Have you recorded an important voice memo on Xiaomi but can't find the file? Or have you accidentally deleted an audio message in your messenger and want to restore it? In Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, audio recordings are stored in different folders depending on the source: these can be records from a voice recorder, voice notes from applications, system sounds or messenger cache. In this article, we will analyze all possible locations, including hidden directories, and explain how to return deleted files without root rights.
MIUI is a non-standard media storage structure, for example, recordings from the voice recorder are not stored by default in the shared folder Music or Downloads, but in a specialized directory that can be hidden from the file manager. In addition, some applications (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) create their own audio folders that are not displayed in the gallery, we will show how to find them manually and through third-party utilities.
1. Standard folders for audio recordings on Xiaomi
By default, MIUI distributes audio files across multiple system directories, which can be found through any file manager (e.g. Files by Google or embedded Files).
- 📁 Recordings: /storage/emulated/0/Recorders or /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder. Here are stored files with extension.m4a or.amr, created by the standard Dictaphone application.
- 🎵 Voice messages from messengers: WhatsApp: /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes Telegram: /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/Telegram Audio Viber: /storage/emulated/0/Viber/media/Viber Audio
- 📱 Systemic sounds: /system/media/audio (This includes ringtones, alerts and alarms.
Important: on some models (e.g, POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12) The path to the recorder records may be different - check the folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/voice_recorder. If you don’t have a folder, you may have never used a tape recorder — MIUI Create a catalog only after the first entry.
2. How to find hidden audio files
Some audio recordings (such as voice search cache or temporary application files) are stored in hidden folders to be seen:
- Open a file manager (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
- Enable the display of hidden files: In Files by Google: click ⋮ → Settings → Show hidden files in the standard manager. MIUI: ⋮ → Settings → Additionally. → Show hidden files.
/storage/emulated/0/
- .cache – Temporary audio files of applications.
- Android/data/ – cache of voice messages from games or social networks (for example, com.whatsapp or org.telegram.messenger).
- MIUI/voice_assistant — Xiao voice assistant AI.
Please note: This tab does not show:
- 🔕 System sounds (ringtones, notifications).
- 🔕 Cached audio files from messengers (they are stored in application folders).
- 🔕 Records created with third-party voice recorders (e.g. Easy Voice Recorder).
- ☁️ To the cloud: Google Drive: upload files via the app or web version. Mi Cloud: sync the Recorders folder to Settings → Accounts. → Mi Cloud → Synchronization. 📁 To the memory card: move the files to /storage/XXX-XXXX/Android/data/com.android.providers.media/ (where XXX — ID yours SD-For automatic sync, use apps like FolderSync or AutoSync, which allow you to set up a backup of the Recorders folder in Google Drive, Dropbox or Yandex Drive on a schedule. 💡Regular backup of audio files is the only way to ensure that you don't lose them, and even if the file is removed from the bin, a copy of it in the cloud will remain available. 6. Problems with finding audio recordings and their solutions Sometimes users are faced with the fact that audio files are not displayed in folders or are not played. Consider typical causes and ways to fix them: Problem Possible cause Files solution is, but not reproduced Damaged file header or codec Use VLC Player or convert file through Audio Converter Recorders folder is empty, but records have been hidden or moved /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/voice_recorder or enable the display of hidden files Audio from the messenger is not saved Auto Download Settings in WhatsApp: ⋮ → Settings → Data and storage → Autoboot Media Records are terminated when playing Media Cache Problems Clear Media Storage app cache in Settings → If audio files are corrupted, try to restore them using the Audio Repair Tool (available on PC). Export to a new format: File → Exports → Export how WAV. ⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The tape recorder's missing, check the folder. /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup. Sometimes the system backs up media files before the update. 7. Alternative ways to record and store audio If the standard Xiaomi voice recorder does not suit you, consider alternative applications with advanced features: 🎤 Easy Voice Recorder: Support for formats MP3, WAV, FLAC. Automatic upload of records to the cloud. Fountain recording mode (works with a locked screen). 📱 Cube Call Recorder: Recording phone conversations (requires manual setup) Storing records in a secure folder. ☁️ Otter.ai: Speech recognition and automatic audio decryption into text synchronized with Google Drive and Dropbox. For professional use (e.g. podcasts or interviews), external recorders such as Zoom are recommended. H1n ortascam DR-05X. They connect to Xiaomi through OTG-How to record internal sound from the screen on Xiaomi? To record system sound (for example, from games or videos) you will need: 1. AZ Screen Recorder (with support for recording internal audio). 2. Enable the option to Record internal sound in the application settings. 3. Run the recording through the notification panel. ⚠️ On some models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro), this feature may not work without root rights. FAQ: Frequent questions about audio recordings on Xiaomi Can you restore recordings of the recorder after resetting settings? No, reset to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting) permanently deletes all user data, including audio files. The only way to get them back is if you've previously backed up your files through Mi Cloud or manually copied them to your PC.m4a, not.mp3? Format.m4a (AAC) used MIUI by default, as it provides a better ratio of quality and file size compared to.mp3. To convert records, use apps like MediaConverter or Timbre. Where are Viber's voice messages stored on Xiaomi? Audio files from Viber are saved in the same way. /storage/emulated/0/Viber/media/Viber Audio. If the folder is empty, check the auto download settings in the app: ⋮ → Settings → Media → Auto download. How do you turn on phone records on Xiaomi? Standard firmware MIUI doesn't support call recording. For this feature, install Cube Call Recorder or Call Recorder by Lovekush and configure it according to the instructions (you may need to enable special permissions for Android 10).+). Can you change the record save folder? Yes, but only with third-party applications. For example, in Easy Voice Recorder, you can specify any directory to save the record: ⋮ → Settings → A save folder, a standard recorder. MIUI does not provide such an option.