Where on Xiaomi Redmi 9 store conversation records: all ways to search and restore

Why Call Records 'Disappear' and Where to Look for Them First

You turned on a recording of an important conversation on Xiaomi Redmi 9, but now you can't find it? The problem is familiar to many MIUI users. The fact is that the system defaults to save audio files in non-obvious folders, and sometimes does not display them at all in a standard player, and the records can be "hidden" in the cloud services or archived automatically.

In this article, we will look at all possible locations for Redmi 9 call records (including Redmi 9A, 9C, 9T models), and how to recover deleted files. It is important to keep in mind that the location depends on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and the way you write it, whether it is through a standard application or third-party programs.

Let’s start with the obvious: where to look for records if you’ve used the built-in MIUI call recorder feature.

Method 1: Standard MIUI record folder (where and how to search)

If you recorded a conversation through the built-in Phone app (the microphone icon during the call), the files should automatically be saved to the system folder.

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

To get there:

1. Open the Files app (yellow folder icon).
2. Go to the Category section → Audio.
3. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Show Hidden Files.
4. Hand-flick through to the file. MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec.

The files here are formatted.m4a or.amr and named by pattern: call_record_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS. If the folder is empty, check it out:

• 📱 Recording settings: You may have disabled saving in Settings → Annexes → Phone. → Recording calls.
• 🔍 Date filter: records can be archived by year in subfolders.
• 🗑️ Basket: In MIUI Deleted files are stored for 30 days in files → Basket.

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If the folders sound_recorder No, update the Phone app through Google Play. MIUI (below 12.5) records are kept in /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/.

Method 2: Search through the Records app (if installed)

Some Redmi 9 firmwares duplicate call recordings in the Records app (Mic icon) and it is not pre-installed on all devices, but it can be downloaded from Google Play.

How to find records through this application:

1. Open the Records and go to the Calls tab (if any).
2. If there is no tab, tap on the menu icon (three lines) and select All entries, then filter by Call type.
3. For convenience, enable sorting by date: click on the calendar icon in the upper right corner.

Please note: The Records app may not show files if:

• 📵 They were recorded by third-party software (e.g. Cube Call Recorder).
• 🔒 Access to microphone for the application is disabled in the settings.
• 📁 Files physically deleted, but the shopping cart hasn't been cleaned yet.

Method 3: Cloud storage (Mi Cloud, Google Drive, Yandex.Disk)

MIUI can sync call records with Mi Cloud by default (if enabled).

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Scroll to Sync and check if Call Record is enabled.
3. If yes, go to i.mi.com, log in and check the Records section.

The data can also be uploaded to other clouds:

Method 4: Search through the file manager (including hidden folders)

If standard methods don’t work, use a third-party file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Manager) that shows all folders, including system folders, that are hidden in MIUI.

Instructions:

1. Install Solid Explorer from Google Play.
2. Open the application and give access to the storage.
3. Enable the display of hidden files: Menu → Settings → Show hidden files.
4. Go to the root directory (/storage/emulated/0/) And manually check the folders: /Recordings/ /MIUI/sound_recorder/ /Android/data/com.android.providers.media/ /Download/CallRecordings/

Pay attention to files with extensions:

• 🎤.m4a,.AMR – Standard formats for MIUI.
• 📱.mp3,.wav – if third-party applications were used.
• 📁.nomedia – if the file is not displayed in the gallery, delete this file from the folder.

Enable the display of hidden files|Check the folder. /MIUI/sound_recorder/|Check the folder. /Recordings/|Delete.nomedia files (if any)|Try to play back files through VLC Player-->

Method 5: Recover deleted records (if files are erased)

If the records have been deleted, they can be restored within 30 days (if the cart has not been cleaned) or with the help of specialized programs.

1. MIUI Recycle Bin: Open Files → Recycle Bin, find audio files and restore them. Note: the files are stored in the Recycle Bin for only 30 days, after which they are deleted irrevocably.
2. Recovery software: Use DiskDigger or Recuva (requires root access for deep scanning). Instructions for DiskDigger: 1. Install the application from Google Play. 2. Select the file type: Audio. 3. Run the scan (without root access, it will only find undeleted files). 4. Save the restored entries to a new folder.
3. Cloud Backups: If backup is enabled in Mi Cloud or Google Drive, check the archives for the right date. In Mi Cloud, backups are stored in Device → Backups.

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The faster you start recovery, the better the chances of returning files, and once deleted, the data stays in the device’s memory until it is overwritten with new files.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install recovery software on the same partition of memory where the records were stored! This can overwrite deleted files. Use a memory card or other phone.

What to do if records are not reproduced or damaged

Sometimes records are saved but not played due to codec corruption or incompatibility.

• 🎧 Try another player: VLC or MX Player supports more formats than standard app MIUI.
• 🔧 Convert the file: Use Audio Converter (from Google Play) to convert to the.mp3.
• 📥 Download a file on PC: sometimes Windows Media Player or Audacity will play files that don't open on your phone.
• 🔄 Restore File Headers: If the file is cropped, try opening it through a Hex editor (technical skills required).

If the file is played with noise or is broken:

• 🔊 Check if there has been an interruption to the recording (for example, due to an incoming notification).
• 📶 Maybe the problem is the microphone – test it through the Phone Tester app.
• 🔋 If the recording is interrupted when the battery is low, try recovering the file via Audacity (Turncate Silence tool).

⚠️ Note: If the recording was interrupted due to a failure MIUI (For example, when you upgrade a system, you can't restore it completely.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls on Xiaomi Redmi 9