Where Xiaomi Stores Phone Records: All Ways to Find and Store Audio Files

Why recordings of conversations can disappear from the phone

You have enabled a recording of an important call on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, but after the conversation is over, you can’t find the file? This problem is familiar to many smartphone users on MIUI. The fact is that the system stores audio recordings not in a standard gallery, but in hidden folders, the path to which depends on the firmware version and device model. Moreover, since MIUI 14, Xiaomi has tightened the rules for accessing system directories, which makes it difficult to search without additional tools.

Another common reason for recordings to disappear is the automatic cache cleaning of the com.android.incallui app, which, if you don't move files to a secure location, can be deleted when memory is optimized. In this article, we'll look at all the possible ways to store records, including hidden folders, cloud backups, and alternative recovery methods -- even if you don't remember if you recorded a conversation at all.

Standard location of MIUI records: where to look first

On most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, the default phone records are saved in one of two folders:

• 📁 Internal memory: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ — main catalogue MIUI 12–15. The files are stored in.amr format or.mp3 name-named rec_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.
• 🔍 Hidden folder: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.media/ — here records can be moved when using third-party applications for calls (for example, Truecaller).

To open these folders:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (in File Transfer mode).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden Items).
3. Follow one of the paths indicated.

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If the folder call_rec empty, check the settings of the application "Dictophone" (Settings) → Recording calls → The save folder may have been manually redirected.

On some models (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), records can be automatically archived in /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/. This is due to optimizations in MIUI 14+, where the system categorizes files. If you don't find a record in standard folders, check this directory - especially if you use a built-in voice recorder to manually record conversations.

How to find records through built-in MIUI tools

Not all users know that Xiaomi provides a built-in record manager that is available without a PC connection.

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Go to the Journal section (the icon of the clock at the bottom of the screen).
3. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Records of conversations.

This will show all the stored audio files that can be listened to, renamed or deleted. Please note that if a record was made through a third-party application (such as Cube Call Recorder), it may not appear in this menu, in which case use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) and search for keywords:

• 🔎 rec_* — standard-record MIUI.
• 🔎 call_* — For files created by third-party programs.
• 🔎.amr.mp3 — widening.

If the Call Records menu is empty but you are sure the recording was made, check the settings of the Phone app:

1. Open the Settings. → Recording calls.
2. Make sure that the auto-save option is enabled.
3. Check the save folder item – it is possible that the path has been changed to a memory card or cloud.

Search for records on a memory card and in the cloud

If the phone's internal memory is full, MIUI can automatically save the records to the microSD.

/storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/, where XXXX-XXXX — Your unique memory card ID.

To check out this catalog:

1. Open the file manager (or any other file manager).
2. Select the tab SD-map.
3. Go to the folder. MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec.

Another possible storage location is the Xiaomi Cloud, and if you had sync enabled, the records could be downloaded automatically to check:

1. Open the Cloud app (cloud icon).
2. Go to the Backups section → Records of conversations.
3. If there are no files, check the cloud cart – they may have been deleted from the device, but are still stored in a backup.

Important: Xiaomi Cloud only stores records for 30 days in a free rate, and then they are deleted without the possibility of recovery.

Hidden folders and system directories: how to access

Starting with Android 11 and MIUI 12.5+, Xiaomi has restricted access to some system folders through standard methods.If you didn't find entries in the directories described above, try the following ways:

To access folders marked as “Root Rights Required”, you will need:

1. Unlock the bootloader on your phone (this will reset all data!).
2. Install custom recovery (e.g., TWRP).
3. Get root access through Magisk.

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Without root rights, you can’t view the contents of /data/ folders. However, even with root, access to some files may be restricted due to MIUI encryption.

If you're not prepared for such drastic measures, try an alternative way to connect your phone to your PC using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which will allow you to access some hidden folders without root. For example, to view the contents of /data/data/com.android.incallui/, do it on the command line:

adb shell


su




ls /data/data/com.android.incallui/files/

If the command returns a list of files with the.amr extension, copy them to your PC:

adb pull /data/data/com.android.incallui/files/record_*.amr C:\CallRecords\

Recovery of Deleted Records: Possible Ways

If the records were deleted accidentally or 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:

• 🛠️ PC software: DiskDigger, Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery. Connect your phone to mode MTP Scan the internal memory for the presence of files.amr/.mp3.
• 📱 Mobile apps: Dumpster (Android Recycle Bin) or Undeleter. These only work if they were installed before deleting files.
• ☁️ Cloud Backups: Check Google Drive (if sync was enabled) or Xiaomi Cloud (Basket section).

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When you restore, don't save files back to your phone, which can overwrite deleted data, use an external drive or cloud.

To increase the chances of success:

1. Disconnect your phone from the internet immediately (to prevent cloud services from overwriting data).
2. Do not install new apps or take photos.
3. Use a card reader to connect your phone’s memory to your PC (if supported).

If the records were deleted long ago (over 30 days), the chances of recovery are minimal, in which case you only need to check backups in Google Account or Mi Account if they were created automatically.

Alternative methods of recording and storing conversations

If standard MIUI recording methods don’t suit you (for example, due to file access restrictions), consider alternative solutions:

• 📱 Third-party apps: Cube Call Recorder ACR — It records both ends of a conversation (requires audio source configuration). Truecaller has a built-in recording module (not working on all Xiaomi models). Call Recorder by Lovekesh supports cloud storage.
• ☁️ Cloud services: Google Drive with automatic download via FolderSync. Dropbox or OneDrive for backup.
• 🔧 Hardware solutions: Using a second phone in hands-free mode + Dictaphone: Connecting an external recording device through USB-C (for example, for interviews).

When choosing a third-party application, pay attention to:

• 🔒 Privacy Policy – Some programs send records to their servers.
• 📶 Performance on your model, such as the Cube ACR You may not record calls to Xiaomi with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor due to restrictions MIUI.
• 💾 Preferably Preferred Preservation Format.mp3.wav (better compressed and restored).

For reliability, set up automatic email or cloud-based recordings, like Cube ACR:

1. Open the application settings.
2. Go to the Cloud. → Autoboot.
3. Select the service (Google Drive, Dropbox) and specify the folder.
4. Turn on the option to Delete after booting to free up the phone’s memory.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you find a folder with records, you may have difficulty listening to them or copying them.

⚠️ Note: If the recordings are played with distortion or intermittently, the problem may be in the.amr codec. VLC or convert files into.mp3 via Audacity.

If you encounter a “No access to the folder” error when trying to open call_rec, Follow the following steps:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Mi File Manager and give it all the permissions.
3. Reboot the phone.

For models with MIUI 14+ (e.g. Xiaomi 13T), you may need to disable MIUI optimization:

1. Activate Developer Mode (click 7 times on the MIUI version in your phone settings).
2. Turn on USB Debugging and Disable MIUI Optimization.
3. Reset the device.

Then check the folder availability again. If the problem persists, try using an alternative file manager, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer, which can request advanced access rights.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions