You're trying to find a recording of a major phone call on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, but you don't know where the smartphone stores these files? This problem is familiar to many users: the standard Dictophone app and call recording functions scatter audio files across different folders in the system, and sometimes hide them from the user's eyes. In this article, we'll look at all possible storage locations, from obvious to hidden, and also explain how to recover deleted files if they suddenly disappear.
The Redmi Note 8 (codenamed ginkgo) was unique in that the manufacturer often changed the logic of saving records depending on the version of MIUI, for example, in firmware before MIUI 12 audio files could lie in the root folder Recordings, and since MIUI 13 - move to the secure storage of the application "Phone", we took into account all these nuances and collected relevant data for all versions of the software.
Before you go into search, check if the call recording feature on your device is enabled at all, in some regions (e.g. the EU), it is disabled by default due to legal restrictions, and if there are no records at all, it may be that no one has saved them.
1. Standard storage location: Recordings folder
The most logical place where the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 stores conversation records is the Recordings folder (or Records on Russian firmware), which is located in the root directory of internal memory and is usually visible to any file manager.
- 📁 Open the Files app** (icon with yellow folder) → Go to the Device tab.
If you don't have a folder, don't panic. You may be saving it elsewhere (more on this below) or using a third-party recording app. Also check if the folder is hidden: some system directories are not displayed by default in MIUI to show hidden files:
- Open Files → click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select Settings → turn on the Tool to Show Hidden Files.
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If you have a lot of records, sort them by the date of the change (click on the filter icon in the file manager) so you can find the right conversation faster.
2. Records via the Phone app: hidden folder
If you recorded the conversations directly during the call (the Record button in the Phone interface), the files are likely in a secure storage, which is relevant for MIUI 12.5 and later.
- Open the Files app** → go to Categories → Audio.
If this folder is not available, try an alternative path:
/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.incallui/files/call_recordImportant: Access to this folder may be limited. If the file manager won't let you inside, try:
- 🔓 Connect your smartphone to your PC and use a conductor Windows/macOS (Sometimes access rights to PCs are wider).
- 📱 Install a third-party file manager, such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer (they can request extended rights).
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Records from the phone app often have names in format call_Y-M-D_H-M-S.m4a, where Y-M-D — year-month-day, and H-M-S — call-time.
3. Recordings through the "Dictophon": where to look and how to distinguish
The Dictophone app (or Sound Recorder in global firmware) on Redmi Note 8 saves files separate from call records, easily confused unless you know the key differences:
| Characteristics | Records from The Dictator | Call records. |
|---|---|---|
| File extension | .m4a or.mp3 | .amr.m4a (but call_ name) |
| Storage folder | Recordings or MIUI/sound_recorder | com.android.incallui/call_record or CallRecords. |
| Duration | Arbitrary (depending on the user) | Coincides with the duration of the call |
| Labels in file name | Dates/times may not be available | Always contains call_ phone number |
If you recorded a conversation through a Dictophone (for example, by turning on a recording manually during a call), the file will be in the standard Recordings folder, but its name will not contain a label of the call.
- 📌 Rename files immediately after recording (add the name of the interlocutor).
- 📁 Create separate folders for different types of records (for example, Recordings/Calls and Recordings/Notes).
Yeah, all the important conversations.|Only sometimes.|No, I'm not.|I tried it, but it didn't work.-->
4. Third-party recording applications: where they store files
If you use third-party software to record calls (such as Cube Call Recorder, ACR, or Boldbeast), the files will lie in their own folders.
- 📱 Cube Call Recorder: /storage/emulated/0/CubeBackups or /storage/emulated/0/CubeRecordings
- 📱 ACR (Another Call Recorder): /storage/emulated/0/ACR or /storage/emulated/0/CallRec
- 📱 Boldbeast Call Recorder: /storage/emulated/0/Boldbeast or /storage/emulated/0/CallRecorder
- 📱 Call Recorder by Lovekesh: /storage/emulated/0/CallRecords
Note: Some apps (e.g. Boldbeast) allow you to select a folder to save in your settings. If you have manually changed paths, look for files where you indicated. Also check the app's settings for autodelete old records, which is a common reason for missing them.
If you don’t remember which application you used, try searching for entries through a file system search:
- Open the "Files" → click on the magnifying glass (search).
- Enter the extensions.amr,.m4a or.mp3.
- View the results – call records usually have a duration of 30 seconds and time stamps in the name.
How to recover records if the application has deleted them automatically, ACR) They delete old files when there is a shortage of space, and only restore them through specialized utilities like DiskDigger or Recuva (you need root or a PC connection). Success depends on how long it has been since you deleted it and how much you have used your phone since then.--> 5. How to listen to and export records to a PC Find the records is half the battle, now listen to them and, if necessary, copy them to a computer or the cloud.
6 Recovery of Deleted Records: Does It Work?
If records are missing (for example, after resetting or cleaning up memory), you can try to restore them.
- Time since the deletion: If more than 2-3 weeks have passed and the phone has been actively used, the chances are minimal.
- Memory type: The Redmi Note 8 uses eMMC 5.1, which is less recoverable than UFS.
Here are 3 working methods (from simple to complex):
- 🔄 Recycle Bin Check: Some file managers (such as Mi File Manager) have a Recycle Bin. Open it through the app menu.
- 🖥️ PC software: connect your phone to your computer and scan your internal memory with Recuva, EaseUS MobiSaver or DiskDigger.
- 📱 Mobile Utilities: Try Dumpster (cart app) or GT Recovery (requires root).
The critical nuance is that if you want to recover records, DO NOT write new files to your phone, DO NOT install programs directly on your device, this will overwrite deleted data.
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Recovery only works until the first data is overwritten, and if you've taken videos, installed apps, or updated your system after deleting, the odds are zero.
7.Why records may not be saved (and how to fix it)
Sometimes users find that call records are not saved at all or not always saved, and here are the main reasons and solutions:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Recordings do not start automatically | Disabled function in settings | Go to Settings → Applications → Phone → Record calls and turn on Auto Record. |
| Files are empty (0 bytes) | Conflict with another application | Disable third-party recording programs and restart the phone. |
| Records are cut off. | Optimizing the battery | Add the Phone app to exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization. |
| No sound on the tape. | The microphone problem | Check the microphone in the Dictator. If there's a problem, contact the service. |
If none of these methods worked, check if the carrier-level recording is disabled. In some countries (e.g. Germany or France), mobile operators are legally blocking this function.
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On Redmi Note 8 with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), call records can be saved in /sdcard/CallRecordings.