Where on the Redmi Note 8T saves phone records: all the ways to find and recover files

Why Redmi Note 8T Call Records Are “Disappearing” and Where to Look

You turned on the recording of the conversation on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T, but after the call is over, you can’t find the file? This problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi smartphones — especially on the MIUI 12-14 firmware, where the logic of saving audio has changed many times.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all possible storage locations (including hidden system directories), explain why files may not be saved, and show you how to transfer them to a computer or the cloud, and learn how to set up automatic call saving to a convenient folder without manually searching after each conversation.

Important: If you use third-party recording apps (like Cube Call Recorder or ACR), the file search algorithm will be different – read about this in a separate section below.

Official place of storage: folder MIUI/sound_recorder

By default, the built-in Redmi Note 8T voice recorder (and the Phone app in recording mode) saves audio files to the folder:

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

How to get there:

1. Open the Files app** (yellow folder icon).
2. Go to the Category → Audio or Device → Internal Memory.
3. Find the file. MIUI, later sound_recorder subfolder call_rec.

The files here are.amr or.mp3 (depending on the version MIUI) name rec_20260515_143022.call, where:

• 📅 20260515 – Recording date (year/month/day).
• ⏰ 143022 – Time (hours/minutes/seconds).
• 📞.Call – extension that indicates the recording of a call (not to be confused with regular dictaphone records!).

Problem: if the folder call_rec It's empty, but you've been recording it, check it out:

Check the rights of the "Phone" application in Settings → Applications → Permissions

Make sure there is enough memory on the device (records are not saved if <100MB is free)

Restart your smartphone – sometimes files appear after a reboot

Try recording a test call (possibly disabled in the settings)

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Alternative storage locations: where else can there be records

If MIUI/sound_recorder Nothing, check out these directories:

Tip: If you don't want to search manually, search the Files app. Type in the search box:

• 🔍 *.Call - Find all the call records.
• 🔍 rec_*.AMR - filter by format.

If the search didn't work, try connecting your smartphone to your computer via USB and using Windows/macOS Explorer for deep scanning, sometimes hidden from the built-in MIUI file manager.

Why the records are not saved: 5 main reasons

If you have enabled a record but no files are in any folder, one of these limitations is to blame:

1. No recording permission. In MIUI 13+, the Phone app requires a separate permission to access the microphone during a call. Check: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Phone → Permissions → Microphone
2. Legal restrictions: In some countries (e.g. the EU), recording calls without the consent of the interlocutor is prohibited, Xiaomi can block the function automatically by geolocation.
3. Memory Lack: If the device has less than 500 MB of free space, MIUI prioritizes other tasks and does not store audio.
4. Phone app failure.Cache clearing often helps: Settings → Apps → Phone → Storage → Clean up the cache
5. Conflict with third-party apps: If you have Cube Call Recorder or Truecaller installed, they can intercept the recording and save files in their folders.

Critical information: on the Redmi Note 8T with MIUI 14 Global firmware, call recording is disabled by default to comply with the GDPR. To enable it, you need to manually activate the option in the settings of the Phone application (see section below).

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If the recording is interrupted after 30 seconds, check the battery saving settings: add the Phone app to the exceptions (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization).

How to set up automatic saving of records in a convenient folder

By default, MIUI saves files to the system folder, but you can redirect them to, for example, a memory card or to the cloud.

Method 1: Change the save folder through Engineering Mode (for advanced)

Warning: This method requires caution – wrong actions can disrupt the phone.

1. Enter the code ##3646633## (Engineering Mode will open) in the Phone app.
2. Go to MTK Settings → Audio → Normal Mode → Type.
3. Find the Call Record Path option and specify a new path, for example: /storage/extSdCard/CallRecords/ (Where ExtSdCard is Yours SD-map).
4. Save the settings and restart the device.

Method 2: Use a third-party application (simple option)

Apps like Cube Call Recorder or ACR let you select a save folder when you first start.

1. Open the application and give all the permissions requested.
2. In the settings, find the save folder or Storage section.
3. Specify a path, for example /storage/emulated/0/Download/CallRecords/.
4. Activate Auto Record for all calls.

The advantage of third-party apps: they offer advanced features, such as schedule recording, cloud backup, or voice-to-text transcription.

How to transfer records to a computer or cloud

To avoid losing important conversations, it is recommended to regularly copy files to your PC or cloud storage.

Transfer to a computer via USB

1. Connect the Redmi Note 8T to your PC via a USB Type-C cable.
2. On your smartphone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. Open this computer → [Name of your phone] → Internal memory.
4. Find the folder with records (see section above) and copy files to any directory on your PC.

Automatic upload to the cloud

To automatically save the records to Google Drive, Mi Cloud or Yandex.Disk:

• ☁️ Install an official cloud service application (e.g. Google Drive).
• 📁 In the application settings, enable Autoboot for the records folder (for example, /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/).
• 🔄 Make sure your smartphone is synchronized over Wi-Fi (Settings) → Accounts. → [Your account] → Synchronization).

Note: When uploading to the cloud, make sure that files do not exceed the free storage limits. For example, Google Drive only has 15 GB of free access, and.mp3 call records take ~1 MB/minute.

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For long-term storage, it is better to convert files from.amr to.mp3 – this will reduce the risk of data loss when changing firmware or resetting settings.

Frequent mistakes and how to fix them

Even after you set up the record correctly, you can have a failure, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

If none of the solutions worked, try resetting the phone app settings:

Settings → Applications → Phone → Storage → Clear data

Warning: This will delete your call history and recording settings!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions