How to set up a permanent record of phone conversations on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is still a popular smartphone due to its balanced features and extensive customization capabilities, and one of the popular features is automatic phone recording, which can be useful for storing important conversations, evidence, or just for convenience, but standard MIUI settings do not always allow this option to be enabled out of the box.

In this article, we will look at all the ways you can activate persistent call recording, from built-in tools to third-party apps, how to circumvent MIUI restrictions, what settings affect recording quality, and what to do if the feature doesn’t work. We will focus on the legal aspects – recording conversations without the consent of the interlocutor can be illegal in some countries.

If you are using the Redmi Note 8 Pro based on MIUI 12/13/14 or custom firmware, the instructions below will fit with the shell version. For owners of other Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 9 Pro or POCO X3), the majority of steps will be similar, but the paths in the menu may differ.

Why is there no built-in call record in Redmi Note 8 Pro?

Many users wonder why the Redmi Note 8 Pro doesn’t have an automatic call record option, even though it’s available in some other Xiaomi smartphones, and there are three key reasons:

• 📱 Limitations MIUI In some countries (e.g. the EU), recording conversations without notifying the interlocutor is prohibited by law, so Xiaomi is disabling this feature in firmware for certain markets.
• 🔒 Google Play Policy: Google bans apps in Play Market from use since 2019 API Recording calls without special permissions, which makes it difficult for third-party software to work.
• 🛠️ Hardware restrictions: Redmi Note 8 Pro uses Mediatek Helio chipset G90T, It does not support hardware recording of calls through a second microphone (unlike some Qualcomm devices).

It's important to understand that even if you can turn on the recording, the sound quality can be low, especially if the person is quiet or indoors is noisy, and in such cases, it's better to use a headset with a microphone or an external voice recorder.

⚠️ Note: In Russia, recording telephone conversations without the consent of the interlocutor is allowed only in cases provided for by law (Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Method 1: Enabling recording through the standard “Phone” application

Some versions of MIUI 12.5 and later have a hidden call recording feature, but it can be activated through hidden settings, which doesn’t work on all firmware, but it’s worth trying first.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Recording Conversations section (if not, proceed to the next method).
4. Activate the Automatic Recording Switch and select which calls to record: 📞 All incoming and outgoing 📱 Only selected contacts 🔕 Delete certain numbers

SD-map

If there is no Recording Conversations section, try updating the Phone app through the Play Market or use the alternative methods below.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Update the phone app to the latest version

Clear the cache of the Phone application (Settings → Apps → Phone → Storage)

Make sure there is enough free space on your phone (at least 1GB)

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On the Redmi Note 8 Pro with MIUI 13.0.6 firmware and later, the recording function can be blocked at the kernel level, in which case only custom firmware installation or the use of third-party applications will help.

Method 2: Using third-party applications to record

If the built-in feature is not available, third-party software will come to the rescue, and we tested several popular solutions and selected those that work well on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.

To install Boldbeast Call Recorder (the most reliable option), follow the following steps:

1. Download the application from the official website (the Play Market may have an outdated version).
2. When you first start, select the phone model: Mediatek MT6785 (this is the Redmi Note 8 Pro chipset).
3. In the recording settings, specify: 📱 Record Mode: Mode 1 (for better quality) 🔊 Audio Source: Voice Uplink + Downlink 📁 Save Format: MP3 or AAC (save space)

Provide all the permissions requested (access to microphone, phone calls, storage).

⚠️ Note: Call recording applications may conflict with MIUI Optimization is a built-in service that closes the background processes. To avoid write breaks, add the application to Auto Run and Without Restrictions via Settings → Annexes → Permits → Special access.

Cube Call Recorder ACR|Boldbeast Call Recorder|Call Recorder - Automatic|Other |Not used-->

Method 3: Activate recording through the engineering menu (for advanced)

If you’re ready to dive into the technical details, you can try to turn on the recording through the Engineering Mode, which is suitable for Android 9/10 firmware and requires caution – incorrect settings can disrupt the phone.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Phone app and type the combination: ##36446337## This will open the Engineer Mode (MTK).
2. Go to the Hardware Testing → Audio section.
3. Select Normal Mode → Type: Mic and check the signal levels (should respond to sound).
4. Go back to the main menu and find Telephony → Call Settings.
5. Activate the Voice Call Recording option (if any).
6. Save the settings and restart the phone.

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If records take up too much space, convert them to Opus or OGG format using the Audio Converter app.This will reduce file size by 2-3 times without significant quality loss.

Solving the Problem: Why Calls Are Not Recorded

Even after you set it up properly, the record may not work, and let's look at the typical causes and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods helped, check:

1. Are there antiviruses (such as Avast or 360 Security) that block access to the microphone?
2. Is the incognito mode activated in the Phone app (it can turn off recording)
3. Whether you are using dual SIM – on some firmware, the recording works only with the main card.

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Redmi Note 8 Pro with older firmware MIUI 12.5 The problem of not having a record is often solved by rolling back to an earlier version. MIUI (However, it is risky – before rolling back, make a full backup through Mi Cloud or TWRP.

Legal aspects: can you record conversations without consent

Before you activate a permanent record, please read your country's regulations. In most cases, recording conversations is only allowed with the notification of the interlocutor.

• 📜 Russia: recording is allowed without consent if you are a participant in the conversation (Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation), however, in court such recording may be considered inadmissible evidence if the other party was not notified.
• 📜 European Union (GDPR): recording without consent is prohibited and punishable by fines of up to 4% of the annual turnover of the company.
• 📜 U.S.: laws vary by state, California and Illinois require consent of all participants, Texas only one.

To avoid legal problems:

• 🎤 Notify the interlocutor at the beginning of the conversation (for example: “The conversation is recorded to fix the agreements»).
• 📝 Keep the records no longer than necessary and delete them after reaching the goal.
• 🔒 Do not distribute the records to third parties without a good reason (for example, at the request of the court).

If you record conversations for work (such as as a sales manager), make sure your company has a personal data processing policy that is consistent with local law.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls on Redmi Note 8 Pro