Where to look for phone records on Xiaomi Mi 8: 5 proven ways

Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi Mi 8 is a feature that can be useful in business negotiations, to fix important agreements or just to save memorable conversations. However, many users face the problem of where exactly these records are stored, how to find them and can you restore deleted files? Unlike modern Xiaomi models, where recording calls is integrated into the standard Phone application, the Mi 8 (released in 2018) process has its own nuances.

In this article, we will look at all possible storage locations, including hidden folders, cloud services and third-party applications, and focus on recovering deleted files, a pressing issue for owners of devices with limited memory, and learn how to set up automatic call recording and avoid data loss in the future.

If you’ve never turned on conversation recording on your Xiaomi Mi 8, check first if your firmware supports this feature. On stock MIUI (versions 9-12), call recording is available, but can be disabled by default. In some regions (for example, in the EU), the feature is blocked due to legal restrictions, as we will also discuss below.

Before you start searching for records, make sure you don’t confuse them with voice messages (like WhatsApp or Telegram) Call records are saved in.amr or.mp3 format, whereas voice notes from instant messengers are more likely to have the extension.ogg or.m4a.

1. Standard place of storage of records in MIUI

On the Xiaomi Mi 8, the default phone records are stored in the device’s internal memory, in the hidden folder of the system, and the path to them depends on the version of MIUI, but most often it looks like this:

• 📁 Main folder: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/
• 📁 Alternative path (for older versions) MIUI): /storage/emulated/0/Recorder/callrec/
• 🔍 How to find: Use any file manager (such as Mi File Explorer or Total Commander) and enable the display of hidden folders in the settings.

If the folders call_rec or sound_recorder It may not be there, it may mean:

1. You’ve never recorded conversations through a standard phone app.
2. The recording function is disabled in the settings (see Section 3).
3. The recordings were deleted automatically due to memory shortage.

Record files usually have names of the type:

call_rec_20260515_143022_1234567890.amr

where:

• 20260515 – date of recording (year, month, day)
• 143022 – Time (hours, minutes, seconds)
• 1234567890 – the telephone number of the interlocutor (can be replaced by a hash).

⚠️ Note: If you connected Xiaomi Mi 8 to your computer through MTP And you haven't seen the file. MIUI, Try to use the mode. PTP Or install the Mi drivers PC Suite.In some cases, Windows does not display hidden system directories without additional settings.

2. Search through the application "Records" (Recents)

On MIUI 10-12 (relevant to the Mi 8), call recordings can be found not only in the file manager, but also through the standard Phone app.

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Go to the “Last” (or Recents) tab.
3. Find an icon call on the list 🎤 (microphone – this means that the conversation was recorded.
4. Slip on the record and select "Replay" or "Share".

If the icons 🎤 No, but you're sure the recording was done, check it out:

• 🔄 App Update: Go to Google Play and upgrade to the latest version of Phone.
• 📱 Regional restrictions: Some EU firmware has a hidden recording function. Try changing the region in the settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Region).
• 🛠️ Resetting: In extreme cases, reset the settings of the Phone application (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Warehouse → Drop it).

Important: On Xiaomi Mi 8 with Global Market Firmware (EEA), call recording can be blocked at the kernel level, in which case only custom firmware installation or third-party applications will help.

3. Set up automatic call recording

If you want all conversations recorded automatically, you need to configure the appropriate option in the Phone app. Instructions for MIUI 9-12:

1. Open the phone» → press ⋮ (three-point) → «Settings».
2. Select "Call Recording" (or "Call Recording").
3. Activate the Automatic Recording switch.
4. Tell me which calls to record: 📞 All calls. 📇 Only contacts. 🔢 Only unknown numbers.

storage

.amr

.mp3

save-box

If the item "Recording conversations" in the settings is not, it can mean:

• 🌍 Regional restrictions: On firmware for the EU (EEA) The solution is a region change or installation. MIUI China.
• 📱 An outdated version MIUI: Upgrade to the latest available version for the Mi 8.
• 🔧 No rights: Check if the permissions of the Phone application have been revoked (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Permits).

⚠️ Note: Automatic call recording may conflict with some banking applications (e.g. SberBank Online or Tinkoff).If Push notifications have stopped working after activation, disable the entry for bank numbers or add them to exceptions.

4. Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

If the records were deleted accidentally or disappeared after resetting, you can try to restore them.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger (without Root):

1. Install DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Select “Start basic scanning.”
3. Mark the file types: Audio and AMR.
4. Wait until the scan is completed (it can take 10 to 30 minutes).
5. View the files found and save them to a memory card or the cloud.

To increase the odds:

• 🛑 Stop using your phone immediately after you find your records missing.
• 🔌 Connect the device to your PC and scan the memory via Recuva (in deep analysis mode).
• ☁️ Check cloud copies in Mi Cloud or Google Drive.

5. Alternative applications for recording calls

If standard MIUI tools are not suitable (for example, due to regional restrictions), you can use third-party applications.

• 🎤 Cube ACR — Records both ends of a conversation, supports cloud storage, but requires you to configure access rights.

When installing third-party applications, consider:

• 📡 Legal restrictions: In some countries (for example, in Russia) recording conversations without the consent of the interlocutor is prohibited by law.

💡

If recordings are not saved after installing Cube ACR or Boldbeast, try changing the audio source to Voice Call + Mic or Default in the application settings. Also check if the recording is blocking battery optimization (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → Find the application and turn off optimization).

6. Cloud storage and backup

To avoid losing conversation records when you reset your phone or replace your device, set up automatic backups.Options for Xiaomi Mi 8:

• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud. Enable "Sync Records" (if any). Manually upload important files to Mi Cloud → Files.

Third-party services

• Dropbox (autoloading audio files),
• Yandex Disk (with the function "Unloading"),
• Telegram (sending records to yourself in “Saved Messages”).

To automatically upload records to the cloud, you can use the FolderSync or Automate application (you will need to configure tasks).

💡

The most reliable way to save records is a combination of local storage (internal memory) + cloud backup, for example, you can configure Cube ACR to save files to a folder that automatically syncs with Google Drive.

⚠️ Note: When using Mi Cloud, keep in mind that free storage is limited to 5GB..amr call records take up little space (≈1 MB/minute), but with a lot of files, the limit can run out.

7. Challenges and solutions

When working with conversation records on Xiaomi Mi 8 users often face typical problems.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the Phone app (Settings → Apps → Phone → Storage → Reset) in extreme cases, you may need to completely reset your phone (but this will delete all data, including unsaved records).

FAQ: Frequent questions