Where on Xiaomi are stored records of telephone conversations: search for files on the phone and PC

You recorded an important phone call on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, but you can't find the file? Or you want to transfer the audio to your computer but don't know which folder it's in? The problem is that the location of the records depends on the version of MIUI, the model of the smartphone, and even the way you record it -- through the standard Phone app or third-party programs.

In this article, we will discuss all possible options: from standard storage methods to the /MIUI/sound_recorder/ to hidden system directories, where records are saved when using the "Recording of conversations" function in MIUI 12–14. You will also learn how to access files through a phone, PC or ADB, If the recording is not displayed in the gallery.

We will pay special attention to the nuances: why some records can “disappear” after a system update, how to restore deleted files and what to do if the folder with the records is empty, even though you exactly recorded, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and others.

Standard ways to store conversation records in MIUI

In most cases, phone records on Xiaomi are stored in one of three folders of internal memory, the exact location depends on the firmware version and the way the recording is done:

• 📁 Main folder: /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ — here are stored records made through the standard application "Phone" in MIUI 10–14. The files are formatted.m4a or.
• 📁 An alternative path: /sdcard/Recordings/Call/ — It is used in some regional firmware versions (for example, for India or global firmware). MIUI).
• 📁 For older versions: /sdcard/miui/voices/ — relevant MIUI 8–9 and devices before 2018 years (e.g. Redmi) 4X, Mi A1).

If you’ve used an application side (like Cube Call Recorder or ACR), the path to records may be different, and they typically create their own folders at the root of internal memory: /CallRecordings/, /ACR/, or /CubeBackups/.

Important: in MIUI 14 and later, records can be automatically archived to the Mi Cloud if sync is enabled. To check this, open the Phone app → Records → click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Cloud Backup.

How to find records through a phone conductor

To open the folder with recordings of conversations directly on your smartphone, follow the following steps:

1. Open the standard Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Device (or Internal Memory) tab.
3. In the address bar enter the path: /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ Or scroll down and find a folder. MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec.
4. If the folder is empty, check the alternative paths from the previous section.

If there are no records in any of the folders, but you are sure that you were recording, try the following:

• 🔍 Check the filters: in the conductor, press three points → «Show hidden files. Sometimes records are saved as hidden files.
• 🔄 Update the media base: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Media storage → «Clear the data. After the reboot, the files will appear in the gallery.
• 📱 Use search: in the explorer type in the search bar extension.m4a or.

If you use POCO Launcher or custom firmware, the path to the files may be different, in which case it is easier to connect the phone to the PC and check the folders through the computer (more on this in the next section).

Access to records via computer (Windows/Mac)

Connecting Xiaomi to a computer is a reliable way to find records if they are not displayed on the phone.

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original).
2. On the phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification bar.
3. On your computer, open “This Computer” (Windows) or “Finder” (Mac) – the device should appear as a removable disk.
4. Going the Way: Internal Memory → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec Check the alternative folders from the first section.

If the folder call_rec missing, but you are sure the recordings have been made, try the following steps:

• 🖥️ Use disk search: enter a request in the search bar of Windows Explorer.m4a or.
• 🔧 Check the access rights: sometimes MIUI It restricts access to system folders, and it helps. ADB (guideline).
• ☁️ Cloud sync: If backup is enabled in Mi Cloud, records can only be there. check through i.mi.com web version.

On a Mac, you may need to install Android File Transfer to access files. If there are no records on your phone or in the cloud, but you remember the date of the call, try recovering them using programs like DiskDigger or Recuva (recovery is in a separate section).

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If the file doesn't open on your PC, try copying it to your desktop and then browsing through the contents, and sometimes MIUI blocks access to files directly through MTP.

Why conversation records may disappear or not persist

Xiaomi users often face the problem of having conversation records suddenly disappear or not at all, and here are the main reasons and ways to fix them:

Another common reason is auto-cleaning, and some versions of MIUI include the ability to delete old records when memory is scarce, to turn it off:

1. Open the phone app.
2. Go to “Records” → three points → “Settings”.
3. Find the “Car Clean” option and turn it off.

If the records are missing after resetting, you can only restore them through Mi Cloud backups or specialized programs (see the next section).

Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

If the records were deleted accidentally or disappeared after resetting, you can try to restore them. Success depends on how long it has been since the deletion and how actively the phone memory was used.

Recovery methods:

• 🔄 Through the basket: in the Files Explorer, open the Recycle Bin tab – sometimes deleted records get there.
• 💾 Recovery software: DiskDigger (Android) scans internal memory for deleted files. Recuva (Windows) - connect your phone in mode MTP EaseUS MobiSaver is a specialist in audio file recovery.
• ☁️ Cloud Backups: If you’ve been enabled to sync with Mi Cloud or Google Drive, check your archives.
• 📱 Backup copies MIUI: If you have been doing backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset, recover data from there.

Importantly, the less you use your phone after deleting the records, the better the chances of recovery, and when you write new files, the old data is overwritten.

To recover via DiskDigger:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Start the scan (select “Full Scan”).
3. Filter the results by file type.m4a/.amr.
4. Keep the records found in a safe place (for example, on the SD-map).

If the records were deleted long ago (more than a month ago), the chances of recovery are minimal, in which case you only need to check the cloud storage or backups.

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The faster you start recovering from deletion, the more likely you are to succeed. Avoid writing new files to your device before the process is complete.

Access to records via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, and records are critical, you can try extracting them through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires USB debugging and basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Enable Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Activate debugging via USB: Settings → Additional → For developers → Debugging via USB
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm access.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type in: adb shell ls /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ If the folder exists, copy the files to the PC: adb pull /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ C:\Xiaomi_Records\

If the standard folder is empty, check the alternative paths:

adb shell ls /sdcard/Recordings/Call/


adb shell ls /data/user/0/com.android.dialer/files/

Note that access to /data/ requires root rights, and without them, you will only see files in user folders.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can violate the warranty or cause system failures if you enter the commands incorrectly.

If you find records but don’t play them, try converting them to another format using FFmpeg:

ffmpeg -i input.m4a -c:a libmp3lame output.mp3

Conversation Recording Settings in MIUI: How to Enable and Configure

If you haven’t recorded yet, but want to configure this feature, here’s how to do it in the standard Phone app:

1. Open the phone app.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → “Settings”.
3. Select "Translation of conversations."
4. Enable Automatic Recording (you can choose for all calls or only for certain contacts).
5. Set up the recording format (the default is.m4a, but you can choose.amr to save space).

Additional settings:

• 🔕 Exceptions: you can add contacts with which calls will not be recorded.
• ☁️ Cloud Backup: Enable sync with Mi Cloud so records are automatically saved to the cloud.
• 📁 Rescue folder: in some versions MIUI You can select a user folder for records (for example, on the SD-map).

Please note that in some countries (such as the US or the EU) automatic recording of conversations may be prohibited by law.

If the “Recording conversations” option is not in the settings, it may mean:

• Your version of MIUI does not support the feature (relevant to MIUI Global on some models).
• The firmware is modified (for example, custom LineageOS).
• The function is disabled by the operator.

In this case, use third-party applications, such as Cube Call Recorder ACR or Call Recorder by Lovekush, which allow you to flexibly configure the record and save files to the folder you choose.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi conversation records