Xiaomi smartphone owners and Poco sub-brands often face the challenge of finding a specific audiophile saved during a conversation, which can be important for confirming agreements, legal disputes, or simply storing valuable information. However, the standard MIUI shell, or its variation HyperOS, hides system folders from the user, which creates some difficulties when searching.
On the Poco X3, whether it’s an NFC or a Pro version, the file structure is organized logically, but requires knowing the exact address of the directory. Files are not scattered randomly, but lie in a strictly defined place that can be accessed through built-in Explorer or third-party applications. Understanding the folder structure will help you quickly manage audio recordings without wasting time on long searches.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at the path to storage, look at file formats and answer questions related to automatic recording, and learn not only to find the right tracks, but also to sort them correctly so that your device memory does not overflow with unnecessary garbage.
Standard path to a folder with call records
By default, MIUI-based Android stores all audio conversations in the root directory of internal memory. This is the standard that applies to the Poco X3. To get to the right place, you need to open the File Manager app that is pre-installed on your smartphone. Don't confuse it with Google's File Manager, because Xiaomi's native conductor shows the structure more clearly to users of this ecosystem.
Once you start the conductor, go to the Internal Storage section, and that's where the root folder is called. MIUI. Inside it, you need to find a directory. sound_recorder. This folder is a container for all the sounds recorded by the voice recorder and the call recorder function. sound_recorder You will see several subfolders, but you are interested in call_rec.
In the file. call_rec All your dialogs are stored. Files are sorted by date and time of creation, which makes navigation easier. If you've enabled cloud sync through Mi Cloud, copies of those files may also be on the company's servers, but locally they always lie along the specified path.
⚠️ Note: When cleaning the memory of the smartphone with the built-in “Cleanup” slits, the system may suggest removing old call records. Be extremely careful and read carefully which files will be deleted so as not to lose important information.
Alternative paths and work with SD-card
This may change if you have a Poco. X3 You have a microSD card installed, and you have the voice recorder settings that you choose to save files to an external medium, and then the search logic is the same, but the root directory changes, and you have to open Explorer, select a memory card (usually denoted as SD-Card), and follow the path. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec.
Sometimes users find that the MIUI folder on the memory card is missing or empty. This can happen if you write to internal memory and then manually transfer files. Also, it is worth considering that some third-party applications for recording calls (non-system) can create their own directories. For example, an application from Call Recorder can create a CallRecorder folder at the root of internal memory, ignoring the MIUI system path.
To check the current save path, you can go to the settings of the recorder itself. Open the Dictophone app, click three dots in the corner or the settings icon, and find Memory or Storage Place, which will show the exact path where new records are being sent right now, especially if you've recently changed your smartphone settings or reflashed your device.
- 📂 The Standard Way: Internal Memory/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec
- 💾 Pathway SD-map: SD-map/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec
- 📱 Third-party application path: Internal memory/Application name
File formats and their compatibility
One of the key issues with audio recordings is their format. Xiaomi Poco X3 smartphones can use different codecs depending on the Android and MIUI version. Historically, the most common format is MP3. It provides good sound quality at a relatively small file size and plays on almost any device, from a computer to a car radio.
However, starting with certain versions of Android (especially Android 11, 12 and above), Google has implemented restrictions on microphone access during a call for third-party applications, and has also changed the approach to formats. In some cases, the system recorder can save files in M4A or even AMR format. The AMR format is an outdated standard for telephony, it takes up very little space, but has a low sound quality, resembling the voice of a robot.
If you find files with an extension that your player doesn't read, don't rush to delete them. Most likely, the problem is solved by installing a universal media player, such as VLC Player or MX Player. These applications contain embedded codecs and are able to play almost any audio format found in modern smartphones.
Why can the quality of the recording differ?
Table: Comparison of recording formats on Xiaomi
To better navigate the types of files you may encounter in a folder call_rec, Understanding the differences will help you choose the best option for archiving or transferring files.
| Format | Sound quality | File size | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP3 | High. | Medium. | Universal. |
| M4A (AAC) | Very high. | Small. | Tall (Apple/Android) |
| AMR | Low (mono) | Very small. | Phones/PCs only |
| WAV | Without loss of quality | Huge. | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, the M4A format is often the best choice, as it combines excellent quality with compact size. WAV format is rarely used because of its weight, but can occur if the recorder settings are set to maximum recording quality. AMR format is gradually becoming a thing of the past, but on old firmware or when recording through operator services still catches up.
Automatic recording and storage management
The automatic call recording feature on Poco X3 can be configured via the phonebook menu. To do this, open the Phone app, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings. Next, go to Call Record, where you can activate automatic call recording for all incoming and outgoing calls, or select specific numbers from contacts.
When you activate this feature, it's important to keep an eye on the space, and audio files, even compressed ones, take up space. MP3 may weigh about 30-50 If you talk a lot on the phone, folder. call_rec It can grow to several gigabytes per year, which will significantly affect the speed of the smartphone, as the filled memory slows down the system.
It is recommended to periodically review the folder with records, delete unnecessary dialogs, and archive important ones to your computer or cloud storage, and you can set a limit in the recording settings, for example, to keep records only for the last 30 days or delete the oldest files if there is not enough space, which will automate the process of memory maintenance.
⚠️ Attention: Many countries require that the conversation be notified of the recording, that it may be illegal to use the recording function without notifying the other party, and that you use it responsibly and only for personal purposes or with the consent of the interviewee.
Transfer and backup of records
To protect your data, you need to back up regularly. The easiest way to do this is to connect Poco. X3 computer-to-computer USB-Cable. Select file transfer mode (MTP) On your computer, open the disk that appears, find the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec and copy the content to the hard disk.
Alternatively, cloud services are used: apps like Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Mi Cloud allow you to set up automatic sync of certain folders. However, free rates are usually limited to a volume (15 GB for Google), so it is not rational to upload full archives of conversations there, and it is better to use the cloud for the most important files, marking them as “favorites”.
If you are planning to move to a new smartphone, simply copying files is not enough to integrate them into the call list of the new system, but you can listen to them without problems. To fully transfer the call history along with the records, you should use the “Mi Mover” function or backup through Mi Account, if it supports the transfer of audio archives of the recorder.
💡
Use the Favorites feature in Xiaomi Explorer to quickly find the folder call_rec. Click and hold the folder, select Add to Favorites, and it will always be on hand in the Explorer side menu.
Access problems and their solution
Android 11 and newer users often face restrictions on access to the Android/data folder and system partitions. Although the MIUI folder usually remains accessible, in some cases, the Explorer may not display files or prevent them from being deleted, due to Google's security policy known as Scoped Storage.
If a standard Explorer can't see files, try using an extended file manager like Total Commander or FX File Explorer, and when they first run, they'll ask for special permission to access all files, and once confirmed, you'll have full control of the file system, and you'll be able to do any kind of thing: copy, move, rename.
Also, file system damage can be a problem. If records stop appearing or old ones disappear, check for errors. In rare cases, cleaning the cache of the Dictophone and Phone application helps. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find the right one and select Clear the cache. The data will not be deleted, but temporary system debris files will be erased.
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Access to system folders on newer versions of Android is limited. For full file management, use specialized file managers that request advanced permissions.