How to find recordings of conversations on Xiaomi Redmi: from a standard voice recorder to hidden files

Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a useful feature, but not all users know exactly where these files are stored. The situation is complicated by the fact that MIUI (the Xiaomi brand shell) periodically changes the location of folders, and some records can be stored in non-obvious places, from system directories to the Mi Cloud cloud storage. If you searched for a record of an important conversation and did not find it in the standard Dictophon application, do not panic: most likely, the files are simply hidden elsewhere.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to search for records from basic to advanced, including working with the file system via a PC, recovering deleted files and even bypassing the limitations of MIUI. Particular attention will be paid to the Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 and the flagships of the K series, as they often have problems finding audio files. If you use custom firmware or root access, there will be a solution for you too.

Before you start searching, make sure that the recording is actually being done. On some versions of MIUI, the call recording function is disabled by default due to legal restrictions in certain countries (e.g. the EU). To check this, go to Settings → Apps → Permissions → Recorder and see if access to the microphone is active during calls.

1. Standard storage location: Dictophone appendix

The most obvious way is to check the built-in Dictophone app** (Mic icon) and most Redmi models store call records here, but with nuances:

• 🔍 Date search: If there are many entries, use the date filter (calendar icon at the top of the screen). MIUI Sorts files by time of creation, but sometimes gets lost when synchronized with the cloud.

If the Dictophone is empty, don’t get upset. Some versions of MIUI 13-14 store call records in a separate system folder that is not accessible through a standard file manager, and you’ll need to connect the phone to your computer or use root access to find it (more on this below).

⚠️ Note: On firmware for India (Redmi India) ROM) Call records are automatically encrypted and stored in a folder /data/com.android.providers.media. Access is only possible with superuser rights.

2.File Manager Search: Hidden MIUI folders

If the records are not displayed in the Recorder, check the file system manually. Use the standard Files app** (Mi File Manager) or third-party managers like Solid Explorer:

Check the following directories (the paths may vary depending on the MIUI version):

If you connect your phone to your PC through USB, Use the File Transfer Mode (MTP) and check the same folders through Windows Explorer or macOS. On some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi). K50) records can be stored in the root directory under the name rec_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.amr.

Enable the display of hidden folders

Check the folder /Recordings/Call

View the Audio section in the File Manager

Connect your phone to your PC in MTP mode

Try a third-party file manager (e.g. FX File Explorer)

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3.Mi Cloud Cloud Storage: How to Recover Records

Xiaomi automatically syncs some data to the Mi Cloud, including call records — but only if this feature was manually enabled.

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.

2. Scroll to the Data Sync section and find the Call Recorder or Call Records item.

3. If sync is active, go to i.mi.com, log in and check the Files → Audio section.

Note: Mi Cloud only stores records for 30 days at a free rate, and if files are older than a month, they may have been deleted, in which case you can try to restore them through the cloud cart (Recently Deleted section).

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) The cloud only downloads data when you connect to Wi-Fi. If you've been using the mobile Internet, the sync may not work.

If there is nothing in the cloud, but you are sure that the recording was conducted, try manually downloading files from your phone:

1. Find records through the file manager (see Section 2).

2. Select files, tap "Share" and select Mi Cloud.

3. upload them to the Call Records folder (create it manually if necessary).

4. Recovery of deleted records: programs and nuances

If the records have been deleted, you can try to restore them using specialized utilities, note that the odds depend on how long it has been since the deletion and how actively the phone memory was used.

For recovery, programs will be suitable:

• 💻 Recuva (Windows): Requires you to connect your phone to your PC in Mass Storage mode (not all Redmi models support this mode).

Instructions for DiskDigger (the most versatile option):

1. Install the application and provide access to memory.

2. Select Full Scan (longer but deeper).

3. filter the results by file type: Audio → AMR/M4A.

4. Found recordings can be listened directly in the application and saved to the device.

Important: Don't save your recovered files to the same phone, use the cloud or another medium, and overwriting reduces the chances of a successful recovery.

5. Advanced methods: ADB and root access

If the standard methods didn't work, and the records are critical, you can try extracting them through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or root rights, which require technical skills but give access to hidden memory partitions.

To work with ADB:

1. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – Tap 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).

2. Connect the phone to the PC and execute the command:

adb shell ls /data/data/com.miui.soundrecorder/databases

Databases with meta-information about records can be stored here.

To extract files directly:

adb pull /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call C:\Redmi_Records

If you have root access, use Root Explorer or FX File Explorer with superuser rights and check:

• /data/com.android.providers.media/databases – there may be links to deleted posts.
• /system/media/audio/recordings is a system folder where MIUI sometimes duplicates files.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi models with HyperOS (new firmware from Xiaomi), the path to records changed to the next one. /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.soundrecorder. HyperOS also has support disabled ADB Access to some system folders without root.

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If you record calls frequently, set up automatic backup of records to Google Drive or Yandex.Disk. To do this, select the record in Dictator → Share → Save to the Cloud.

6.Alternative applications for recording calls

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools don’t work, consider third-party apps, which often offer more options for managing records:

• 🎤 Cube Call Recorder ACR: Records high-quality calls (up to 192 kbps), supports cloud storage. MIUI Requires to disable battery optimization for the application.
• 📞 Call Recorder by Lovekara: Automatically saves entries to a selected folder (e.g., on the SD-There's an encryption function.
• 🔒 Truecaller: In addition to spam detection, it can record calls (not available in all countries.

When using third-party applications, pay attention to:

Permissions: The application needs permissions to access the microphone, memory and phone calls.

File format: Some programs save records in proprietary formats (e.g.,.krc for Lovekara).

MIUI Compatibility: On Redmi with HyperOS, some applications may not record calls correctly due to system limitations.

To avoid problems, check reviews for your phone model before installing. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 Pro, users complain that the Cube ACR does not record calls via VoLTE, and on the Redmi K60, the same program works steadily.

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The call recording app side often bypasses the limitations of MIUI, but may conflict with system services. Before using, check compatibility with your Redmi model on forums (e.g. 4PDA).

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

If the records are not found or reproduced, the reasons may be as follows:

If the problem is not solved, try resetting the Dictator app settings**:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Recorder → Storage.

2. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.

3.Reboot the phone and check if the records have appeared.

On HyperOS models (such as the Redmi Note 13 Pro), an additional step may be required: disable the recording optimization function in the voice recorder settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi conversation records