Many Xiaomi smartphone users face an unexpected surprise after buying: every phone conversation is automatically stored in the device’s memory.This feature, built into the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, is designed to help businessmen and students save important information, but in everyday life it often becomes a source of irritation. Overflowing memory and unnecessary files are not the only problem, because people may be unhappy with the recording of the dialogue without their knowledge.
Turning off this intrusive option is pretty easy, but settings can be hidden in different places depending on the version of the operating system and the model of your gadget. In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible ways to deactivate recording, from standard call settings to advanced methods of managing system applications, you will learn how to manage audio recordings and prevent automatic saving of unnecessary files.
Before we get into the instructions, it’s important to understand that the interface may vary slightly across different versions of firmware. We’ll look at the current action algorithms for modern Redmi and POCO models, and touch on the features of older versions of Android.
Automatic recording problem on MIUI and HyperOS
Android
The main challenge for users is that once you reset or update the system, the function can be forced to activate, especially in global firmware versions, where privacy policies are sometimes interpreted differently by developers. Autowrite consumes disk space and can slow down the file system with a large amount of data.
⚠️ Note: If you use your smartphone to handle sensitive information, make sure the feature is disabled before an important conversation begins, as recovering deleted records can be difficult without special tools.
Understanding the logic of the recording system helps you find the right switches on the menu faster, the priority system is designed so that global switching over individual settings for individual contacts, so (first step) always has to be to check the general parameters of calls.
Basic configuration through the call menu
Redmi Note
Xiaomi Mi
To start, open the Phone app (green handset) and find a menu that is usually hidden behind three dots in the top right corner or marked with the gear icon. This is where the basic voice settings are concentrated. Find "Call Record" or "Record settings."
☑️ Checking the recording settings
In the window that opens, you'll see the "Automatic Call Record" switch, if it's active (blue or green), the system will save every call that you make, every call you make, every call you make, every call you make, every call you make, and you'll deactivate that slider, and you can also choose whether you're recording only incoming, just outgoing, or calls from certain numbers.
In some versions of the shell, the interface may be slightly different. For example, in HyperOS, the settings may be grouped in the "Advanced" submenu. If you don't find the switch right away, carefully examine all the tabs inside the call settings menu. Often users miss the item at the bottom of the list.
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Use Settings Search: Type the word “record” in the search bar into the phone’s general settings menu to instantly navigate to the desired section, bypassing long searches in the menu.
Set up exceptions for individual contacts
The same call record settings menu that we talked about above often has the option "Select contacts" or "Exclusions." When you click on it, you'll be placed in your phone book list, and you'll note specific numbers that have different rules than the global ones.
- 📞 Whitelist: Numbers that will be recorded always, even if the general function is disabled.
- 🚫 Blacklist: Numbers that will never be recorded, even when automatic recording is enabled for everyone.
- 📁 Destination folder: the ability to select a separate directory for important contacts.
Use exceptions requires care. If you get confused in settings, the system can start to behave unpredictably, writing the wrong things, and in case of errors, it is recommended to reset the settings of the Phone application to factory values through the application menu.
⚠️ Note: When you update your contact list or sync with your Google account, your exception settings may get lost. Check the relevance of your lists after each major data sync.
Control through the settings of the phone application
Android
Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Find the Phone app (usually with a green handset icon and Xiaomi manufacturer) on the list. Click on it to open the app management page. Here we are interested in the About button or settings, if they are made separately.
| Parameter | Description of action | Influence on the record |
|---|---|---|
| Clearing the data | Resetting the application settings to factory | Turns off auto-save. |
| Permits | Control of microphone access | Blocks the recording when prohibited |
| Notifications | Set up recording alerts | Hiding the dictaphone badge |
| Auto-start | Permission to work in the background | Impact on stability |
It is important to note that clearing the Phone app data will not delete your contacts and call history if they are synced to your account, but resetting will return all the record switches to their original state, which often amounts to turning them off if the default feature is turned off in your region.
What to do if the phone’s settings menu is hidden?
Use of Superuser Rights and ADB
ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
The ADB method doesn't require root rights, but it does require a necessitates connection to a computer and driver installation. With the command line, you can turn off the system components responsible for writing, or change hidden flags in the settings database. It's a universal method for all versions of MIUI.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.stk
adb shell settings put global call_recording_enabled 0Commands can vary depending on the version of Android and the specific shell modification. Before entering commands, it is recommended to review the documentation for your model in specialized forums. Using root rights gives even more opportunities, allowing you to delete the system apk files responsible for the voice recorder in the call, but this is not guaranteed.
- 💻 Connection: Enable debugging by USB In the menu "For developers".
- 🔌 Command: Connect your phone to your PC and enter a command in the terminal.
- ✅ Check: Make sure the function stops working after restarting.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB and root rights can lead to malfunctioning of banking applications and loss of manufacturer's warranty.
Search and delete saved files
Open the Explorer app and go to the folder MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. This is where all conversation records are stored by default, you can sort files by date and delete those that are not, and there's also a way through the internal memory to the Recordings folder if the folder structure has been changed by updates.
It's convenient to use the built-in Cleanup utility for mass cleaning. It often automatically finds duplicates and old tape recorders. Click on the broom icon in the Security or Cleanup app, wait for the scan, and select Call Records to delete.
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Regular cleaning of folder call_rec prevents the proliferation of system debris and speeds up the work of the gallery and the conductor.
If there are too many files, deletion may take some time. Do not interrupt the clean-up process so as not to damage the file system. Once the procedure is complete, it is recommended to restart the device to update the indexing of media files.