Where Xiaomi Stores Records of Phone Calls: A Complete Search and Recovery Guide

Have you ever tried to find a recording of an important phone call on your Xiaomi, but couldn’t remember where it went? or suddenly discovered that the automatic recordings disappeared after the MIUI update? This problem is familiar to many users of the brand’s smartphones – despite the built-in call recording feature, files often “hide” in non-obvious folders, and their storage paths change depending on the firmware version and device model.

In this article, we will look at exactly where Xiaomi conversation records are stored (including Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark models), how to find them through a file manager or PC, and what to do if files are lost after resetting or deleting. We will separately focus on the nuances of working with MIUI 12/13/14 and explain why some records may not be saved at all - even if the feature is enabled.

Spolier: the path to the folder with records is not always obvious, but in new versions MIUI It may be different from the usual /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/. Ready to figure it out?

1. Standard ways to store records on Xiaomi

By default, Xiaomi smartphones store phone conversation records in system folders, the path to which depends on the firmware version and regional build of MIUI. Here are the main locations where you should look for files:

• 📁 For MIUI 12 newer: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ or /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/
• 📁 For MIUI 11 older: /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ (lip-link)
• 📁 For global firmware (EEA/Global): /storage/emulated/0/CallRecordings/
• 📁 For POCO Redmi with custom firmware: the path can change, but most often the files are in the /storage/emulated/0/Downloads/CallRecord/

It is important to understand that the folder sound_recorder It can be hidden, it can not be seen in the standard file manager. MIUI without displaying hidden files, and starting with MIUI 13, Records can be automatically archived to the Mi Cloud (if sync is enabled), making it difficult to find them in local storage.

If you did not find the folder in the indicated ways, check the following points:

• ⚙️ Whether call recording function is enabled in phone settings (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Recording of conversations).
• 🔍 Whether you use the standard Phone app from Xiaomi rather than a third-party app (like Truecaller or Google Phone).
• 📱 Have you manually transferred files or cleared the cache of the Phone app.

2. How to find records through file manager

To manually find recordings of conversations on Xiaomi, follow the following steps:

1. Open the standard Files application (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Device (or Internal Memory) section.
3. Turn on the display of hidden files: click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → turn on the switch Show hidden files.
4. Follow one of the paths mentioned in the previous section (e.g, MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec).

If the folder is empty or not, try alternative methods:

• 🔎 Search by name: In the file manager, type in the search bar call_rec.amr (extension of audio files of recordings).
• 📂 Recycle Bin Check: Deleted records may be temporarily stored in Files → Basket (up to 30 days).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backups and check if synchronization of records is enabled.

If you use POCO Launcher or a third-party file manager (such as Solid Explorer), the path to folders may be displayed differently. /storage/emulated/0/....

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Or the Redmi Note 11 Pro.+) records can be saved in format.m4a This is due to codec updates in the MIUI 13+.

3.Why records may not be saved

A common problem with Xiaomi users is that the call recording feature on is not working, and files don't appear in the folder.

A critical feature of MIUI 14: In the latest firmware versions, call recording can automatically turn off after a system update.This is due to the tightening of Xiaomi's privacy policy. To return the feature, you sometimes need to reset the phone application settings to factory.

If the problem doesn’t work, try using third-party recording apps (like Cube ACR or Call Recorder), but note that they may not work on Android 12+ due to Google’s restrictions.

4. How to recover deleted records

If the records of conversations were deleted accidentally, you can try to restore them, and success depends on how long it has been since the deletion and whether the storage was overwritten with new files.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Check the Recycle Bin: In the Files app, open the Recycle Bin section – deleted records are stored there for up to 30 days.
2. Use Recovery Programs to Recover: 🖥️ DiskDigger (for Android) – scans internal memory for deleted audio files. 💻 Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery (for PC) – connect your phone in File Transfer mode (MTP) and scan the memory.

Check backups:

• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Go to i.mi.com and check the Backups section.
• 📱 Google Drive: If sync is enabled, records can be in Drive → Backup copies.

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

If the records were deleted long ago (more than a month), the chances of recovery are minimal - MIUI uses storage trimming (autocleaning) that irrevocably erases the data.

5. Alternative ways to record calls on Xiaomi

If the standard recording function does not work or you are not satisfied with its implementation in MIUI, consider alternative options:

• 📱 Third-party apps: Cube ACR — Records both ends of a conversation, but requires manual setup.Call Recorder by Lovekesh - supports Android 12+, but it may not work MIUI 14. Truecaller – has a built-in record, but only for Premium users.
• 🎤 External devices: Use a second phone with the record turned on (put it next to the speaker). Connect a voice recorder or headset with the recording function (for example, Sony). ICD-UX570).
• ☁️ Cloud services: Google Voice – records incoming calls (not available in all countries). Zoom/Teams — If the call is via VoIP, it can be recorded manually.

When using third-party applications, consider:

• On Android 10+, many apps can’t record conversations due to Google’s restrictions.
• In some countries (e.g. the EU), recording calls without the consent of the interlocutor is prohibited by law.
• Some banks and support services block the recording (you will hear the message "Recording this call is prohibited").

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If you want to keep a conversation with the bank or public services, check with the operator if the recording is allowed, otherwise the recording will not have legal force.

6. Features for different Xiaomi models

The storage path and availability of the feature may vary depending on the model and version of MIUI. Here are the key nuances for popular devices:

On devices with MIUI for Russia (e.g. Redmi 10 2022 or POCO M5), the path to records may differ due to localization. If you do not find a folder at a standard address, try searching in /storage/emulated/0/Records/Calls/ (on Russian firmware).

For models with HyperOS (the new firmware from Xiaomi, which replaced MIUI in 2026), the path to records changed to /storage/emulated/0/CallRecords/. HyperOS also introduced the function of automatic transcription of entries into text (so far only on the Chinese versions).

7.Security and legal aspects

Before you record phone calls, consider the legal and ethical nuances:

• 📜 In Russia: Recording a conversation without the consent of the interlocutor is allowed if you are a participant in the conversation (Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
• 🌍 In the EU (GDPR): Recording without consent is prohibited and punishable by fines. MIUI EEA The recording function may be disabled.
• 🔒 In the United States: Laws vary by state, and some (e.g. California) require the consent of all participants.
• 📵 Prohibited cases: You cannot record conversations with banks, government agencies or support services if they explicitly prohibit it (usually reported at the beginning of the call).

If you plan to use the records for legal purposes:

• Always notify the person about the recording (for example: “The conversation is recorded to record the information”).
• Keep the original files without editing, which will increase their reliability.
• If necessary, certify the record with a notary.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14, an automatic notification of the call recording has been issued to the interlocutor (in some regions), which cannot be turned off as a requirement of local law.

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Even if the recording is permitted by law, its publication on the Internet or transfer to third parties may violate the right to privacy (Article 152.2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi conversation records