Where Xiaomi Phones Store Records of Conversations: All Ways to Find and Store Audio

Have you ever tried to find an important recording of a conversation on Xiaomi, but you couldn't remember where the phone was saving these files? Or maybe after resetting all the audio recordings disappeared and now you're wondering how to restore them? This problem is familiar to many users of Redmi smartphones, POCO and other brands, because the storage of records depends on the way they are created: through an embedded voice recorder, the Calls app or third-party programs.

In this article, we’ll look at all possible scenarios, from standard storage paths to hidden MIUI folders, and how to find records if they’re not displayed in a gallery or file manager. You’ll learn which Xiaomi models support automatic call recording, how to enable this feature, and what to do if the audio files of Suddenly disappear after a system update.

1. Standard storage locations for MIUI records

By default, Xiaomi smartphones store conversation records and voice recordings in specific system folders, which vary by MIUI version and device model.

  • πŸ“ /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/ β€” standard folder for recordings from the built-in voice recorder (relevant to the MIUI 12–14).
  • πŸ“ /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/ β€” alternative location for some models (e.g, POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12).
  • πŸ“± /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.voicerecord/ β€” Hidden folder for call records (requires access rights).
  • ☁️ /storage/emulated/0/MiCloud/Backup/CallRecords/ β€” Backups of records if synchronization with Mi Cloud is enabled.

It's important to understand that the paths can vary depending on the firmware. 13 Pro MIUI 14 Records of the recorder are stored in /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/, on the Redmi. 10C s MIUI 13 β€” into /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/. If you don’t see a folder in the file manager, try connecting your phone to your computer through a file manager. MTP or use an application type FX File Explorer with access to system partitions.

πŸ“Š What Xiaomi model do you use?
Redmi Note
POCO
Mi
Black Shark
other

To quickly find records, use the built-in search in the Files app:

  1. Open the Files app.
  2. Go to the Category tab β†’ Audio.
  3. In the search bar, type in the.mp3,.amr, or.m4a extensions, which are the formats in which Xiaomi saves entries.

πŸ’‘

If you often record conversations, create a shortcut for the entries folder on the home screen. To do this, in Files, click on the folder β†’ Add to the home screen.

2. How to find call records (automatic recording)

Many Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro+, Xiaomi 12T) support automatic call recording, which is stored separately from the recorder and is often hidden from the user to find:

  1. Open the phone (calls) application.
  2. Go to the Journal. β†’ select the right contact.
  3. If the conversation was recorded, an icon will appear next to it. 🎀. Click on it to listen to the tape.

If the icon is not available but you are sure that the recording was made, check the following folders:

  • πŸ” /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.media/ β€” This can be the metadata of the records.
  • πŸ” /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.voicerecord/call_rec/ β€” Main folder for call records (requires root permissions to access).

On some firmware (e.g., the global version of MIUI for POCO X5), the default call records are not stored in the device's memory, but are sent to the Mi Cloud.

  1. Open your Settings β†’ Xiaomi Account β†’ Mi Cloud.
  2. Check the Backups section β†’ Call records.

πŸ’‘

Automatic call recording only works when the feature is enabled in the Phone settings. To activate it, go to Settings β†’ Call Record β†’ Enable recording.

3.Where to look for recordings made through a recorder

Xiaomi's built-in Sound Recorder app saves files in.m4a or.mp3 format in one of the system folders, so you can quickly find your records:

Open the Dictaphone application β†’ all records will appear in the main window |

Check the folder. /MIUI/sound_recorder/ file-manager|

Use the.m4a extension search in the Files | application

Connect your phone to your PC and check hidden folders through Windows Explorer-->

If you don’t see the recordings in the Recorder app but are sure they were made, the problem may be as follows:

  • 🚫 Files were moved or deleted after the cache was cleared.
  • πŸ”„ The folder was moved to SD-A card that is not currently connected.
  • πŸ”’ Access to the folder is blocked due to restrictions MIUI (For example, after updating the system).

On models with MIUI 14 (such as Xiaomi 13 Lite), the recordings of the recorder can automatically sync with the Mi Cloud.

  1. Open the recorder β†’ press three dots in the upper right corner.
  2. Select Settings β†’ Sync with Mi Cloud.
  3. If the feature is enabled, records can be recovered from the cloud even after the phone is reset.
What to do if the recordings of the recorder are not reproduced?
If files are available but not opened, the problem may be in the codec. Try: 1. Install a third-party player (e.g. VLC). 2. Convert the file through an online service (e.g. Online-Convert). 3. Check if the file is corrupted (size should be larger than 10 KB).

4. Search for records through file manager and PC

If standard methods don't work, connect your phone to your computer and do a deep search.

  1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode (MTP)).
  2. Open this computer. β†’ Find your device.
  3. In the Windows search bar, type:.m4a OR.mp3 OR *.amr This will find all the audio files on the phone.

Pay special attention to the following folders (they can be hidden):

folderDescriptionAre root rights required?
/data/user/0/com.miui.voicerecord/Stores temporary call records files.Yes.
/storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/com.miui.voicerecord/Backup copies of records (rarely used).No.
/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/voice_assistant/Voice assistant recordings (may contain snippets of conversations).No.
/storage/emulated/0/Download/If the records were downloaded from the cloud or sent by mail.No.

If you are using a Mac, you will need to install Android File Transfer to access Xiaomi files. On Linux, connect the device via MTP or use the command:

mtpfs /media/Xiaomi

πŸ’‘

If the phone is not detected on a PC, try enabling USB Debugging in Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ MIUI version (click 7 times on the build number, then go back to Additional Settings β†’ For Developers).

5. Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

If the records were deleted accidentally, you can try to restore them, and success depends on how long it has been since the deletion and whether the phone's memory was used after that.

  • πŸ—‘οΈ Basket in MIUI: Open the Files app. β†’ The bin, the records are stored there for 15 days.
  • ☁️ Mi Cloud: Check the Backups section in Xiaomi account settings.
  • πŸ› οΈ Third-party utilities: Programs like DiskDigger or Recuva (require root or PC connection).

To recover via Mi Cloud:

  1. Open Settings β†’ Xiaomi Account β†’ Mi Cloud β†’ Backups.
  2. Select the latest backup and check if Call Records or Recorder are included.
  3. Click Restore and select the data you need.

⚠️ Note: If you used the Cleanup function in the Security app, the records could have been permanently deleted.

For advanced users: If you have root access, try recovering files via ADB:

adb shell


su




cd /data/data/com.miui.voicerecord/databases/




sqlite3 call_rec.db




.select * from recordings;

This command will display a list of all call records, including deleted ones (if the database has not been cleared).

6. Call recording settings: how to turn on and where files are stored

Not all Xiaomi models support recording calls out of the box, and on some devices (such as the POCO M5), this feature is disabled for legal reasons.

  1. Open the Phone app.
  2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner β†’ Settings.
  3. Select Call Record.
  4. Turn on Automatic Recording and select contacts or all calls.

Once included, records will be retained in:

  • πŸ“± Local memory: /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.voicerecord/call_rec/.
  • ☁️ Cloud: if sync with Mi Cloud is enabled.

Some firmware (e.g., the Chinese version of MIUI) only record calls for incoming calls, and you will need to:

  1. Install a third-party application (e.g. Cube Call Recorder ACR).
  2. Give him the rights to record audio through ADB: adb shell pm grant com.nll.acr android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO adb shell pm grant com.nll.acr android.permission.READ_CONTACTS

⚠️ Note: In some countries (e.g. the EU), recording calls without the consent of the interlocutor may violate privacy laws.

7. Third-party recording apps: where they store files

If you use alternative programs to record conversations (e.g., Call Recorder, Automatic Call Recorder), their files are stored in their own folders.

AnnexStorage folderFile format
Cube Call Recorder ACR/storage/emulated/0/CubeBackup/.mp3, .amr
Automatic Call Recorder/storage/emulated/0/CallRecordings/.3gp, .mp4
Call Recorder by Lovekara/storage/emulated/0/Lovekara/.mp3
Boldbeast Call Recorder/storage/emulated/0/Boldbeast/.mp3, .wav

Many third-party apps allow you to customize the save path to change it:

  1. Open the app β†’ go to Settings.
  2. Find the save folder or the Storage section.
  3. Choose Internal Memory, SD-map.

If the records are not saved, check:

  • πŸ”• Application permissions: Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ [Title of the programme] β†’ Permissions (must include Microphone, Warehouse, Contacts).
  • πŸ”Š Sound settings: Some apps don’t work if the phone turns off the sound during a conversation.
  • πŸ“΅ Power Saving Mode: Add the App to the Exclusion List (Settings) β†’ Battery β†’ Optimizing the battery).

8. Frequent problems and their solutions

Xiaomi users often face typical problems with recording conversations, and here are the most common ones and how to solve them:

  • πŸ”‡ No records are saved: Check if there's enough space on the device. Update the Phone or Recorder app via Play Market. Turn off power saving mode for these apps.
  • πŸ” I can't find any records after the update. MIUI: The folders could have changed. /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/voice_recorder/. Search by file creation date (sort by Change Date in file manager).
  • 🎡 Records play without sound: Try playing a file on another device. Convert the record to another format via Audacity or online converter.

If all records have disappeared after resetting, try the following:

  1. Check Mi Cloud (even if sync has been disabled, sometimes files are saved automatically).
  2. Connect your phone to your PC and scan the memory with Recuva or EaseUS MobiSaver.
  3. If you have Google Drive enabled, check the Backups section.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Default call records are saved in.amr format, which not all players support. VLC or MX Player to play.

If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the storage paths for the records may be different.

  • Check the /sdcard/ folder (a symbolic link to internal memory).
  • Use the command find /storage -name "*.mp3" via ADB or Termux.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Can I record calls to Xiaomi without notifying the other person?
On most Xiaomi firmware (especially global ones), an audio notification is played to the person recording a call, which can only be avoided with third-party applications (e.g. Boldbeast), but in some countries this may be illegal.
Why do call records take up so much space?
Records are saved in a non-compression format (e.g..wav), which takes up ~10MB per minute. To save space: In the voice recorder settings, select the format MP3 or AMR. Delete unnecessary records through the Cleanup app. Transfer files to SD-map.
How to transfer your Xiaomi recordings to another phone?
There are a number of ways: πŸ“² Mi Cloud: Upload your records to the cloud, then download them to a new device. πŸ–₯️ Through PC: Connect both phones and copy files from folders /MIUI/sound_recorder/ or /Recordings/. πŸ“§ Post: Send your email, then download it on your new phone. 🌐 Through instant messengers: send files to Telegram (to yourself in "Saved Messages") or WhatsApp. For a large number of files, it is more convenient to use cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Disk).
Can I recover records after resetting to factory settings?
The odds depend on whether sync with Mi Cloud or Google Drive was enabled: ☁️ If backup was enabled, restore data from the cloud after resetting. πŸ”§ If not, try a recovery program (DiskDigger, Dr.Fone) but success is not guaranteed. 🚫 If you've used your phone extensively after reset (applications installed, photos taken), your chances of recovery are close to zero. In the future, enable automatic recording synchronization in Settings β†’ Xiaomi account β†’ Mi Cloud.
Why is my Xiaomi not using call recording?
It could be related to: 🌍 Regional firmware: on some models for the EU, the function is disabled by law. πŸ“± Phone model: budget devices (e.g. Redmi) A1) may not support the recording. πŸ”„ Version MIUI: firmware (MIUI 11 and below) the function worked differently. Solution: install a third-party application to record (e.g. Cube) ACR) Update the firmware to the latest version.