Where Xiaomi Phones Store Call Records: All Ways to Find and Recover

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi series) often face the question: where do the records of telephone conversations are stored after they are completed? The answer depends on the firmware version, device model and recording method – through the standard Phone application or third-party services. In this article, we will analyze all possible storage locations, including hidden system folders, cloud backups and features of working with MIUI from different generations.

Xiaomi is a big deal because it regularly changes its storage structure, for example, in MIUI 12 and later, the default entries can be saved in a secure partition of memory that is not available without root rights. In older versions (before MIUI 10), the files were in open directories, and we will look at each scenario in detail so that you can find the entries regardless of the firmware version.

⚠️ Note: If you are using the call recording feature for the first time, make sure it is enabled in the Phone app settings.In some regions (e.g. EU), this option may be disabled by default due to legal restrictions.

In this article you will find:

• 📁 Standard ways to store records in device memory
• ☁️ How to sync and search for records in the Mi Cloud
• 🔍 Hidden folders and system directories for advanced users
• 📱 Features of work on different models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and others.)
• 🛠️ Methods of Recovering Deleted Records

1. Standard location of records in the phone memory

By default, the phone app in MIUI keeps records of conversations in a folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec However, the path may vary depending on the firmware version:

• 📂 MIUI 12/13/14: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ or /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/
• 📂 MIUI 10/11: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/voice_recorder/call_record/
• 📂 Old versions (up to) MIUI 9): /sdcard/miui/sound_recorder/ or /sdcard/CallRecords/

To find the folder:

1. Open any file manager (such as files from Xiaomi or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the root directory of internal memory (/storage/emulated/0/).
3. Look for the MIUI or Recordings folder.
4. Inside it will be a subfolder with records (the name may differ, see the list above).

Record files are usually formatted.m4a or.amr and named by template: call_rec_[date [time] [number] [number].m4a. For example: call_rec_20260515_143022_+79123456789.m4a.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 and later records can be automatically encrypted. If you see a file corrupted error when you try to play back, try opening it through the standard Recorder app, not third-party players.

2. Cloud Storage: How to Find Records in Mi Cloud

Xiaomi offers synchronization of call records with the Mi Cloud service, but this feature does not work on all models and requires pre-configuration to check if your records are saved in the cloud:

Step 1. Open the Settings app → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.

Step 2. Make sure that the Sync Records slider (or Call Records) is on, and if it's not, your model doesn't support cloud backup.

Step 3. To view the records:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the Devices section, select your smartphone.
3. Find the Records tab or Call Records tab (if any).

🔹 Important: Cloud storage is only available on devices with MIUI Global or MIUI China, but not MIUI for the EU, GDPR). It may also be disabled on some models for markets with strict privacy laws (e.g. India or Brazil).

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If cloud sync doesn’t work, try manually uploading important entries to Google Drive or Dropbox. call_rec And click "Share" →"Save it to the cloud".

3. Hidden system folders: where to look for records on rooted devices

If you didn't find records in standard folders, they could have been saved in protected memory, and they can only be accessed with root rights or through ADB. Here are the key ways:

• 🔒 /data/user/0/com.android.dialer/cache/ — Phone cache where temporary copies can be stored.
• 🔒 /data/media/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/.nomedia/ — Hidden folder with records (requires display of hidden files).
• 🔒 /data/com.miui.voiceassist/records/ — recordings made through voice assistant Xiao AI.

To view these folders:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Give the application superuser rights.
3. Follow one of the paths indicated.

⚠️ Note: Delete or modify files in system folders /data/ Do not edit files with the extension.db or.dat - these are databases of applications, damage to which will cause errors in the application Phone.

If you don’t have root rights but have access to ADB, you can try pulling entries out via the command line:

adb pull /data/media/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ C:\Xiaomi_Calls\

(substitute C:\Xiaomi_Calls\ on the desired path on your PC).

Install ADB-PC drivers|Enable debugging on USB developer-setting|Connect your phone to your PC and allow debugging|Check the availability of the folder through the command adb shell ls /data/media/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/

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4. Features of recording calls on different models Xiaomi

The functionality of recording conversations can vary significantly depending on the device model and regional firmware.

Redmi Note 12/13, POCO X5/F5:

Mi 11/12, Mi Mix 4:

Redmi 9/10, POCO M3/M4:

🔹 For models with MIUI EU: Call recording may be completely disabled due to restrictions, in which case use third-party applications (e.g. Cube Call Recorder) ACR Call Recorder by Lovekesh, but keep in mind that they require additional permissions.

5. Recovering deleted call records

If records were accidentally deleted, you can try to restore them using specialized tools, and success depends on how long it has been since the deletion and how actively the device memory was used.

Method 1. Through file recovery applications:

Recovery steps:

1. Install one of the apps (like DiskDigger) from Google Play.
2. Give access to the device memory.
3. Select the file type to search for: Audio or.m4a/.amr.
4. Wait for the scan to be completed and save the files to a safe place.

⚠️ Warning: Don't install recovery applications on the same partition of memory where the records were stored! This can overwrite deleted data. SD-card or connect the phone to the PC.

Method 2. Through Mi Cloud backups:

If you had sync enabled with Mi Cloud, check backups:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup.
2. Find the latest backup and restore the phone application data.

Method 3. Through Google Drive (if you used the Android backup):

If you set up Android backup in Settings → System → Backup, the records could be saved to Google Drive.

1. Go to drive.google.com.
2. In the search box, enter call_rec or.m4a.
3. Check the Backup folder → [Your device's name].

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The chances of a successful recovery are maximum in the first 24 to 48 hours after deleting, and the longer you use your phone after deleting, the greater the risk of overwriting the data.

6. Third-party recording applications: where they store files

If you are using a third-party solution (such as Cube Call Recorder, Call Recorder by Lovekesh or ACR) rather than a standard Phone application, the storage paths will be different.

🔹 Important: Some applications (e.g. Boldbeast) require additional settings to work correctly on Xiaomi:

• 🔧 Enable Settings → Special facilities → Boldbeast Call Recorder.
• 🔧 Allow auto-start and work in the background.
• 🔧 Disable battery optimization for the application.

If the records are not saved, check:

1. Is the application allowed to access the microphone and memory?
2. Does the entry block the function Privacy Protection in MIUI (located in Settings → Privacy).
3. Does the app conflict with other services (e.g. Google Assistant or Xiao AI)?

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Problem 1: The records are not saved at all.

Decisions:

• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes resetting temporary data helps.
• 📱 Check if there is enough space on the internal drive (requires a minimum of 500 MB of free space).
• 🔧 Update the Phone app via Google Play or App Store.
• 📋 Reset the application settings: Settings → Annexes → Phone. → Warehouse → Clear the data.

Problem 2: Records are retained but not reproduced.

Decisions:

• 🎵 Try playing the file through the standard Music or Records app.
• 🔄 Recode the file with Audacity or Online Audio Converter.
• 📁 Check if the file is damaged. call_rec — Try to copy files to the PC.

Problem 3: Only my voice is recorded, and the interlocutor is not heard.

This is a typical problem for VoLTE (voice over 4G) devices.

• 📶 Turn off VoLTE in the settings SIM-maps: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [Yours. SIM] → Use VoLTE.
• 🔧 Enable recording via Loud Communication (in some firmware, this is the only working way).
• 📱 Use a third-party VoLTE-enabled app (e.g. Boldbeast with Fix VoLTE setup).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 11, POCO X4) VoLTE recording is impossible without root rights due to the limitations of the Qualcomm processor. In this case, only disabling VoLTE or using a second phone to record will help.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions