How to disable the recording of calls on Xiaomi: all ways (including hidden)

Why Xiaomi Records Calls and How It Works

The automatic conversation recording feature on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is enabled by default in most MIUI 12-15 firmware. the manufacturer positions it as a useful tool for business and personal needs, but in practice many users face inconveniences: from accidentally saving confidential conversations to overflowing the device’s memory with unnecessary audio files.

The recording is activated via the built-in Dialer app and saves files in.amr or.mp3 file MIUI/sound_recorder/calls. It is important to understand that even after manually deleting files, the function can be turned on again after a system update or reset. 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12) Recording is in the background even if you don’t see notifications.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disable recordings, from standard settings to hidden developer settings, and learn how to delete files that have already been saved and prevent them from reappearing.

Method 1: Disconnect via the settings of the “Phone” application

The most obvious method is to deactivate the feature in the call interface, which works on most devices with MIUI 14/15, but may not be available on older firmware versions (e.g. MIUI 12 for Redmi 9A).

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Phone app (the tube icon on the home screen).
• ⚙️ Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Select Settings.
• 🎤 Go to Call Recording (or Call Recording in English firmware).
• 🔘 Turn off the slider Auto-record calls (or Auto-record calls).
• 🗑️ Click Delete All Records to Clear Existing Files.

If there is no Record Calls menu item, your version of MIUI uses an alternative feature management method (see Method 2). Also note that on some models (e.g. POCO F5), the record may be linked to the Xiaomi Cloud service, which must be disabled separately.

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After you turn off the record, check the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager) Sometimes files remain in memory, the function is deactivated.

Method 2: Deactivation through “Security settings”

On devices with MIUI 13+, call recording can be managed through the Security section, which is relevant for the Xiaomi 12/13 series, Redmi K50 and new POCO models, where the function is integrated into the data protection system.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Security (Shield icon)
2. Choose Privacy. → Special permits.
3. Find the call record and tap it.
4. Turn off the permission for the Phone app (or com.android.dialer).
5. Confirm the action by clicking Cancel permission.

This method blocks the recording at the system level, so even after updating the firmware function will not turn on automatically. However, note that on some devices (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro+) after such a turn off, the ability to manually record conversations may be lost - if you need it, use Method 3.

Method 3: Using Developer Mode (for hidden settings)

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to go to the hidden MIUI settings, which are suitable for power users and require developer mode activation, and it's particularly effective on MIUI 12.5 firmware and below, where call recording can be sewn into the system.

Algorithm of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. tap on MIUI Version 7 times until a notification appears You became a developer!

Settings → Additional → For Developers

USB debugging

ADB

adb shell settings put global call_recording_disabled 1

Reset the device.

This command completely blocks the recording at the kernel level of the system. To return the function back, replace the command with 1 by 0. Note: on some devices (for example, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra), after that you may need to reset the settings of the Phone application through Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Phone. → Warehouse → Reset.

Method 4: Delete a record through a file manager

Even after the function is disabled, old records can take up space in the device's memory to delete them:

1. Open Mi File Manager (or any other file manager with access to system folders).
2. Cross the path: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/calls/
3. Select all files (usually.amr or.amr format.mp3 names call_20260515_123456.amr).
4. Click Delete and confirm the action.

If the folder sound_recorder Not available, check out alternative paths:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/ (firmware)
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.dialer/files/ (for records synchronized with the cloud)

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Deleting files manually does not disable the recording function itself. Once the folder is cleaned, new conversations can be saved again if the recording is not deactivated through settings.

Problems and Solutions: What to Do When Recording Is Not Shut Down

Sometimes even after all the instructions are completed, the call recording continues, and let's look at the typical causes and ways to fix them:

If neither method worked, the radical solution is to roll back the firmware to an earlier version of MIUI, where there is no write feature at all, such as the Xiaomi Mi A3 (with pure Android One) or the POCO X3 Pro with custom firmware, but this is only suitable for advanced users, since it requires unlocking the bootloader and potentially takes away warranty.

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Before rolling back the firmware, make a full data backup via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will save contacts, SMS and application settings.

How to prevent the re-enactment of the record

To prevent the call recording function from being activated again, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Check your phone settings regularly → Recording calls after updates MIUI.
• 🚫 Turn off automatic update installation for the Phone app: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Phone, tap three dots in the top corner. → Turn off auto-update.
• 🔒 Use an ad blocker (such as Blokada) to prevent hidden feature enablement through push notifications from Xiaomi.
• 📱 Install an alternative call (like Truecaller or Google Phone) and make it the default app.

On devices with MIUI Global Stable, call recording can be enabled automatically when connected to corporate Wi-Fi networks (such as offices or hotels).This is due to Xiaomi’s security policies for business users. To avoid this, turn off the “Automatic Network Configuration” option in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls to Xiaomi