Xiaomi smartphone owners, particularly the Redmi 8, often face important conversations, such as business negotiations, confirmation of agreements, or recording of support information, but the standard activation procedure for this feature has undergone significant changes since the OS was upgraded to Android 10 and higher.
Previously, users could just press a single button in the call interface, but now Google's privacy policy dictates new rules: Redmi 8 has a Google Phone (Google call) installed by default, which has a built-in recording mechanism, but it works with limitations. It's important to understand that standard settings may not be displayed without performing certain actions or installing special software.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the ways you can activate the feature, including official methods, hidden codes, and third-party utilities, and learn how to get around system limitations to make sure that no details of the conversation are lost.
Google Phone Features on Redmi 8
Redmi 8 comes with a MIUI shell and a standard Google Phone app, which is responsible for making calls and, theoretically, recording them, the main difference from the older versions is that the system now automatically warns the interlocutor when recording begins with a voice notification.
Many users mistakenly believe that the feature is completely removed, however, it is simply hidden or requires activation through certain region settings. MIUI allows you to flexibly configure the operation of the call, but in global versions of firmware, some options may not be available out of the box.
To work properly, you need to make sure your app is updated to the latest version through the Google Play Store. Older versions may not support new recording protocols or have bugs in the sound engine.
⚠️ Note: When using the standard method of recording through Google Dialer, your interlocutor will hear a voice warning that the conversation is being recorded.
If you don't see the recording button in the call interface, it doesn't mean the phone doesn't support the feature, but you often need to manually activate the item in the settings menu or change the region of the device to the country where it's allowed by law.
Activation through Google Phone settings
The first and easiest way is to check for a hidden option in the menu of the app itself. On Redmi 8, the path to settings may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same: you need to open the Phone app and find the control menu.
Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen to call the drop-down menu. Select Settings from the list. Next, look for Call Record. If this section is present, you're lucky that the feature is already embedded in your firmware version.
Inside the Call Record menu, you need to activate the switch Automatic Call Recording or Automatic Call Recording, and you can choose whether to record all numbers or only selected contacts.
- 📱 Open the phone application (green handset).
- ⚙️ Click on three dots in the corner and select Settings".
- 🔍 Find the "Call Recording" section).
- 🎚️ Activate sliders for automatic recording.
If there is no Call Record section, it means that the developer has blocked the function for your region, in which case, move to the next section of the instructions, which describes how to change the region.
Replacement of the region to activate the function
One of the most effective ways to enable recording on Redmi 8 without installing additional software is to change the region of the device. The logic is simple: in some countries (for example, India, Indonesia, Vietnam), recording conversations is allowed by law, so Xiaomi and Google activate this feature by default.
To use this method, go to the basic settings of your smartphone. Find the "Additional" section or immediately in the "Region" settings list. Change the current region (e.g., "Russia" or "Ukraine") to "India" or "Vietnam."
After changing the region, the system may require a reboot or simply update the list of available features. Go back to the Phone application → Settings. The Call Record section should appear. If it appears, you can safely use the function by staying in the selected region or returning (the function can be saved).
⚠️ Attention: Change of region may affect the operation of some local services, news feeds and time display.
In some cases, once the region is returned back, the recording function may disappear, so you will have to repeat the procedure every time before an important call or leave the region changed if it does not cause discomfort.
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If changing the region didn’t help, try clearing the cache of the Phone app through Settings → Apps → All Apps → Phone → Memory → Clear the cache.
Using the TAC+ application for full functionality
If standard methods don't work or you're annoyed by voice alerts, the best solution is to install a specialized application, and the leader in this niche is TAC+ (Phone Call Recorder), which is able to intercept the control of a call and record a conversation without system restrictions.
The installation process requires care, as the application runs at a deep system level. After downloading TAC+ from a reliable source (the official developer website or verified repositories), start the installation.
The app will ask for multiple permissions, including microphone, phone, contacts, and special access rights. It is critical to grant permission for "Master on top of other applications" and "Special features." Without that, TAC+ will not be able to intercept the call.
adb shell pm grant com.tacplus.recorder android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
adb shell pm grant com.tacplus.recorder android.permission.RECORD_AUDIOIn the TAC+ settings, you need to select the sound source "Voice Call (audio source)" or similar, which provides the best quality recording of both interlocutors. There is also a "Root mode" feature in the application, but on Redmi 8 without superuser rights you can achieve good results through standard accessibility settings.
- 📥 Download and install. APK-file TAC+.
- 🔐 Provide all requested permissions and access rights.
- 🎙️ Select the source of the sound "Voice Call".
- 📞 Make a test call to check the quality.
Using TAC+ allows you to record in the background without displaying recording notifications on the screen during a conversation, making the process completely invisible to the second party.
☑️ Checking rights for TAC+
Comparison of recording methods on Xiaomi
To make it easier for you to choose the right option, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you weigh the pros and cons of each method, taking into account your priorities: quality, anonymity or ease of use.
| Method | Sound quality | Warning of the interlocutor | Difficulty setting up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Phone (standard) | High. | Yes (voice) | Low. |
| Change of region | High. | Yes (voice) | Medium |
| Annex TAC+ | Very high. | No. | Tall. |
| Dictaphone (speaker) | Low. | No. | Low. |
As you can see from the table, standard methods lose out on privacy because of voice notification, but they do provide a stable operation without the risk of conflicts with Android security.
Third-party applications benefit in functionality, but require finer customization. On Redmi 8 with its 2 or 3 GB of RAM, it is important to properly configure autorun so that the system does not "kill" the recording process.
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For maximum anonymity and quality on Redmi 8, the best choice is a bundle of TAC+ with correctly configured MIUI access rights.
Alternative solutions and voice recorder
The MIUI shell has a built-in Dictatoron app that doesn't automatically record phone conversations, but it can be a backup, so you can turn on speakerphone and start recording through the speaker.
The quality of this recording will depend on the acoustics of the room and the noise level around it, and the voice of the interlocutor will sound remotely and your voice will be close, which can reduce intelligibility, a technique that is suitable for fixing short refinements when other methods are not available.
There are also apps like Cube ACR. They work on a similar principle to TAC+, but may require an additional support app (App Connector) to run on new versions of Android. On Redmi 8, this can consume battery life.
Remember to check the records folder regularly. Files can take up significant space in memory. Standard file path: Internal drive → Recordings → Call Rec (for Google Phone) or folder with the name of a third-party application.
⚠️ Note: Recording conversations without warning may be contrary to the laws of your country. Use this feature only for personal purposes or with the consent of the other party.