Where to save the recording of the conversation on Xiaomi 9: the full way

Owners of Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphones often face the need to document important phone conversations, whether business transactions or personal conversations. the standard application "Phone" in the shell of MIUI has built-in functionality for this, but finding saved files can be confusing to the inexperienced user. Android system, especially in versions 9 and 10, has a strict security policy that hides media files from prying eyes.

By default, audio recordings of conversations do not appear in the shared gallery along with photos or videos; they hide in the back of system folders, which are accessed through the built-in file manager or special applications. Understanding the structure of Xiaomi directories allows you to quickly find the right dialogues, copy them to your computer or transfer them through instant messengers.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to find recorded files, change the way they are saved, and what to do if standard search methods do not yield results.

Note that file location may vary slightly depending on the version of the installed MIUI firmware. However, the basic file system logic remains the same for all devices of the brand. Below we will look at the universal paths relevant to the Mi 9 model.

Standard path to files in system conductor

The easiest way to find the audio you're interested in is to use the standard Explorer app, which is preinstalled on every Xiaomi smartphone. Once the call is complete, the file is automatically stored in the device's internal memory. To access it, you need to open the application and go to the section responsible for internal storage.

Inside the root directory you need to find a folder with the name MIUI. This is where most of the system data and user shell settings are stored. sound_recorder. If you were looking for where the recording of the conversation on shaomi is stored 9, This is the main path.

But inside the folder. sound_recorder There may be many other audio files if you've used the recorder for other purposes. call_rec. The complete chain is as follows:

• 📁 Internal memory.
• 📁 folder MIUI
• 📁 sound_recorder
• 📁 call_rec

It's in this directory. call_rec You can find all your conversations, sorted by date, and the files are usually formatted.m4a or.mp3, It's a good sound quality, at a minimum size, if you can't find the folder. MIUI Try to sort files by date of change – fresh entries will be at the top of the list.

⚠️ Note: When connecting a smartphone to a computer through USB-folder MIUI It may be hidden or displayed incorrectly depending on the mode of operation. USB. Make sure that the "File Transfer" mode is selected» (MTP), Not "Only charging».

💡

Use file search in Explorer by entering the.m4a extension if you manually search for folders for a long time. This will quickly filter out all audio files on the device.

Search through the settings of the phone application

An alternative and often more convenient way to access the records is to use the built-in interface of the Phone app, which allows you not only to listen to a conversation, but also immediately share or delete a file. To do this, open a standard “ringer” and go to the settings menu, which is usually hidden under three dots or a gear.

You'll find the settings menu, "Call Record," and you'll click on it and you'll be taken to a submenu where you'll find all the conversations you've recorded, and here they're presented as a list of dates and subscriber numbers, making it much easier to navigate through the archive, and this is especially useful when you need to find a conversation with a specific contact among hundreds of other files.

You can also set up automatic recording for all incoming or outgoing calls, and the automatic recording feature eliminates the need to manually turn on the recorder every time you call, and you can also choose whether to save records only for certain numbers from the phone book.

Be careful when cleaning the list so that you don't accidentally delete important information. If you plan to keep records for a long time, it's best to periodically transfer them to an external medium.

Use of the Dictator application for archive management

On Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphones, all audio functions, including recording conversations, are often handled by the system app Dictophone. Even if you initiate a recording through the call interface, this service physically controls the file. When you open the Dictophone app, you will see tabs or categories, one of which will be called Conversations or Call.

It features a user-friendly player with fast listening, which is critical for quick access to long conversations, and allows tagging, cutting off unnecessary areas, and even renaming files for easy search, making the smartphone a powerful tool for journalists or support staff.

To access the file system directly from the application, click on the folder icon or three dots in the corner of the screen, and a menu will open where you can select Show in the folder, which automatically takes you to the system explorer exactly in the directory where the current file is located, which saves time and eliminates errors in manual search.

The app also allows you to sync your recordings with cloud services if you activate it in your Mi Cloud account settings, which backs up your conversations even if you lose or break your smartphone, but you should consider the limits of free space in the cloud.

Android 10 Features and Access Limitations

With the release of Android 10 and higher, Google has imposed strict restrictions on app access to the microphone and file system, as well as Xiaomi Mi 9 owners who have upgraded to new versions of MIUI. In some cases, the standard feature of recording conversations may stop working or alert the interlocutor to record a voice message.

This is due to changes in the API operating system that prevents third-party and system applications from intercepting audio streams without the explicit permission of the user in real time, which is why new firmware versions can change the path to files or access to the folder. call_rec It may be limited to third-party file managers.

If you don’t see records in a standard Explorer, try using a file manager with advanced access rights, such as Total Commander or FX File Explorer, which can request special permission through the Storage Access Framework (SAF) system, which allows you to see hidden system folders.

⚠️ Warning: Install third-party applications to record calls from Google Play Store on Android 10+ It might not work because of a system lock, but it's better to use built-in tools. MIUI.

Also, check your privacy settings. In the Privacy section → Permissions Manager, make sure that the Phone and Recorder app are allowed to access the microphone and memory. Without these permissions, file creation and storage are technically impossible.

Automatic recording setting and storage

For those who need to save every incoming or outgoing call, the Xiaomi Mi 9 has an automatic recording feature, which can be activated in the Phone -> Call Record settings, and you can select All Calls or Selected Numbers.

When this feature is active, the smartphone starts recording automatically when you connect to the subscriber. Files are saved to the same folder. call_rec, There's no visual difference between these files, except for the time stamp that matches the call time.

It is important to keep an eye on the available space on the device, as a long period of automatic recording can take up a significant amount of internal memory. One hour of high-quality conversation can take from 30 to 50 megabytes. Regular cleaning of the archive or transferring files to the memory card (if supported through an adapter) will help to avoid overflow.

• 📞 Open the phone app».
• ⚙️ Click on the gear settings.
• 🔴 Select "Recording calls».
• ✅ Activate the switch "Automatic recording».

There is also the option of setting up a record only for contacts from the phone book, a useful feature for businesses that allows you to monitor employees’ work or save agreements with key customers, ignoring personal conversations with unknown numbers.

Solution: Files are not saved or visible

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the recording seems to be going (the indicator on the screen is there), but after the call is complete, the file is nowhere. The first reason may be a crowded cache of the Phone application. Clearing the cache in the Apps section -> All Apps -> Phone -> Memory -> Clear often solves the problem.

The second common cause is a malfunction of the Android media scanner, which simply “does not see” new files even though they are physically recorded, and can help by restarting your smartphone or using a media scanner app that will force you to update your database.

Also check if you have a modified firmware version or a global version with a stripped-down functionality. In some EU global firmware, the call recording function may be software-enabled due to local privacy laws, which can be helped by changing the region in settings (“Advanced Settings” –> “Region”) to countries where it is allowed, such as India or Russia, or by flashing the device.

If the problem is hardware-related (rarely, but it happens when the microphone malfunctions), the recording will be kept, but the file will contain silence.

💡

If standard search methods don’t work, try connecting your phone to your PC and enabling the display of hidden files in Windows or macOS settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)