How to record a conversation on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: all ways

Modern Redmi Note 9 smartphones feature powerful hardware and up-to-date MIUI, but owners often face an unexpected limitation: the lack of the standard automatic phone recording feature that was available in older firmware versions, due to changes in the security policy of the Android operating system that tightly regulate access to the microphone during a call.

However, the need to record important agreements, bank confirmations, or business conversations has not gone away; users have to find workarounds to keep the audio recording of the dialogue in high quality. Fortunately, for the Redmi Note 9, there are several proven methods to return lost functionality without losing warranty.

In this guide, we will take a closer look at the technical details of how the audio subsystem works in MIUI 12 and MIUI 13, how to activate the hidden features of the system, which third-party applications actually work, and why a standard voice recorder sometimes refuses to turn on.

⚠️ Warning: Before you start any manipulation of system settings or installing modified software, be sure to create a full backup of data.

Why the recording of conversations on Redmi Note 9 was missing

The main reason for the disappearance of the usual recording button is the update of Google’s privacy policy. Beginning with Android 9 and especially strictly in Android 10-12, the company closed the direct access of applications to the audio stream of telephony, which means that third-party software can not just “overhear” and save the conversation, as it used to.

Xiaomi, following the rules of the Play Store, was forced to remove the native recorder from the global versions of firmware. Now in the standard Google Phone app, which is preinstalled on the Redmi Note 9, this feature is not by default. MIUI (Chinese version of the system, such functionality is preserved.

There's a misconception that recording is not hardware-enabled, and the Redmi Note 9 microphone actually does a great job, it's a software problem, and it's at the operating system's permission level, not the physical components of the smartphone, and understanding this difference is important for the way you're circumventing it.

Use of the built-in MIUI dictaphone

The easiest and most reliable way to do this without having to install any additional software is to use the regular Dictophone app, which, unlike a bell, has higher privileges and can capture sound even when you're actively connected, but you have to configure it properly.

First, open the Dictaphone app through the app menu or search. In the upper right corner, click on the menu icon (three dots or bars) and go to Settings. Find "Record Calls" or "Autophone Conversations" and activate the switch. If this is not the case, your regional firmware may be blocking this feature, and then you will have to change the region.

To change your region, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Region. Select a country where Google's restrictions are less stringent, such as India, China or Singapore. After changing region, reboot your smartphone and check the voice recorder settings again. Often this action will "unlock" hidden system features.

Importantly, when using this method, the interlocutor may hear a characteristic click or voice alert to start recording, depending on the version of Android. This is a system security limitation that cannot be circumvented without root rights. The recording quality is usually high, since direct stream from the microphone is used.

Replacement of Google’s standard call with MIUI Dialer

If you don't like the built-in voice recorder or it doesn't work properly, you can replace the standard Google call with the original MIUI Dialer, which has a native recording button that doesn't require any additional actions during the conversation, and it's the most elegant solution.

To implement this method, you will need to find an installation file. APK applications MIUI Dialer version compatible with your version of Android. Usually this version is below the 12th, as in the newer Google has also started to block the recording even in native Xiaomi apps. 4PDA.

Once the file is uploaded, you need to allow installation from unknown sources. Redmi Note 9 will issue a security warning that you should ignore if you are sure of the source of the file. Once installed, the application will become the default caller, and a write button will appear in the interface.

⚠️ Warning: When installing an older version of a call, be sure to turn off automatic updates to Google Play apps for that particular package. Otherwise, the system will silently update it to a version without the recording feature.

Third-party applications for recording calls

When system methods are inaccessible or inconvenient, specialized applications from the Play Market come to the rescue. But choosing the right software for the Redmi Note 9 is not an easy task. Most programs require complex accessibility adjustments or operating in the background without battery constraints.

One of the leaders in this niche is Call Recorder's Cube ACR application, which can bypass many restrictions using Accessibility Service, and once installed, you must give the application all the permissions you request, including access to contacts, microphone and phone.

Another popular option is Appliqato's Automatic Call Recorder, which has a simple interface and flexible setup of recording rules, so you can set the recording only for certain contacts or ignore certain numbers, and it's important to properly configure the sound source in the app's settings by choosing "Voice Call" or "Mic."

For example, messengers are often useless to record calls to Viber, WhatsApp or Telegram. Apps that record sound from the screen or use hands-free mode work best. Cube ACR also supports recording VoIP calls, but requires the option to be enabled in experimental settings.

Adjusting access rights and optimizing the battery

MIUI is known for its aggressive memory management, which seeks to shut down any application that it believes is consuming resources, even if it is necessary to run a recorder, and to keep the Redmi Note 9 from killing the recording process in the middle of a conversation, you need to set up the right energy savings.

Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Find your recording app (like Cube ACR or Recorder) in the list. Go to Activity Control (or “Energy Saving”). Select No Limits. This is a critical step without which recording can be interrupted when the screen is off.

You also need to lock the application in memory. Open the list of running applications (swipe from the bottom up and hold or menu button). Find the recorder window and press the lock. This will prevent it from unloading from RAM when clearing the background.

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For maximum reliability, enable autorun for the recording application. This can be done in the Security application → Permissions → Autorun. Make sure the switch opposite your recorder is active.

Another nuance is permissions. When you first run, the app will request access to the microphone, contacts and phone. If you accidentally refuse access, the function will not work. Check these parameters in the Permissions section of the application card. Pay special attention to the permission to display over other windows, because the floating recording button requires this right.

Where to find and how to manage recorded files

Once you've set up successfully, the question is, where do files go? Depending on the method you choose, the path may be different. For a regular Xiaomi voice recorder, the standard path is like internal memory./MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. Files usually have an extension.m4a or.mp3.

Third-party applications often create their own folders at the root of the file system. For example, Cube ACR saves data to the CallRecorder folder. For ease of management, it is recommended that you change the save path to a more convenient one immediately after setting up, if the application allows you to do this, and you can also configure synchronization with the cloud.

You can manage records through the built-in file manager Explorer. Sort files by date to quickly find the right conversation. Long entries can be edited directly in the voice recorder app, cutting unnecessary pauses at the beginning and end of the conversation.

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Check disk space regularly. High-quality conversation recording takes up a significant amount of memory, and overflowing storage can lead to the loss of recent records or system failure.