How to set up a voice recorder on Xiaomi to automatically record conversations

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to capture an important conversation, whether it’s a business conversation or clarifying the details of the order. However, after the release of Android 10, 11 and especially Android 13 updates, Google made a major change in security policy by prohibiting third-party applications from accessing the audio stream of the call, which led to the fact that standard methods stopped working, and loud warnings about the start of recording for the interlocutor appeared on the screen.

Fortunately, the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have system capabilities that circumvent these limitations, so you don't have to be a programmer or get root rights to get back to the same function, you just have to change the settings of the built-in Phone app correctly, or use special engineering menu codes that are hidden from the average user.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to turn on a record, from standard menus to hidden developer flags. You’ll learn why a record may not turn on automatically and how to get your phone to record conversations without audible notification. Attention: Before you start, make sure you have the latest firmware installed, as the location of the items may vary slightly depending on the Android version.

The first and easiest way to activate the feature is to use the built-in shell capabilities. Unlike “pure” Android, Xiaomi integrates the recording module directly into the system call. To find the necessary parameters, open the Phone application and click on the three dots in the upper right corner (or the menu button at the bottom of the screen, depending on the interface version). In the list that opens, select Settings. Next, find the Call Record section. Here the user can activate the slider “Recort Calls automatically.” If the switch is active, the phone will save each incoming and outgoing conversation without additional input. In the global versions of firmware (Global) ROM) This item may be hidden or restricted by the laws of individual countries. If you don't find one, try changing the region of the device in the general settings of the system to India, Singapore or Nepal. 💡Changing the region to India or Singapore often unlocks hidden features MIUI, including an improved voice recorder and additional themes, without the need to flash the device.m4a or.mp3 folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. These files are accessed through a standard conductor, and the sound quality of this method is usually high, since it uses direct digital stream, rather than recording through a microphone.

Hidden codes and an engineering menu for activation If the standard menu does not offer the necessary options, special ones come to the rescue. USSD-These tools are for developers and testers, but they can be useful for ordinary users, and type #86583## into the dialer. If the command is successful, you will see a pop-up message "Voice record feature enabled" or "Voice record feature disabled", which means switching the status of the function. After entering the code, return to the settings of the Phone application - the record point should appear. If this code didn’t work, which is common on newer versions of Android 13 and 14, try an alternative method through the testing menu. Enter ##4636##. From the menu that opens, select Phone information). There may not be a direct record switch, but this section is useful for checking the status of the network, which affects the quality of the connection. Another powerful tool is codes to reset the call settings. Enter ##86566##. This action resets the settings of the Phone application to the factory, which can return the disappeared menu items if they were hidden after the system update. Be careful: after this procedure you will have to reconfigure the number definition and block unwanted calls. Why the codes stop working? Xiaomi and Google constantly close vulnerabilities in new versions of Android. If the code does not work, this means that the third-party solution is only blocked in this version of the system. Using engineering codes is a quick way, but it doesn't guarantee results on all models. Devices with Snapdragon and MediaTek processors can respond to commands differently. If no code works, move on to using third-party software adapted to new security requirements.

When system methods are powerless, specialized applications come on the scene. Due to Google's limitations, they can't just "listen" to a call, so they use various workarounds, such as recording audio through a speaker and then clearing noise or using accessibility services. One of the most popular solutions is TapeACall or Call Recorder - ACR. Call Recorder - ACR (Nougat version) is considered one of the best solutions for Xiaomi. Once installed, it will request a lot of permissions: access to contacts, microphone, phone and, and most importantly, "Special capabilities" if the application is not selected for the 3 settings. These methods use accessibility services to automatically turn on the recorder when you start a conversation, and another option is to use applications that create conferencing. The principle of their work is that when you call the application automatically adds a third participant (its server) who writes, the disadvantage of this approach is that the interlocutor can hear a beep or a message about the connection, and the sound quality depends on the speed of the Internet. 📊 What is the most common way to record calls?Standard voice recorder Xiaomi (ACR Voice messages in messengers Installing third-party programs requires careful setting of exceptions in the battery. → Annexes → All applications, find your voice recorder, go to Activity Control and select No Limits. Also turn on AutoRun. Without these actions, MIUI will simply kill the recording process to save energy, leaving you without an important file.

One of the most annoying issues in modern versions of Android is the loud voice notification “Talk recording has begun”, which is heard by both interlocutors. Google has implemented this requirement to comply with privacy laws, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to circumvent it by system means. MIUI There are workarounds. The first method is to use modified versions of the Phone app. APK-Installing this version requires removing updates to the standard call and preventing it from auto-updating in the GetApps store or Google Play. This is a risky method, since modified software may contain vulnerabilities. The second method is to change the region and language. It has been observed that on some firmwares when selecting a region "USA" or "China" and the corresponding language, the voice warning does not play, although the visual notification on the screen remains.Try temporarily change the interface language to English or Chinese, make a call for verification, and then return the native language.The method of efficiency Change the risk region Average Low No Modified High High (viruses) Third-party applications Depend on the model Medium Low Loud + Dictaphone 100% Low Quality Third option - use of the native language.The method of the complexity of the risk of the region Change from the medium-low phone to the phone, the phone is guaranteed to the phone's radio frequency, but the phone is dependent on the phone's radio radio radio radio frequency level 14.

Record quality is directly dependent on the selected codec and bitrate. In the standard Dictophone app on Xiaomi, the default mode is Standard, which compresses audio more than necessary. For important negotiations, it is better to choose a “No Compression” mode or format WAV, If it's available in the settings of a particular application, the phone settings (call record section) can be "record format." AMR and MP3/AAC, Choose the last one. AMR Created to save space in the era 2G/3G It has a very distinctive metallic voice, while AAC Provides clean sound and is better suited for later text recognition or listening in noisy environments. ☑️ Check the sound settings Select the format MP3 or WAVSet the bitrate at least 128 kbit/sSwitch off noise cancellation (if the conversation is quiet)Check free disk space: 0 / 4 Also worth paying attention to is the noise cancellation function: In some scenarios, such as when talking from a car or outdoors in high winds, noise cancellation algorithms can eat up part of speech, making the interlocutor indiscriminate. If you notice such a problem, try to disable this feature in the audio or voice recorder settings.

Where records are stored and how to find them After successful setup, it is important to know where to look for saved files. MIUI The path to call records is standardized. Open File Manager and follow the path: Internal Memory → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. This is where all your conversations, sorted by date and time, lie. Files can have strange names, consisting of a phone number and dates in format. YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS. To quickly find the right conversation, you can use a built-in folder search or sort by date of change, and it is also convenient to rename important files immediately after a call, adding the name of the interlocutor or the essence of the conversation to the title. For convenience, you can configure the synchronization of the record folder with cloud storage. The Dictophone app has Xiaomi cloud settings, but they only work with the Mi Account. If you use Google Drive or Yandex.Disk, you will have to configure synchronization of a specific folder through the cloud service application, adding a path. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec reserve. 💡Automatic folder synchronization call_rec The only way to keep records safe from loss in the event of a phone breakdown or a factory reset. Remember to clean this folder periodically. Audio recordings, especially in high quality, take up a significant amount of memory. One hour of conversation in the format of a video. WAV Regular archiving on a computer can help save space on a smartphone.