Where Xiaomi Stores Records of Phone Calls: A Complete Guide to Search and Recovery

Have you turned on a conversation record on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO but can't find the saved file now? Or have important audio recordings of calls disappeared after resetting? The problem is that the manufacturer doesn't always obviously place these files - they can hide in system folders, cloud backups or even encrypted MIUI containers. In this article, we'll take a look at all possible record storage locations, including hidden directories, cloud services and ways to recover deleted files.

Xiaomi’s smartphone features are its own MIUI shell, which manages call recording differently from Android’s naked. For example, on some models, audio files are not stored in a standard Recordings folder, but in a secure storage of the com.android.incallui application. In addition, since MIUI 12, the company has tightened rules for accessing system folders, which makes it difficult to search. We will show you how to circumvent these restrictions in legal ways without root rights and the risk of damaging the system.

Official places of storage of records in MIUI

By default, Xiaomi smartphones store conversation records in one of two folders - the choice depends on the firmware version and the device model. On most modern devices (for example, Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 or POCO F5), files are placed here:

• 📁 Internal memory: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ — standard-position MIUI 13–14.
• 📁 External memory card: /storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ (If the settings are set to SD-map).
• 🔒 Secure folder: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) Records are stored in an encrypted container /data/user/0/com.miui.voicerecord/files/ — It can only be accessed through root or ADB.

Record files are usually formatted.m4a or.amr and named by template: call_rec_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_XXXXXXXXXX.m4a, where XXXXXXXXXX — This is the phone number of the subscriber (no spaces: call_rec_20260515_143022_79123456789.m4a.

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If the folder call_rec empty, check the settings of the Dictator app (com.miui.voicerecord) – it is possible that records are saved to the cloud or disabled altogether.

On the old versions. MIUI (before 12.5) records could be saved in a folder /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/ or /storage/emulated/0/CallRecordings/. If you do not find files in the specified directories, try using the built-in search in the file manager. MI File Manager on request call_rec_*.m4a.

How to find records through the Dictophone application

The easiest way to access records is through the standard Dictator app, which automatically catalogs all audio files, including call records.

1. Open the Dictophone app** (if it is not on the home screen, search the system).
2. Go to the “Records” or “Calls” tab (the name depends on the version of MIUI).
3. Sort files by date – new entries will be at the top of the list.
4. Click on the recording to listen, or tap on three dots (⋮) for additional options (rename, send, delete).

If the Calls tab is missing, the records are saved in the list.

• 🔍 Use the filter by file type: in the Dictator app, click on the filter icon (usually in the upper right corner) and select Calls Only»**.
• 📥 Check the Archive folder – sometimes the records automatically move there after listening.
• ☁️ Make sure that your application settings do not enable synchronization with Mi Cloud – in this case, files can only be stored in the cloud.

Search for records through file manager

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to search for files manually, and any file manager with access to system folders (e.g., MI File Manager, Solid Explorer, or FX File Explorer) will do the job.

1. Open the file manager and enable the display of hidden folders (in the MI File Manager: ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files).
2. Go to the root directory of internal memory (/storage/emulated/0/).
3. Alternately check the folders: MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ Recordings/CallRecordings/ Android/data/com.miui.voicerecord/files/ DCIM/CallRecord/ (on some Redmi models)

/storage/XXXX-XXXX/

Important: Starting with MIUI 14, access to /Android/data/ folder is limited even to file managers. To get around this, connect your phone to your PC via USB in file transfer mode (MTP) and use Windows Explorer or macOS to search.

In the Dictator appendix

Through the file manager

In the cloud storage.

I don't know where to look.

Another option-->

Cloud Backups and Mi Cloud

If records are missing after resetting or updating your firmware, check cloud backups. Xiaomi automatically syncs some data to Mi Cloud, including call records (if enabled).

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Make sure you are logged in with the same account you used during the recording.
3. Go to the Backup section** and check for a backup with the correct date.
4. If you have a backup, click “Restore” and select “Call Records” (or “Audio Files”).

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Mi Cloud does not store the audio files themselves, but only metadata (date, duration, number) and requires a full system backup to recover the records themselves, not a selective recovery.

Recovery of deleted records

If the records were deleted accidentally, you can try to restore them using specialized utilities. Note that the chances of success depend on how long it has been since the deletion and how actively the phone memory was used.

Before recovery:

⚠️ Warning: Do not install recovery software on the same partition of memory where records were stored. This can overwrite deleted files. Use external SD-card or connect the phone to the PC.

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download and install DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Launch the application and select “Start Basic Scan”** (no root).
3. In the results, filter files by type "Audio"** (extensions.m4a,.amr,.3gp).
4. Select the required entries and click Restore** by selecting the folder to save (for example, SD-map).

Features on different models Xiaomi

The logic of storing records may vary depending on the series of devices, and the following are key features for popular lines:

• 📱 Xiaomi 13/14 Series: Records are retained by default in /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/, But the folder is limited. MI File Manager with Show System Files mode enabled** (in the application settings).

On Android 13+ devices (such as the Xiaomi 13T Pro), there are additional folder access restrictions to get around them:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and use it. ADB For copying files: adb pull /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ C:\Backups\calls\
2. Or install an alternative file manager (like FX File Explorer) and give it access to system folders through Settings → Special Permissions → Manage all files.

Enable the display of hidden folders in the file manager

Check the folders. MIUI/sound_recorder and Recordings.

Connect your phone to your PC in MTP mode

Make sure that the recordings are not synced with the Mi Cloud

Try searching for a keyword "call_rec"-->

What to do if the records are not found

If you have tried all the methods, but the records have not found, the following reasons are possible:

⚠️ Attention: Starting with MIUI 14 and Android 13, Xiaomi by default disables call recording in some regions (e.g. EU) due to legal restrictions. → Annexes → Permits → Microphone → Dictaphone. 🔕 Recording disabled in settings: Go to Settings → Annexes → Dictaphone → Permits and make sure that microphones are allowed during calls. 📵 Operator restrictions: Some mobile operators block the recording of calls at the network level (for example, MTS or Beeline in Russia). ACR). 🔄 Resetting: After resetting to factory settings, records are deleted without recovery if there was no backup in the Mi Cloud. 🛠️ File system damage: If the phone turned off while recording, the files could be damaged, in which case only professional data recovery (for example, through Chip-Off in a service center) will help. If records are critical (for example, for court or business negotiations), contact Xiaomi Service Center with a request for data extraction. Official partners have access to utility utilities that can restore files even without root rights. FAQ: Frequent questions about call records on Xiaomi Can calls be recorded automatically on all Xiaomi models? MIUI 14+ Android 13+ Automatic recording can be blocked due to Google restrictions, in which case you need to manually press the recording button during a conversation or use third-party applications (for example, Boldbeast Call Recorder, which bypasses restrictions through special settings). Why records are saved in format.m4a, not.mp3? Format.m4a (AAC) used MIUI Because it provides better compression while maintaining sound quality compared to the.mp3. This is especially important for long-term records, so that you don't take up too much memory.mp3 through an application such as Audio Converter or VLC. How do you transfer the call records to another phone? There are three ways: Through Mi Cloud: back up your old phone, then restore it to a new one. Through PC: connect both phones to your computer and copy files from the folder. call_rec To a similar folder on a new device. Through messenger: send your recordings to Telegram (without compression) or to the mail, then download to a new phone. Important: When you transfer to a device of another brand (not Xiaomi), the recordings may not appear in the standard application "Phone». Use any audio player (for example, VLC). Can you record calls via WhatsApp or Telegram on Xiaomi? No, messengers do not allow you to record voice calls directly. However, you can: Use a second SIM card and call using a regular phone call (not VoIP), while recording via a standard voice recorder. Connect an external voice recorder (e.g. Sony) ICD-UX570) telephone AUX You can record audio from a microphone while you're talking through an app like Voice Recorder & Audio Editor, but the quality will be worse because of the echo. Recording calls in messengers may violate their rules of use (for example, WhatsApp's privacy policy prohibits this without the consent of the interlocutor). How to increase the time of recording calls? By default, the recording is terminated after 2 hours. The limit of 2 hours is set in the MIUI save space. To get around it: Use a third-party app (like Call Recorder by Lovekesh) where you can configure the recording duration. Break up a long conversation into multiple files: manually stop and resume recording every 1.5 hours. Change the recording format to.wav (without compression) via the engineering menu (code #4636##), but this will greatly increase the file size.