Where to look for phone records on Xiaomi: all methods and hidden folders

Have you had an important conversation on the phone, turned on the record, but now you can't find the file? Or accidentally deleted the record and want to restore it? On Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), the recordings of calls are stored in non-obvious places, and their location depends on the version of MIUI, the recording method and even regional settings. In this article, we will analyze all possible options from the standard mobile application to hidden system folders and cloud services.

It is important to understand that recording conversations on Xiaomi can be disabled by default due to legal restrictions in some countries (e.g. the EU).If you do not see the option of recording in the call menu, first check the settings of the Phone application - more about this in one of the sections below.

We will also look at what to do if records disappear after a MIUI update or reset, and how to recover deleted files using built-in and third-party tools. All instructions are relevant for MIUI 12-14 and new versions based on Android 11-14.

1. Standard place of storage of records in MIUI

If you used the built-in recording function in the Phone app, files should be automatically saved to the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. However, the path may differ depending on the firmware version:

• 📁 MIUI 12–13: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ or /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/
• 📁 MIUI 14+: /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.android.providers.media/recordings/
• 🔍 For POCO/Redmi: Sometimes the records are duplicated in /storage/emulated/0/POCO/Recorder/

To find the folder:

1. Open the File Manager app.
2. Go to the “Audio Categories” or “Records” section.
3. Look for files with extension.m4a,.amr.mp3 name Call_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.

If the folder is not available, check if the recording is enabled in the phone settings. In some regions (e.g. Russia), the function is hidden due to legal restrictions, and to activate it, you may need to change the region in the MIUI settings (more on this below).

2. How to turn on the recording of conversations if the option is not on the menu

Some Xiaomi firmwares do not have a recording button in the call interface.

• 🌍 Regional restrictions (in the EU and Russia, call recording is disabled by default).
• 📱 Version MIUI (into MIUI 14 for global firmware function may be hidden).
• 🔧 Operator settings (some of them) SIM-cards block the record).

To unlock the function:

Change region to India in Settings → Additional → Region

Install a patch through Magisk (for rooted devices)

Use a third-party application (e.g. Cube Call Recorder)

Update MIUI Up to the latest version (sometimes returns the function)-->

The easiest way is to change the region:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Region.
2. Select India (there is a default entry).
3. Reboot the phone.
4. After rebooting in the application "Phone" during the call will appear button "Record".

⚠️ Note: Change of region may affect the operation of some services (for example, Google Pay or banking applications.

If the region change didn’t help, try installing Cube Call Recorder from Google Play.The app uses its own write mechanism and saves files to /storage/emulated/0/CubeBackup/.

3. Search for records through the Dictator app

Many users don't know that MIUI has a built-in voice recorder that automatically saves call records if the feature is activated.

1. Open the Dictophone app (mic icon).
2. Go to the Call Records section (if not, update the app via Google Play).
3. Files are sorted by date. Click on the record to listen to or share it.

If the Call Records section is missing, check the settings:

• 🔧 Go to "Dictaphone settings» → «Auto-recording calls».
• 📱 Make sure you select “Record all calls” or “Record only selected calls».
• 💾 Check the save path: by default, this is /storage/emulated/0/Recorder/.

In newer versions of MIUI (13-14), recording via voice recorder may conflict with the phone's built-in function. If both services are enabled, files are duplicated in different folders, making it difficult to search. To avoid confusion, keep only one recording method active.

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If the recording is interrupted or files are damaged, try playing them through the VLC Player – it supports broken audio files better than the standard MIUI player.

4.Where to look for records if they are not in standard folders

If you have checked all the above paths but no records, they could:

• 🗑️ To be deleted (check the basket in the Files app»).
• 🔄 Move after the update MIUI (below).
• ☁️ Sync with the cloud (e.g. Mi Cloud or Google Drive).
• 📱 Keep on the memory card (if it is installed).

First, check the hidden folders:

If you use a memory card, check the paths:

• /storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/sound_recorder/ (where XXXX-XXXX — ID yours SD-map).
• /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Recorder/

To search across the device:

1. Open the Files → click on the magnifying glass icon (search).
2. Enter the request: call_rec,.amr.m4a.
3. Make sure that you search all folders, including hidden ones.

5. Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

If you accidentally delete a record, you can try to restore it, and success depends on how long it has been since it was deleted and how much memory the phone has been using.

Recovery methods:

• 🔄 Basket in MIUI: Open the Files» → «Recycle Bin. Find the deleted audio files (30 days storage time) select the file and click Restore».
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backup. Check if Call Records are synchronized. Restore backups for the right date.
• 🛠️ App side: DiskDigger (scans memory for deleted files), Recuva (requires root or PC connection), EaseUS MobiSaver (paid, but with a free trial period).

⚠️ Warning: Don't install recovery software on the same memory where the records were stored! This will overwrite the deleted data. Use a memory card or connect your phone to your PC.

If the record was deleted long ago (more than a month), the chances of recovery are minimal.

• Check Google Drive (if you have automatic download enabled).
• Contact the operator – some (for example, MTS or Beeline) store records of conversations on servers for 3-6 months (paid service).

6 How to transfer records to a computer or other device

The records you found are best copied to a reliable medium.

Method 1: Through a USB cable

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification on your phone.
3. On PC, open the phone folder and find the records files (see the paths above).
4. Copy them into any folder on your computer.

Method 2: Through the cloud

• 🌥️ Google Drive: Open the entry file in the Files app. Click Share» → «Save it to Drive».
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Mi Cloud → Backup. Enable the folder sync with the records.

Method 3: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

1. Open the record file in the Files app.
2. Click Share → Select Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct.
3. Select the target device and confirm the transmission.

For long-term storage, it is recommended to convert files to.mp3 format (for example, through Audacity or online converters), which will protect them from loss in future MIUI updates.

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Always back up important records! MIUI folders can be cleared when you update or reset settings.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Xiaomi users often face the following problems when working with conversation records:

If the record is turned on but does not save files, check:

• 📱 Permissions: Go to Settings → Annexes → Phone. → Permits and enable access to memory.
• 💾 Free space: If the memory is less than 10%, the records may not be saved.
• 🔄 Application conflicts: Disable other voice recorders or call managers.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions