Where Xiaomi Stores Records of Phone Calls: All Ways to Find and Save

Have you ever tried to find an important recording of a conversation on your Xiaomi but didn't know exactly where the smartphone stores these files? This problem is familiar to many brand users - despite the intuitive MIUI interface, the location of audio files with call records is not always obvious. Depending on the model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T) and the firmware versions of the path may differ, and some records are stored in hidden folders at all.

In this article, we will look at all possible places to store conversation records on Xiaomi devices, from standard folders to system directories, where files are stored when using an embedded voice recorder or third-party applications. You will learn how to find records through Explorer, Gallery and even using ADB if files are Suddenly disappeared.

1. Standard location of MIUI records

By default, Xiaomi smartphones store conversation records in two main places — it depends on whether you used the built-in call recording feature or a third-party app. /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. However, the path may vary depending on the version. MIUI:

• 📁 MIUI 12-14: /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ — here are stored records made through the standard Dictaphone application or call recording function.
• 📁 Old versions (MIUI 11 below): /Recorder/calls/ or /sound_recorder/ — The path may have been different on devices before 2020 year-end.
• 📁 For models POCO: Sometimes the records are duplicated in /POCO/sound_recorder/, if the firmware was used.

To find the folder quickly:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Category section → Audio.
3. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Show Hidden Files.
4. In the search box, enter call_rec or sound_recorder.

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If the folder doesn’t show up, try connecting your phone to your PC and using Windows Explorer — sometimes MIUI hides system directories from the user.

It’s important to keep in mind that call records made through Google Phone (if it’s installed as a default call app) may be stored elsewhere – we’ll talk about that in the next section.

2. Where to look for records if you used Google Phone

Many Xiaomi users install Google Phone instead of the standard MIUI Phone app, in which case the call records are saved to the Google Drive cloud or locally along the way:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.google.android.dialer/files/CallRecordings/

Features of storage in Google Phone:

• 🔄 Records are automatically synced to Google Drive if the appropriate setting is enabled (Settings). → Recording calls → Backup).
• 📥 The files are.opus or.m4a They are much less than the records of MIUI.
• ⚠️ If you delete an entry in the app, it will disappear from the folder – you can only restore it through the Google Drive Recycle Bin (within 30 days).

To check if you are using Google Phone:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. If the menu has a call record with the Google logo, then the records are stored according to the rules of this application.

3. System folders and hidden directories with records

Sometimes, recordings of conversations can be stored in non-obvious places, especially if you've used developer mode or third-party utilities to record.

* Access to /data/ is possible only with root rights or through ADB.

If you don’t find entries in standard folders, try the following steps:

1. Connect your phone to your computer and use Total Commander or ES Explorer with Hidden File Show Mode enabled.
2. In the search bar, enter the extensions.amr,.mp3,.opus – this will help you find all the audio files.
3. Check the /DCIM/.thumbnails/ folder – sometimes thumbnails of entries are saved here.

4.Why records are missing and how to recover them

One of the most common problems is that call records suddenly disappear after a MIUI update or reset, and here are the main reasons and ways to address this:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: after major updates (for example, with MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) system folders can be cleaned. Solution is to back up records in advance through Settings. → Memory. → Backup.
• 🗑️ Cache Clearing: If You Cleaned Memory Through Settings → Storage, records could have been deleted. Check the Recycle Bin in the Files app (stores files for 15 days).
• 📵 Factory reset: all local records are deleted without recovery, except if they were uploaded to the cloud (Mi Cloud or Google Drive).
• 🛠️ File system damage: If the phone suddenly shuts down while recording, the file may become unreadable. Try recovering it via Recuva or DiskDigger on a PC.

To recover deleted records:

1. Use programs like EaseUS MobiSaver or Dr.Fone (requires a PC connection).
2. Check backups in Mi Cloud (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backups).
3. If the recordings were on Google Phone, go to Google Drive and find the CallRecordings folder.

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The most reliable way to keep records safe is to enable automatic cloud sync (Mi Cloud or Google Drive) and check for files manually regularly.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi with dynamic memory (RAM Expansion, some of the records can be stored in virtual memory and deleted when resources are scarce. → Additionally. → Expanding RAM if you notice the missing files.

5 How to transfer the recordings to another phone or PC

If you need to save conversation records for a long time or transfer them to another device, follow this instruction:

Find files through the Explorer|Connect the phone to the PC by USB|Copy the folder. call_rec computer|Check the integrity of the files|Upload to the cloud (optional)

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Step-by-step instructions for different ways:

• 📱 Through USB-cable: Connect Xiaomi to your computer and select File Transfer mode (MTP). Open the phone folder in the conductor Windows/macOS. Go on the path of internal memory → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. Copy files on your PC (it is recommended to create a backup folder).
• ☁️ Through Mi Cloud: Open Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud. Enable sync to record calls (if available). Go to i.mi.com from your PC and download files.

Through third-party clouds (Google Drive, Dropbox):

1. Install a cloud storage application.
2. Download the folder. call_rec manually or set up automatic synchronization.

To transfer to another Xiaomi:

1. Copy files on your PC as described above.
2. Connect the second phone and paste the files into the same folder. /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/.
3. Restart the device - the recordings will appear in the Dictaphone application.

⚠️ Note: When transferring records to a phone with another firmware (e.g., Xiaomi to Samsung), files may not appear on a standard voice recorder. Use universal players like the one on the phone. VLC or MX Player.

6. Call recording settings: where to turn on and how to set up

Before searching for records, make sure that the call recording feature is activated at all on your Xiaomi. Depending on the model and the firmware region, the settings may vary.

For the standard application Phone from MIUI:

1. Open the phone and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Settings → Recording calls.
3. Enable the Automatic Record option or select Record manually.
4. Specify which calls to record: All, outgoing or incoming only.

For Google Phone:

1. Open the app and go to Settings → Record calls.
2. Activate the feature and select the storage format (Only on-device or Sync with Google Drive).
3. Click Always Write or Ask Before Recording.

Important nuances:

• 📵 On some models (Xiaomi) 12S Ultra, Redmi K50 Pro: Call recording may be blocked due to regional restrictions (e.g. in the EU).
• 🔊 If the record is enabled but the files are not saved, check the permissions for the Phone app in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Microphone.
• 📶 Records are not saved if there is no free space on the device during the call (minimum required). 50-100 MB).

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On some firmware MIUI Call recording works only when the option Show phone number in the settings is enabled SIM-maps (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Additionally. → Identification of the caller).

7.Security of records: how to protect against outsiders

Phone records can contain sensitive information, so it's important to protect them. Here are a few ways to do this:

• 🔒 Encrypting folder: Use applications like Folder Lock or AppLock to block access to the folder call_rec password.
• 🌐 Cloud-encrypted storage: upload records to Proton Drive or Tresorit – these services encrypt files on the client side.
• 📱 Hidden Albums in the Gallery: in MIUI You can hide audio files through the gallery. → Albums. → Hidden (rename the file extension to.nomedia).
• 🔐 Two-factor authentication: If records are synced to Mi Cloud, enable 2FA for Xiaomi account.

To hide the recordings from prying eyes directly on the phone:

1. Install a file manager with support for hidden folders (such as Solid Explorer).
2. Create a folder with a dot at the beginning of the title (for example,.private_calls) And move the records there.
3. In the Explorer settings, turn off the display of hidden files.

⚠️ Note: In some countries (e.g. the United States or Germany), recording telephone conversations without the consent of the interlocutor may violate privacy laws.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi conversation records