How to disable call recording on Xiaomi Redmi: a step-by-step guide

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, which are based on the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, have a wide range of functionality that often surprises users with its capabilities. One of these built-in features is automatic or manual recording of telephone conversations, which can be activated by default in the system. For many device owners, it is a convenient tool that allows you to save important agreements, phone numbers or evidence in audio format without using third-party applications.

But there is a downside to this: the constant recording of all incoming and outgoing calls quickly fills the device’s internal memory, creating a shortage of free space for photos and apps. In addition, the issue of privacy is becoming more urgent, and not every user wants their conversations to be archived without explicit consent.

In this article, we will take a look at all the possible ways to manage the recording function, from standard system settings to deeper methods through the engineering menu. You will learn how to set up selective recording only for certain contacts, how to clean up an already accumulated archive and what to do if the standard settings do not give the desired result. We will look at the nuances of how Google Phone and the native application MIUI Dialer work, so you can fully control the audio recordings on your device.

Main reasons for turning off automatic recording

Before we get to the technical settings, it’s worth understanding why many users are seeking to limit or completely ban the system from saving audio conversation files. The first and most obvious reason is memory savings. Audio files, even compressed ones, take up space, and with an active user lifestyle, the archive can grow to several gigabytes in a month, which is critical for models with 64 or 128 GB of internal storage.

The second important reason is legal and confidentiality: the laws on recording conversations differ from country to country, and in many cases, the warning of the interlocutor that the conversation is being recorded is required. Automatic recording without notice can lead to unpleasant situations, especially when communicating with government services or commercial organizations, where strict security protocols are in place.

⚠️ Note: Automatically recording conversations without warning may violate data protection laws in your country.

Also worth mentioning is performance. Although modern Snapdragon and MediaTek processors are easy to handle background tasks, constant recording and flash recording put additional strain on the I/O of system operations, which in rare cases can lead to micro-interface delays or increased battery consumption during long negotiations.

Finally, many users simply prefer to control the process manually, and it is important for them to be able to choose which conversation to keep and which not to waste time later sorting dozens of unnecessary files, turning off automation gives the user full control over the device and its contents.

Set up a standard application "Phone" in MIUI

Most Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones in global firmware versions use Google’s standard app (Google Phone), while the Chinese versions or older builds may have a native MIUI Dialer. The settings interface is different, but the logic remains the same. First, you need to open the Phone app and find the settings menu, which is usually hidden behind three dots in the upper right corner or the gear icon.

Once you go to the Settings menu, you'll need to find the section related to calling recording. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell or HyperOS, this item may be called Call Recording, Call Recording, or be placed in a separate submenu "Additional," which is where the key switches that control the voice recorder's behavior are located.

Inside the recording settings menu, you'll see some important options. The first is the Auto Record switch. If it's active, the phone will record every call without you. If you turn it off, you'll return the manual activation function. The second option is "Write only selected numbers," which allows you to create a whitelist of contacts to capture conversations.

It's also important to pay attention to the format and the audio quality. Some firmware versions allow you to select a compression codec that directly affects the size of the final file. To save space, you'd better choose standard settings, but if the quality is critical, you can experiment with bitrate parameters.

Managing Recording Through the Native MIUI Interface

If your Redmi smartphone is running on the Chinese version of firmware or you've been reflashing the device, you may have a classic MIUI Dialer installed. This interface is more functional in terms of recording settings, but also more confusing for the beginner. To get to the desired menu, open Phone, click on three bars or dots and select Settings.

In the list that opens, find Call Record, where it offers you more flexible settings than the standard Google Dialer, and you can set up not only all calls, but also specify conditions: record only incoming, only outgoing, or only conversations from unknown numbers, and this kind of detail helps to avoid storing unnecessary debris.

Special attention should be paid to the Excluded Numbers section, where the native MIUI interface can create a list of contacts that will never be recorded, even if the global automatic record is enabled, ideal for those who want to keep an archive of business negotiations, but value privacy in communicating with loved ones.

Remember that in some regions, due to legal restrictions, Google or Xiaomi may be forced to turn on a voice recording warning.

Use of contact lists for selective recording

One of the smartest trade-offs between shutting down a feature and recording everything is using contact lists, which allows you to configure your system to ignore 90% of calls (spam, couriers, friends) and focus only on the really important subscribers, such as bank employees, colleagues or support.

To implement this scenario, you don't have to create complex groups in the phone book, but in the call record settings, select the option "Write down selected numbers" (or similar wording), and then the system will prompt you to go to the contact list, where you tick the appropriate personas.

The advantage of this approach is that you don't have to constantly monitor the screen during a conversation to press the record button. The system itself recognizes the number of an incoming or outgoing call and, if it is on the "white list", activates the recorder.

If you want to do the opposite of writing everything but a certain number of people, you can find in the MIUI Dialer settings, "Do not write numbers off the list," and the logic is reversed: you make exceptions to the numbers of loved ones, and all other conversations, including unknown ones, will be archived, which is convenient for journalists or technical support.

Cleaning up archives and managing records files

Even after you turned off the automatic recording, you might still have a lot of baggage from past conversations on your device, and the records are usually stored in a hidden folder in the system, but you can find and delete them through a standard conductor. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec or Android/data/com.google.android.dialer/files/sound_recording.

You don't have to go into the file system to clean it quickly, and the easiest way to open the Dictator or Records app (depending on the version of the shell), and you can sort all the files by date, and you can select a few dozen files at once (with a long press) and select the Delete action, which will free up space instantly.

⚠️ Before mass deletion of files, make sure that there are no critical records that you may need in the future.

If you plan to keep the recording feature on but want to save space, it makes sense to change the way you save it. Some Xiaomi file managers have the option to move the folder with records to an SD card if it is installed on a smartphone, which will keep the main memory fast and allow you to store archives for years.

Also worth remembering is cloud services. If you have Google Drive or Xiaomi Cloud sync enabled, old records can automatically be uploaded to the cloud, taking up quotas there. Check the Recordings folder sync settings to avoid cloud storage overflow.

Advanced Methods: Engineering Menu and ADB

For users who want to gain full control of the system and are not afraid of complex manipulations, there are methods to disable recording at the system services level, one way is using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and having the driver and SDK platform installed.

With ADB, you can try to disable the recording component with the pm disable command, but in modern versions of Android 11/12/13/14, this can lead to unstable operation of the Phone application. A safer way is to change hidden flags through the SetEdit application or similar registry editors that require root rights.

adb shell settings put global call_recording_enabled 0

It is important to understand that the command above is exemplary and may not work on all firmware, as Xiaomi is actively struggling with modification of system parameters. Entering the wrong values in the registry can lead to a “bootloop” (cyclical reboot) or loss of the ability to make calls.

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Before any ADB experiments or system settings, be sure to make a full backup of the data to an external medium or to the cloud.

There is also a myth about the codes of the engineering menu (for example, ##6484##) through which you can turn off recording. In reality, these menus are designed to test hardware components (screen, speakers, sensor) and do not contain switches for the software functions of MIUI. Trying to change the settings there at random can recalibrate the device.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Completely disabling call recording on Xiaomi Redmi is done through the settings of the Phone or Dictator app. Use the file manager for deep cleaning, and white contact lists for selective recording.