How to turn off call recording on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8

Owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones from Xiaomi often face the intrusive feature of automatic recording of telephone conversations. On the Redmi Note 8 model running the MIUI shell, this option can be activated by default or activated accidentally due to the features of the interface, which leads to the rapid filling of internal memory of the device with unnecessary audio files that the user did not even plan to save.

Disabling this feature is a simple task, but the settings menu in different versions of the firmware can look different. Sometimes standard switches are hidden in the depths of system applications, and in some cases, especially when using global versions of firmware, the function can be blocked at the level of regional restrictions. Understanding where to look for the right slider will save you time and nerves.

In this article, we will take a look at all the possible ways to deactivate call recordings, we will look at the standard methods through the Caller, system settings, and even discuss issues related to the regional features of the software, you will learn how to manage this process and prevent the loss of precious space on your device.

Standard way through the phone application

The fastest and most obvious method of disabling the function is directly in the dialing interface. In Redmi smartphones, the standard application is responsible for this, which often has a green tube logo. To access hidden settings, you need to open the control menu, which often hides behind three dots or stripes in the corner of the screen.

When you enter the menu, select Settings, and that's where you're going to find all the options for incoming and outgoing calls, and then you're going to find a section that you're going to open that's called Call Record, and inside that menu, you're going to see a switch that's responsible for automatically saving audio.

If the slider is on blue or green, it means the function is active. You just press it to turn gray. However, if you want to make sure that no conversation will be recorded, you should also check additional parameters, such as "Select Numbers" or "Write Warning." Turning off all options in this section is guaranteed to stop the process.

Note that some versions of MIUI may have slightly different interfaces, such as "Call Record" may not be in the settings immediately, but may be hidden in the "More" or "More" submenu. Carefully study each item so that you don't miss the switch you want.

Region settings and their impact on function

One of the most common reasons why users can’t find a record switch is the installed region of the device, which Xiaomi is forced to comply with the laws of different countries regarding privacy laws. In particular, in the European Union, strict GDPR rules exist, which prohibit recording conversations without the explicit consent of both parties and a complex notification procedure.

If your Redmi Note 8 is set to Germany, France or any other European region, the recording feature can be completely cut out of the system or hidden, in which case the standard path through the call settings simply won’t get you to your destination, as the Call Record item will not physically be on the menu.

To regain the ability to control the record, many users change the region in the general settings of the system to "India", "Singapore" or "Russia." After changing the region and rebooting the smartphone, the feature often appears, but this method has its risks and features that are worth knowing.

⚠️ Attention: Region change may affect some system applications, such as Explorer or Themes, and may also change the set of pre-installed Google services.

It is also important to understand that even if you change region, there may be restrictions on your phone if you bought it from an official European distributor, in which case the software may be strictly bound to the laws of the country of sale, and changing the region in the settings will not give the desired effect.

Memory management and recording cleanup

Even after the feature was turned off, you could still have old files on your device that take up space. Audio recordings of conversations, especially in high quality, can weigh quite a lot. On the Redmi Note 8 with its storage capacity, every megabyte is in the account, so regular cleaning is necessary.

You can find the saved files through a standard Explorer, and the path to them is usually this: internal memory, folder. MIUI, then-folder sound_recorder. This is where all the voice recordings and phone records are stored, so you can sort files by date and delete unnecessary ones.

For ease of file management, you can use the table below, which will help you navigate the types of files and their location:

It is recommended to check this folder periodically, as the automatic cleaning on Xiaomi does not always work correctly. You can manually select all files from the past month and delete them, freeing up a significant amount of space.

If you plan to use cloud services to store important conversations, remember to back up before doing so. call_rec Recovering them by standard means will not be possible.

Third-party recording applications

If the standard means to disable recording fails or functionality is not enough, users often turn to third-party solutions from Google Play. Apps like Call Recorder or TapeACall offer more flexible settings. However, on modern versions of Android, including those on the Redmi Note 8, they work with restrictions.

Google is actively fighting to record conversations with third-party apps for security reasons. Starting with Android 9 and up, third-party programs often record only your voice, and the interlocutor is either not heard or recorded very quietly, due to changes in the operating system API.

However, some apps have learned to bypass these limitations using Accessibility Services, which emulate speaker taps or use sophisticated audio capture algorithms, but it's worth remembering that installing these programs requires you to grant broad permissions to your phone.

⚠️ Warning: Installing unverified applications to record calls may lead to a leak of your personal data. Use only software with high ratings and a large number of reviews.

To disable recording in such applications, it is usually enough to go to their own settings and uncheck the box from the item "Automatic Recording". The interface may differ, but the logic remains the same for all such utilities.

Problems after firmware update

Often users notice that after the MIUI update, the settings are reset and call recording is turned on again, a well-known feature of the software update on Xiaomi devices. When you upgrade to a new version of the system (for example, from MIUI 11 to MIUI 12 or 13), configs can be replaced with default ones.

In addition, newer firmware versions allow developers to change menu layouts, so what was in the Call Record section can move to Advanced Settings or be renamed, and if you're updated and can't find the switch, try searching by settings.

In the settings search bar, type in the word "record" or "record" and the system will tell you where the desired item is in the current version of the shell, which is the most reliable way to avoid getting lost in the maze of menus after the update.

Also, after the update, you may need to re-enable permissions for the Phone app. Go to the application settings, find Phone, select Permissions, and make sure that access to the microphone and memory is configured correctly. Sometimes a failure in permissions leads to malfunctioning of the function.

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Before a major firmware update, take screenshots of your current call settings, which will help you quickly restore your usual configuration if all parameters reset after the update.

Legal aspects and ethics of recording

Before you finally decide whether you should completely disable the recording or just customize it selectively, it is important to remember the law. In the Russian Federation, recording your own conversation is not prohibited if you are one of the interlocutors, but distributing this recording without the consent of the other party can entail legal liability.

Other countries may have stricter laws, such as the two-party consent requirement in some states, and if you are traveling with a Redmi Note 8 overseas, be careful about using this feature.

Automatically recording all incoming data can be frustrating if you record sensitive information, passwords or bank card details dictated by the operator or the person who is on the phone, and storing such data in an unsecured form on the phone is a risk to your security.

So perhaps the best solution is not to completely disable the feature, but to set up the record only for certain numbers from the blacklist or contacts with whom you discuss important work points, which will give you control over the situation.

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The optimal strategy is not to completely remove the function, but to configure it correctly: record only important conversations and regularly clean the archive so as not to clog up the memory.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)