a conversation in the Xiaomi Redmi 9T phone

Finding stored audio conversations on Xiaomi smartphones is often a daunting task, especially after upgrading to MIUI 12 or MIUI 13. Owners of the Redmi 9T model are faced with the fact that the usual paths to files are changing due to the security policy of the Android operating system. The standard algorithm for accessing internal memory has been redesigned, which hides the folders with voice recordings from quick browsing through a standard Explorer.

The challenge is that the system now separates user files and application system data, and if you could just open a MIUI folder at the root of the storage, now the path is deeper and requires understanding the structure of Android/data directories, which is designed to protect privacy, but it's a inconvenience for users who need to find an important conversation urgently.

In this article, we will take a look at all the possible ways to detect audio files, learn how to use the built-in system tools, how to get to hidden system folders, and what third-party solutions can make it easier to navigate your Redmi 9T file system.

Search through the built-in Dictaphone app

The most obvious and often forgotten way to find a record is to go to the source, the application that created it, and in the MIUI shell, it's the system app called Dictaphone, which automatically sorts all the audio files that you've created, and even if you don't remember where the file was saved, the recorder app knows everything about it.

Run the Dictaphone app through the menu of all programs or search by device. On the home screen, you will see a list of all records sorted by date of creation. It is convenient to listen to the content without diving into the file system. Note the tabs at the top of the screen: there is usually a division into "Everything", "Conversations" and "Records." This tab contains only automatic recordings of telephone conversations.

To manage a file, click on it and hold your finger to call the context menu. Here you can use the basic operations: rename, delete, or, most importantly for our task, send. If you need to transfer a file or save it to the cloud, use the Share or Send button to select a messenger or email client.

⚠️ WARNING: When you clear the Dictator app cache or delete its data through the system settings, the list of records in the interface may disappear, although the files themselves will physically remain in memory.

If the standard interface seems too limited, you can use the file path mapping function. In some versions of MIUI, when you try to send a file or in the recording properties (three dots in the corner), you can see the full path to the object, which will help you understand which directory the file is in, so that you can find it through the explorer.

Navigation of the file system through the Explorer

For those who prefer to work with files directly, you need to know the exact paths. On Redmi 9T with current versions of Android (11 and above), the folder structure has become more complex.

Open the Explorer app and go to the Folders or Internal Memory section. You need to find a root folder called MIUI. There's a folder inside it. sound_recorder. This is where all the records were historically stored, but because of the folder's access limitations. Android/data, Transition can be difficult in new versions of the system.

Try following the following path, which is relevant for most Redmi 9T configurations:

• 📁 Internal memory. → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec
• 📁 Internal memory. → Android → data → com.android.soundrecorder → files → sound_recorder → call_rec
• 📁 Internal memory. → Recordings → call_rec (for certain regions)

If you go to the data folder and you see a blank screen or a message about a lack of access, that's OK. Android restricts third-party applications from accessing that area, in which case you'll need a special file manager with extended rights or use of a computer, which we'll discuss below.

Note the file extension. Xiaomi conversation records are usually saved in.m4a or.aac. These formats provide good quality at a small size. If you see files with the.mp3 extension, chances are they're not system conversation records, but music or recordings from other applications.

Using a PC to access hidden folders

The most reliable way to find and copy conversation records if the phone doesn’t give you access to folders is to connect to a computer. When connected by USB cables, the smartphone goes into file transfer mode (MTP), and the Android access restrictions for the built-in Explorer often cease to apply to an external PC.

Connect your Redmi 9T to your computer using the original cable. The USB mode notification will appear on your phone screen. Click on it and select File Transfer or File Transfer mode. Then, on your computer, open "My Computer" and find the device in the disk list.

Now you can safely walk the full path that could have been hidden on your phone:

Internal Storage/Android/data/com.android.soundrecorder/files/sound_recorder/call_rec

Here you're guaranteed to find all the recorded conversations, and the computer allows you not only to copy files, but also to sort them by date, size or name, which is very convenient when you search for a specific dialogue among hundreds of others, and the PC allows you to rename files in a clear format, for example, by adding the name of the interlocutor.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete files directly from your phone through your computer unless you are sure of their content. The system files of the recorder may have specific names, and deleting excess can disrupt the application.

Once you copy files to your computer, it is recommended to back them up immediately on an external hard drive or in cloud storage.Talk files often have legal or personal value and losing them can be a nuisance.

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Use Total Commander on Android with the USB Access plugin. This app can bypass the access restrictions to the Android/data folder without having to connect to a computer.

Automatic recording settings and their impact

Before you look for a record, make sure it was created at all. The automatic conversation record feature on Xiaomi has its own setup nuances. If the settings are incorrect, the phone can silently ignore incoming calls.

Go to the standard Phone app (green handset). Click on the three dots in the upper right corner or the menu button, then select Settings. Find Call recording. Here you need to activate the Automatic Call Record switch.

It's important to set up filters so you don't record all the garbage.

• 📞 Record all calls (waste a lot of memory)
• 📞 Record only selected numbers (blacklist for recording)
• 📞 Do not record selected numbers (white list)

You can also select a sound source from this menu. For Redmi 9T, you should choose a Microphone, as the system audio recording (Internal Audio) may be prohibited by law or technically in your region. If you choose "Do not write", then the files in the folder simply will not be in the folder.

Check if you have a time or size limit. In rare cases, if the phone's memory is full, the system can turn off the recording function even if it's enabled in the settings. Make room if the memory indicator is on red.

Third-party applications for recording and searching

If standard MIUI tools don’t work well or you don’t, you can use third-party solutions, but remember that Google is actively fighting these apps by implementing restrictions in Android 11/12/13. Many of them require complex accessibility settings.

Popular apps such as Automatic Call Recorder or Cube ACR, They create their own folders for storage. They don't use the system path. sound_recorder. They usually create a folder with the name of the app brand at the root of internal memory or in the Documents folder.

Examples of paths for third-party recorders:

• 📂 Internal memory. → CubeACR
• 📂 Internal memory. → CallRecorder
• 📂 Internal memory. → Downloads → RecCalls

When using these programs, it is important to give them all the permissions they request, including Over Other Windows and Phone Access, without which recording may be late or not at all, and look for the records in the folders created by these programs, not in the system folders.

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Third-party applications store records separately from the system, and look for them by the name of the recorder application at the root of internal memory.

File location table depending on MIUI version

Understanding which version of the shell is installed on your Redmi 9T helps you determine the right search path right away.

As you can see from the table, with the release of new versions of Android, the path becomes deeper and more secure. If you have fresh firmware installed, do not even try to search for files in the root of the MIUI folder — they simply are not there, the system transferred them to a secure container.

For users who frequently change phones or reset settings, it’s important to remember: folder Android/data It is completely cleaned when reset to the factory settings (Wipe Data). call_rec To the computer or the cloud is the only guarantee of the security of the history of calls.

⚠️ Note: When updating the firmware "over the air» (OTA) The files are usually saved, but if you manually flash through Recovery and clean up the data, all the records will be permanently lost.

Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

The situation where the desired conversation was accidentally deleted is common. Redmi 9T has a built-in Recycle Bin in the Dictaphone app, but it works for a limited time. Open the app, go to the settings or menu, and find the item "Baskbasket" or "Recently deleted."

Files are usually stored there for 30 days, and if more time has passed since the deletion, the system will not be able to return them using standard means, in which case specialized data recovery programs such as DiskDigger or Dr.Fone can help.

The effectiveness of recovery depends on whether the disk space was overwritten with new data. The less you used your phone after deleting, the better the odds. Deep scanning often requires root rights, which are difficult to obtain on modern Xiaomi, violating the warranty.

The best way to “restore” is to preemptively set up syncs. Set up automatic upload of conversation records to Google Drive, Dropbox or Mi Cloud. The Recorder settings have a “Cloud Settings” option where you can choose to automatically download new files, which will save you from having to search for missing files in the future.