Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the internal memory of the device is filled with recorded dialogues.The Redmi Note 10 Pro model is equipped with a quality microphone and a well-thought-out recording system, but over time the archive can grow to gigabytes. Cleaning up this dataset requires understanding the shell file system structure MIUI.
There are several ways to get rid of unnecessary audio files, from standard deletion through the call log to working with system folders through the file manager. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods that will help you quickly free up space and clean up communications. It is important to act carefully so that you do not accidentally erase important information along with debris.
Before proceeding with a mass removal, it is worth checking where exactly your audio recordings are stored, since depending on the version of the firmware, the paths may vary slightly. We will consider the nuances of working with the built-in voice recorder and third-party applications that are often used for this purpose on Xiaomi devices.
Delete through call log and standard interface
The easiest and safest way to delete a particular recording of a conversation is to do so directly from the call log. On the Redmi Note 10 Pro, the system automatically links the audio file to a contact or number in history. Open the Phone app and go to the Log tab.
Find the right call, which usually displays a small voice recorder or microphone icon next to it. Click on the contact number or name to reveal details about the call. In the menu that opens, you will see the record play button and, usually, a basket icon or tripod for additional actions.
The algorithm of actions in the standard interface is as follows:
- 📞 Open the Phone application and select the Log tab.
- 🔍 Find the right conversation and click on the record icon or contact name.
- 🗑️ Click on the basket icon or select Delete from the menu.
- ✅ Confirm the action in the pop-up window.
If you want to delete multiple entries at once, (a long press) on one of the numbers in the journal will allow you to highlight it. Then you can tick other entries that need to be erased. After selecting all the objects, click the Delete button, which will appear at the bottom or top of the screen.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting the record through the call log often results in the deletion of the file itself without the possibility of recovery from the cart.
It is worth noting that in some versions of the MIUI shell, the interface may differ. For example, the delete button may be hidden under the More menu. If the standard path does not work, try to go to the Dictaphone app, which is also part of the Xiaomi ecosystem.
Working with the Dictator and file management application
On Redmi Note 10 Pro smartphones, the Recorder system app often responds to record conversations. Even if the recording is initiated during a call, the file can physically be saved to the database of this particular application. To access the archive, open the Recorder on the home screen or in the Tools folder.
Inside the app, go to the Records tab or List, and you can sort files by date of creation, and you can sort them by size to find the largest and heaviest dialogs that take up the most space, and you can single out multiple files to do a batch cleanup.
To clean up the device, use the built-in MIUI file manager. Go to Audio or Records. The system will automatically filter out all audio files stored on the device, and you can find not only call records, but also voice messages from instant messengers, if they are stored locally.
Key features of working with files in MIUI:
- 📂 Call files often have a prefix. Call_rec titled.
- 📅 Sorting by date helps you find old unnecessary dialogues.
- 🗑️ Files are deleted permanently, bypassing the standard gallery basket.
If you use third-party recording applications (like Truecaller or Call Recorder), you should search for files in the folders of these specific programs. The path usually looks like Internal Memory → Android → data → [application name]. However, due to the security limitations of Android 11/12/13, access to the data folder can be restricted without special permissions.
⚠️ Note: When deleting files through the file manager, be careful not to delete system audio files with the.ogg or file manager extension.mp3, irrelevant to your calls.
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Use the Cleanup feature in Xiaomi’s Security app, which automatically finds duplicates and large files of records, prompting them to be deleted in one click.
Search and Delete through File Manager
For those who prefer manual file system management, Redmi Note 10 Pro provides full access to directories. Default conversation records are stored in hidden or secure folders of the system. To find them, open File Manager.
Go to the root of internal memory. The way to standard Xiaomi call records is most often this: MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. This is the directory that stores all the audio files that are created by the built-in recording function.m4a or.mp3.
If you didn't find the file call_rec, Try to search the Android path. → data → com.android.soundrecorder → files → SoundRecorder → call_rec. The folder structure may vary depending on the Android version and regional firmware (Global, EU, China).
You can use the File Search feature in Explorer to search quickly, and type the rec keyword or the write date into the search bar, and that will allow you to find all the audio files for a certain period, no matter what folder they are in.
| The way in the system | Type of file | Access. |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec | Standard records | Complete. |
| Android/data/com.miui.recorder | System recorder | Limited (Android 11+) |
| Recordings/Call | Third-party annexes | Complete. |
| Music/Recordings | Voice notes | Complete. |
Once you find the folder, select all the files (usually the Select All button) and click Delete. The system will request confirmation. The freed space will then immediately be available for use.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
Setup of automatic cleaning and recording parameters
To avoid future memory overloads due to conversation records, it is advisable to set up automatic management of these files. Redmi Note 10 Pro has features that allow you to limit the storage of records by time or number.
Go to the Phone app settings (three dots in the corner of the screen → Settings). Find the Call Record section. You can turn off all numbers automatically or select only certain contacts to record, which will significantly reduce the amount of data you accumulate.
Also in the voice recorder settings, there is often the option to delete records older... Choose a period, for example, "1 month" or "3 months." The system will automatically erase old dialogues, saving only fresh ones. This is ideal for those who need the recordings only for operational monitoring.
Recommended parameters for optimization:
- 🎙️ Enable only selected contacts.
- 📅 Autodelete files older than 30 days.
- ☁️ Set up sync with the cloud to archive important dialogs.
If you use Xiaomi Cloud or Google Drive, set up automatic uploading of records. After successful synchronization, local copies can be safely deleted, freeing up space on the device.
Where is the basket stored after removal?
Use of cloud services and synchronization
Modern smartphones, including the Redmi Note 10 Pro, are closely integrated with cloud ecosystems. If you have sync enabled with Xiaomi Cloud, your records can be duplicated online. This is useful for security, but takes up space in the cloud, which is often limited.
To manage cloud records, go to Mi Account settings → Xiaomi Cloud → Recorder. Here you can see a list of all uploaded files. Deletion of a file in the cloud is often (but not always) synchronized with deletion on the device, if the appropriate option is enabled.
When working with Google Audio or other Google services, the path will be different: Google Drive → Settings → Backup. Make sure you don’t store thousands of old conversations in the cloud, which you may have to pay for when you exceed the 15GB limit.
It's important to understand the difference between a local file and a cloud copy. Deleting a file from a phone doesn't always delete it from the cloud automatically if sync is "download only." Check cloud storage separately.
⚠️ Before clearing your cloud storage, make sure you have access to the internet and don’t delete important evidence or legally relevant conversations.
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The best strategy is to store important conversations in the cloud, and leave only the last 10-20 records locally for operational work.
Solving problems with undeleteable files
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the record file of the conversation is not deleted, the deletion process freezes or the system writes an error "File is busy." On the Redmi Note 10 Pro, this can be due to background work of the recording process or file system failures.
The first solution is to reboot your smartphone, which will complete all the background processes that could have captured the audio file. After you reboot, try deleting the recording again through the file manager. If that doesn't work, check if the file is open in any player.
If a file is corrupted, the system may not respond correctly to the deletion command, in which case you can try renaming the file (add any character to the name), and then delete it. USB-cable and file removal via Windows or macOS interface.
In extreme cases, when the file system has errors, it may be necessary to clean the cache of the Dictaphone application. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Recorder → Memory → Clear the cache. Don’t confuse it with Clear Data, as this will delete all the settings of the recorder.