Where to look for audio recording of a conversation in a Xiaomi phone: all the ways and hidden folders

Did you have an important conversation on the phone but forget to record it? Or are you sure you turned on the record but can't find the file now? On Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and POCO), audio recordings of calls are stored in an unobvious way — their path depends on the version of MIUI, device model and even regional settings. In this article, we will analyze all possible storage locations, including system folders, cloud services and third-party applications.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi doesn’t automatically record calls by default – this feature needs to be enabled manually (or use special programs).If you haven’t set up the recording beforehand, the chances of finding an audio file are minimal. But even then, check hidden directories and app cache – sometimes files stay there after crashes.

We analyzed the performance of recordings on Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5 with the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese firmware), instructions are relevant for older models, the only difference is the location of some menu items.

1. Standard place of storage of records in MIUI

If you used the built-in call recording feature (not available in all regions), the files should be located here:

• 📁 folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec — The main place for recordings on most devices. The path in the file manager: Internal drive → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec.
• 🔊 The files are.amr or.mp3 name-named Record_20260515_143022.amr (date and time of conversation).
• 📱 On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) records may lie in MIUI/voice_recorder/calls — Check both options.
• 🔍 If you don’t have a folder, try enabling hidden files in the file manager settings (usually in the Three Dots menu» → «Settings» → «Show hidden files»).

How fast to find the folder:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Category tab → Audio.
3. In the search bar, enter call_rec or Record_ — The system will show all the relevant files.

⚠️ Attention: On firmware for the European Union (EEA) Call recording can be disabled by law, and if you don't see the call menu entry option, you're on your version. MIUI She doesn't support her.

2. Search through the Dictator app

Many users are unaware that Xiaomi has a built-in voice recorder that sometimes automatically saves conversation records.

1. Open the Dictaphone app (a microphone icon, may be called a Sound Recorder or Voice Recorder).
2. Check the Calls or Call Recordings tab – on some firmware, it only appears after the first record.
3. If there is no tab, tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings → Show call records.

What to do if the record is available, but not reproduced:

• 🔄 Try converting the file into.mp3 through online services (e.g. Online-Convert).
• 📱 Install a third-party player, for example VLC or MX Player – They support rare audio formats.
• 💾 Transfer the file to your computer and open it via Windows Media Player or Audacity.

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If there are no records in the recorder, but you are sure that you were recording, check the folder. MIUI/voice_recorder/temp — Sometimes files stay there after a save failure.

3. Verification of Xiaomi cloud services

Xiaomi smartphones sync some data to the Mi Cloud by default, and if you backed up, the records could get there:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Check the Backups section – if there is a Call Recorder or Recorder, restore the data.
3. Alternatively, go to i.mi.com, log in and check the Files → Audio section.

Restrictions of cloud storage:

• 📅 Files are only stored in the cloud for 30 days (for free accounts).
• 📉 The volume is limited to 5 GB (if you exceed the old records are deleted).
• 🔒 Access to records is possible only from a tied account Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings without detaching your Mi Cloud account, the cloud recordings will not be available.

4. Search in cache and temporary files

Sometimes records are not saved to the main folder due to failures, but they remain in the cache of system applications.

Check the folder /data/data/com.android.providers.media/ (root needed)

Use a file manager with superuser rights (e.g. Root Explorer)

View the cache of the Phone application (Settings → Applications → Phone → Memory → Cash)

Try to recover deleted files via DiskDigger or Recuva

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How to view the cache without root rights:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Phone app (or com.android.dialer).
3. Select Memory → Cash → Space Management.
4. The system will show temporary files – look for audio with the.amr or.mp3 extension.

Critical information: On some models (for example, Xiaomi Mi) 11 s MIUI 13) Call records are temporarily stored in a folder /data/user_de/0/com.android.providers.media/documents/, But access to it is possible only through ADB root-rights.

5.Use of third-party applications for recording

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't fit, users often install alternative programs.

• 📱 Cube Call Recorder ACR — It automatically writes, saves to CubeBackups or the cloud.
• 🎤 Call Recorder – Automatic Call Recorder – Xiaomi MIUI 12+.
• 🔊 Boldbeast Call Recorder – works even on firmware without recording support (requires manual setup).
• 📁 Automatic Call Recorder – saves files in CallRecordings on a memory card.

Where to look for records from third-party applications:

If you have used one of these apps but don’t see the records:

1. Open the program settings and check the save path (usually in the Storage or Save location section).
2. Make sure the application is granted audio recording rights and memory access (Settings → Applications → Rights).
3. Try manually running a test call record - sometimes auto mode turns off after updates.

6.Recovery of deleted records

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

Recovery methods:

• 🔄 DiskDigger scans internal memory for deleted audio files, works without root, but with superuser rights finds more data.
• 📁 Recuva (for computer) – connect your phone in File Transfer mode and scan the memory card.
• 🔍 GT Recovery – specializes in multimedia recovery, including.amr call recordings.
• 📱 Dumpster – a shopping cart application that saves deleted files (you need to install in advance).

Step-by-step instructions for DiskDigger:

1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
2. Launch the app and select Start basic scanning (without root).
3. Mark the Audio and AMR file types.
4. After scanning, filter the results by date of the conversation.
5. Save the files found to a safe place (for example, on the SD-map).

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered files back to the phone's internal memory - this can overwrite the remaining data snippets.Use the cloud or an external drive.

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The faster you start recovering from deletion, the better the chances of success, and after 2-3 days of active phone use, data can be overwritten irrevocably.

7. Alternative methods: from ADB to service centers

If none of these things work, there are radical measures that should only be applied to critical records.

Method 1: Search through ADB

For experienced users, connect your phone to your computer and search for files via the command line:

adb shell


su




find / -name ".amr" -o -name ".mp3" | grep -i "call\|record"

This command recursively searches for audio files that mention calls or recordings, requires root rights and enabled USB debugging.

Method 2: Contacting a service center

• 🔧 Xiaomi’s official centers do not restore user data, but can provide access to service memory (for a fee).
• 💻 Specialized labs (such as Cellebrite) extract data from memory chips, but the cost starts at 10 000. ₽.
• ⚠️ Risk: Unofficial "masters" can damage data or install spyware.

Method 3: Analysis of system logs

In rare cases, metadata about calls (but not the records themselves) is stored in logs, which can be viewed through the Logcat app (ADB required):

adb logcat | grep -i "call\|record\|audio"

Look for lines that mention MediaRecorder or CallAudioManager.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording conversations on Xiaomi