How to set up call recording on Xiaomi Mi 9

Owners of Xiaomi’s Mi 9 lineup of flagship devices often face unexpected limitations when trying to record an important conversation.The problem lies in Google’s policy changes regarding Android, which also affect the MIUI shell. Standard methods that worked on older models may not be available or work incorrectly depending on the region of the firmware and the version of the operating system.

The solution requires an understanding of the system architecture, because recording conversations can be done in several ways: in some cases, it is enough to activate a hidden function, in others it will require a change of region or installing specialized applications.

Before we get to specifics, it’s worth noting that the effectiveness of the method depends on which version of MIUI is installed on your smartphone. Global versions often lack the native voice recorder functionality that is present in Chinese builds.

Features of native recording in MIUI

Xiaomi originally introduced its own audio stream fixing mechanism right into the system phone, but under pressure from some countries, this functionality was removed from global firmware versions, and if you have a European or Russian build, you may not find the switch in the standard menu.

However, in some versions of MIUI 10 and MIUI 11, which are relevant to the Xiaomi Mi 9, the hidden functionality is still available. It is based on the system application MIUI Dialer. To check for it, you need to open the call log and click on the gear icon or three dots in the upper corner of the screen.

⚠️ Note: In some regions, recording activation may be accompanied by an audible notification to the interlocutor that the conversation is being recorded.

If you have Call Record in the call settings menu, you're in luck. You can set up automatic logs of all incoming and outgoing calls, or select specific numbers. Files are saved to internal memory in a folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec.

It is important to understand the difference between recording through a microphone and capturing an internal audio stream.Native recording at Xiaomi typically uses the second method, which ensures clean sound without street noise. Third-party applications are often forced to write sound through a microphone, which reduces quality.

Changing the region as a method of activation

One of the most effective ways to get the function back is to temporarily change the region of the device, and the logic is simple: MIUI functionality varies by country, and in some regions, like India or China, call recording is legal and built-in by default.

To do this, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Region. Select India, Indonesia or China from the list. After changing region, the phone may reboot some services, and the necessary switch should appear in the call menu.

Once activated in the call settings menu, you can return the region back to Russia or Ukraine. In most cases, the setting is saved and the function continues to work. However, in newer versions of MIUI, the system can again block access when you return to the original settings.

And you have to consider that changing the region doesn't just affect the phone, it can change the set of pre-installed apps, the themes, even the frequency of system updates, so it requires caution and understanding the consequences.

Use of Google Phone (Google Phone)

Starting with certain versions of Android, Google has promoted its own Google Phone app as a replacement for the standard MIUI call. Recent updates to this app have introduced a built-in recording feature that works at the system level, regardless of the manufacturer's shell.

To take advantage of this method, you need to install or update Google’s Phone app through the Play Market. If the feature is not already deployed in your region, you can try clearing the cache and application data, and then re-activate it as the default app.

In the Google Phone settings (three dots → Settings → Call Recording), you can enable automatic recording. Record notification will also be in this case, but the sound quality will be excellent, since direct digital stream capture is used.

💡

If the Call Record option is not available in Google Phone, try changing the system language to English (USA), enable the function, and then return the Russian language.

The main advantage of this method is stability. Google Phone receives updates directly from the search giant and is less dependent on the whims of Xiaomi firmware. This is especially true for the Mi 9, which is no longer receiving major Android updates from the manufacturer.

Third-party recording applications

If system methods don't work, third-party developers come to the rescue. The market offers a lot of solutions, but due to the limitations of Android 10 and above, many of them require complex customizations or root rights.

One of the most popular and functional applications is Call Recorder, Cube ACR, which can bypass system limitations using special accessibility services, and it needs to give the application the maximum set of permissions to work.

Other popular options include Appliqato’s Automatic Call Recorder and Tac Call Recorder.The effectiveness of each app is individual and depends on the specific firmware version of your Xiaomi Mi 9.

Below is a table comparing popular solutions:

⚠️ Warning: Third-party applications may conflict with energy saving system MIUI. Be sure to add the recorder to the list of exceptions (“No restrictions”) in the battery settings, otherwise the system will “kill” the recording process in the background.

Setting up quality and storage parameters

Recording quality directly affects speech intelligibility. In native solutions Xiaomi and Google parameters are often hidden, but in third-party applications you can choose the bitrate and format. For the Mi 9 with its quality microphones, the optimal format will be MP3 or WAV with a bitrate of at least 128 kbit / s.

It is important to keep track of storage space. Audio files, especially in WAV format, can take up a significant amount of volume with frequent conversations, and it is recommended to set up automatic cleaning of old records or synchronization with the cloud.

File location also matters. By default, records can be saved to hidden system folders that are difficult to find through a regular file manager. Use a search on the.mp3 or.m4a extension to quickly locate the desired file.

Addressing problems and conflicts

Xiaomi Mi 9 users often complain that recording starts, but the file is empty or contains only silence.This is a classic symptom of a microphone access conflict.

If you use a third-party recorder, make sure it is selected as the primary call handler if possible, or that the system recorder is disabled, and disabling the Sound Improvement or Noise Reduction function in the audio settings can also solve the problem, as they can distort the captured stream.

In some cases, a complete reset of the Phone app settings through the application management menu helps, which will return the configs to the factory ones and can eliminate a software failure that blocks the recording.

💡

If the recording is without the sound of the interlocutor, the problem is almost always in the restrictions of Android on access to the internal audio stream, which can only be circumvented by root rights or native means of the system.

Legal aspects and ethics

Using the recording features, it is important to be aware of your country’s laws: In many jurisdictions, recording a conversation without warning the other party is illegal and the evidence obtained cannot be used in court.

System notifications that cannot be turned off are designed to comply with these rules, and ignoring this fact can lead to serious legal consequences, no matter how convenient it is for you to have an audio archive of all conversations.

In the corporate environment, the use of such functions on work devices should be governed by the company’s internal security rules, and personal data captured in the record are also subject to protection under personal data laws.