Where Xiaomi smartphones keep phone records: the full guide 2026

Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is a useful feature that helps to capture important conversations, interviews or business coordination. However, many users face the problem: where exactly are these audio files stored in the device’s memory? Unlike photos or screenshots, call recordings are not always visible in the standard file manager, and their location may vary depending on the MIUI version and phone model.

In this article, we will take a look at all possible ways to store records, including system folders, cloud services, and third-party applications, learn how to find files manually, why they can disappear after updates, and how to set up automatic saving in a convenient place. We pay special attention to hidden folders. MIUI, which are not displayed without the inclusion of the developer mode.

Standard location of call records in MIUI

By default, Xiaomi smartphones store conversation records in a secure system folder, the path to which depends on the firmware version. In the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 (Android 13/14), files are placed here:

/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/

However, in older versions (such as MIUI 12 based on Android 10), the path could look different:

/storage/emulated/0/Recordings/CallRecord/

It is important to note that these folders are hidden from standard viewing - they cannot be seen through a regular file manager without additional settings.

• 📁 Use a root-rights support Explorer (e.g., Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
• 🔍 Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings (usually the option is called “Show hidden files»).
• 🔐 On some models (Xiaomi) 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12) permission to access is required Android/data/ via adb.

⚠️ Note: If you connect your phone to your PC through USB, folder call_rec It may not show up even when you debug it, because of the limitations of Scoped Storage in newer versions of Android. MT Manager or Mixplorer with root.

How to find records through the built-in Dictophone application

The easiest way to listen to or export records is to use the standard Sound Recorder app, which automatically catalogs all calls saved by the system.

1. Open the Dictophone app** (the microphone icon on your desktop or in the application menu).
2. Go to the Call Records tab (some models call it Call Records).
3. Click on the desired recording → ⋮ (three-point) → Share or Save a copy.

If there is no call record tab:

• 🔄 Update the Dictator app via Google Play (it is outdated on some firmwares).
• 📥 Install an alternative voice recorder from Xiaomi - Mi Sound Recorder (available at APKMirror).
• ⚙️ Check the call record settings in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Microphone.

Whether the recording function is enabled in the phone settings

Is access to the microphone for the “Phone” application allowed?

Is there enough space in the device memory?

Updated system applications ("Dictophone", "Phone")

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On some models (POCO F4, Xiaomi 11T) the entries are duplicated in the folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Download/CallRecordings/

This is due to the features of firmware for global markets (EEA). The files there are formatted.m4a and are named by pattern: Record_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.m4a.

Why Call Records May Be Lost and How to Recover Them

Users often experience a situation where records suddenly disappear from a folder or Dictator app.

A critical feature of MIUI is that when you reset your settings to factory records, calls are permanently deleted, even if they were stored on internal memory, to avoid loss of:

• 🔄 Export files to the cloud regularly (Google Drive, Mi Cloud).
• 💾 Use automatic synchronization via AutoSync or FolderSync.
• 📀 Keep copies on SD-card (if supported).

💡

If the records are missing after the update MIUI, Try to roll back to the previous firmware version via Fastboot. XDA Developers for your model.

Third-party Call Recording Apps: Where They Store Files

If you don't like Xiaomi's standard tools, you can use alternative apps.

• 🎤 Cube Call Recorder ACR: /storage/emulated/0/CubeBackups/ or /ACR/. Supports cloud redundancy on Google Drive.

Advantages of third-party solutions:

• ✅ Record both sides of the conversation (in some countries, standard Xiaomi software only records your voice).

⚠️ Note: In some regions (e.g. the EU), recording calls without the consent of the interlocutor may violate privacy laws.

To transfer records from a third-party application to a system:

1. Copy the files (.mp3,.amr) in the folder /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/.
2. Restart the Dictophone app.
3. If the files are not displayed, change the extension to.m4a.

How to Change the Place of Keeping Call Records

By default, Xiaomi stores records in internal memory, which is inconvenient when it overflows. SD-map:

Method 1: Through MIUI settings (for firmware on Android 10 and below)

1. Open Settings → Applications → Recorder → Memory.
2. Click Change next to “Save Place”.
3. Choose. SD-map or cloud of Mi.

Method 2: ADB (for new versions of MIUI)

MIUI 13/14 has a hidden setting to unlock it.

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging.
2. Adb shell settings put global settings call_recorder_storage_path /storage/XXXX-XXXX/ (where XXXX-XXXX — identifier SD-You can find it through the adb shell ls. /storage/).
3. Reset the device.

To automatically upload to the cloud:

• 🖥️ Set up Mi Cloud in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
• ☁️ Use AutoSync for Google Drive to Back Up Your Folder call_rec.

How to export call records to a PC or other phone

If you need to transfer the recordings to a computer or other device, follow this algorithm:

Method 1: Through USB-cable

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Open the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ (or alternative path from the section above).
3. Copy files (.m4a,.amr) to any folder on your PC.

Method 2: Through the Cloud

• 📁 Upload files to Google Drive/Mi Cloud directly from your phone.
• 🔗 Open the cloud on PC and download the archive.
• 🔄 For mass download, use FolderSync with the “Sync when connecting to Wi-Fi” setting».

Method 3: via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct

If you need to transfer the recording to another phone:

1. Open the file in the Dictator app.
2. Click Share → Select Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct.
3. Take the file on the second device.

⚠️ Note: When transmitted via instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), the recording quality may deteriorate due to compression. Use File Transfer or Send Anywhere to maintain the original quality.

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Call records files on Xiaomi usually have the.m4a (AAC) or.amr extension. VLC Player or Audacity may be needed to listen to PC.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Let’s look at the typical problems that users face when working with call records on Xiaomi:

If after the MIUI update, the call recording stopped working:

• 🔄 Reset the settings of the Phone application in Settings → Annexes → Phone. → Warehouse → Drop it.
• 📥 Reinstall. APK Dictator applications from the official Xiaomi website.
• 🔧 Enable Developer Mode and activate the option Do not limit background processes.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions