On Xiaomi smartphones, audio recordings are scattered across different folders of the system, from voice recording notes to voice messages in instant messengers. Users often face the problem: there is a record, but where to look for it? In this article, we will analyze all possible storage locations, including hidden system directories, cloud backups and features of different versions of MIUI.
It is important to understand that the path to files depends on the type of record:
- 🎤 Recording – created by the built-in Recording application (Recorder)
- 💬 Voice messages – saved by messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)
- 📱 System sounds – notifications, alarm clocks, ringing melodies
- 🔄 App cache – temporary files from Google Assistant, Mi AI and other services
We will also tell you how to manually find these files through Explorer, how to export them to your PC, and what to do if the records disappear after an update or reset, with a special focus on hidden.nomedia folders that can hide audio files from the gallery.
1. Standard ways of storing audio recordings in MIUI
By default, Xiaomi's Recorder app saves files in an open folder of internal memory. The path depends on the version of MIUI:
- 📁 MIUI 12–14: /storage/emulated/0/Recorder/ or /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/
- 📁 MIUI 9–11: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/SoundRecorder/ (capitalized!)
- 📁 Old versions (up to) MIUI 8): /sdcard/miui/sound_recorder/
Files have extensions.m4a (AAC-Encoding, or.amr, for short notes, names are template-based: REC_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.m4a, where YYYYMMDD — date, HHMMSS — recording.
⚠️ Note: If the Recorder folder is empty, check the Recorder settings. In some firmware, you can change the path to an external one. SD-map (Settings section) → Conservation folder).
For voice messages in messengers, the paths are other:
| messenger | The path to audio files | Format |
|---|---|---|
| /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes/ | .opus (since 2021), formerly.m4a | |
| Telegram | /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/Telegram Audio/ | .ogg or.mp3 |
| Viber | /storage/emulated/0/Viber/Media/Viber Audio/ | .amr (default) |
| /storage/emulated/0/Tencent/MicroMsg/voice2/ | .amr or.silk |
2. Hidden folders and system audio files
Not all audio recordings are visible, but MIUI creates hidden directories for:
- 🔊 Notification sounds: /system/media/audio/notifications/
- ⏰ The alarm clock tune: /system/media/audio/alarms/
- 📞 ringtones: /system/media/audio/ringtones/
- 🤖 Voice assistant: /data/data/com.miui.voiceassist/files/ (root)
The.nomedia folder deserves special attention. If it is in the directory with audio files, they will not appear in the gallery or standard player, you can check its availability through ES Explorer or Total Commander with the option "Show hidden files" enabled.
Access to system folders (/system/, /data/) requires superuser rights (root) without which you will only see user data in /storage/emulated/0/.
How to delete.nomedia if files are not displayed?
3. How to export audio recordings to PC
Transferring records from Xiaomi to your computer can be done in several ways:
- Through USB-cable: 📱 Connect your phone to your PC in File Transfer mode (MTP). 🖥️ Open this computer. → [Xiaomi model] → Internal memory. 📂 Go to the Recorder folder or another (see section) 1). 📤 Copy files on a PC (for example, in Documents)/Audio).
On Wi-Fi (via FTP):
Use applications like this. FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer FTP-You can connect to it from your PC via a server on your phone. ftp://[IP-address].
Cloud storage:
Upload files to Google Drive, Mi Cloud or Yandex Drive, then download to PC.
⚠️ Note: When copying through MTP (USB) Some files with the.opus extension (such as those from WhatsApp) may not appear in Windows Explorer, in which case use Total Commander or enable the display of hidden files.
☑️ Preparation for the export of audio files
4. Backup of audio recordings
To avoid losing important records when resetting your phone or updating your MIUI, set up automatic backups:
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: Enable synchronization in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backup. Select the Records in the Data List. Please note: Free is only available 5GB.
- 📱 Local Copy: Use Titanium Backup (requires root) or manually copy the Recorder folder to the SD-weekly.
- 🤖 Google Drive: Set up automatic download via Google Photos (Backup section) → Audio files will be saved to Google Drive → Backup.
For voice messages from messengers, backup is configured separately:
- 💬 WhatsApp: Settings → chat → Backup copy (saves and audio).
- 📌 Telegram: Enable Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media.
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If you often record lectures or interviews, create a separate folder on the site. SD-a card (e.g. Lectures) and specify it as a way to save it in the Record application, so that files will not be lost when you reset your phone.
5. Recovery of deleted audio recordings
If the records were deleted accidentally, try the following methods:
- Recycle Bin Check: MIUI 12+ has a file basket (Files → Recycle Bin) and audio recordings are stored there for up to 30 days.
- Recovery software: Use DiskDigger, Recuva (on PC) or Undeleter. Important: do not write new files to your phone after deletion - this reduces the chances of recovery. adb shell "su -c'd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0pX of=/sdcard/recovery.img'" Where X is the data partition number (requires root and ADB knowledge).
- Cloud Copies: Check out Mi Cloud (cloud.mi.com) or messenger backups (like WhatsApp on Google Drive).
To recover system audio files (for example, remote ringtones) you can extract them from the firmware:
- 📦 Download the firmware for your model from new.c.mi.com.
- 🔍 Unpack.tz file (use Mi Firmware Extractor).
- 🎵 Find the audio files in /system/media/audio/.
⚠️ Attention: Recovery through ADB Or editing system partitions can cause a device to blink. If you're not sure what you're doing, contact the service center.
6. Features of storage on different models Xiaomi
The path to audio recordings may vary depending on the model and version of MIUI:
| Model/Series | Features of storage | Additional folders |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11/12 | Recorder folder is at the root of memory. Support for.opus for voice on WhatsApp. | /MIUI/Music/ (for recordings with musical accompaniment) |
| POCO F3/F4/F5 | It uses the standard /Recorder/ path, but can create duplicates in /POCO/Voice/. | /Android/data/com.miui.voiceassist/ (for voice control) |
| Xiaomi 13/14 | Dolby Atmos support for records. Files can have Dolby tags in their name. | /MIUI/sound_recorder/pro/ (high-quality) |
| Black Shark | A separate Game Recorder app for recordings during games: /BlackShark/Record/. | /Android/data/com.blackshark.gamerecorder/ |
On devices with HyperOS (new firmware instead of MIUI), paths may change, for example, on Xiaomi 14 Ultra with HyperOS, records are stored in /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.recorder/.
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On models that support Dolby Atmos (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro), audio recordings can take up 30-40% more space due to improved codec.
7. How to change the location of the audio recordings
If internal memory is scarce, reconfigure the saving path:
- Open the Recording app (Recorder).
- Tap on. ⚙️ Settings → Conservation folder.
- Choose: 📱 Internal memory (by default) 💾 SD-map (if installed) ☁️ Mi Cloud (requires authorization)
For messengers, the setting is individual:
- 💬 WhatsApp: Transfer audio to SD-Card is not possible (app limitation).
- 📌 Telegram: In Settings → Data and memory can be selected on Telegram folder SD.
If you're an option SD-card:
- 🔄 Reboot the phone.
- 📋 Format. SD-Card as Internal Memory (Storage settings).
- 🛠️ Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (the old firmware had bugs with the SD).