How to permanently remove a recording of a conversation on Xiaomi: 5 working ways

Phone records on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones can take up space in memory, contain sensitive information or simply interfere with the contact list. Unlike regular calls, audio files with conversations are stored not only in the Phone app, but also in the MIUI system folders, which makes it difficult to completely delete them. If you tried to erase a record through the standard menu, but it continues to appear in history or takes up space on the disk – this article will help you understand why this happens and how to ensure that files are deleted without a trace.

We will look at all the current ways for modern firmware versions (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14), including hidden system folders, cloud backups and even physical memory formatting. Particular attention will be paid to models with AutoWrite Conversations feature, where files can be duplicated in several places.

1. Delete recording through the application "Phone"

The most obvious, but not always effective, way to do this is to use the built-in tools of the Phone app, which is suitable for single records that have not been automatically archived by the system, and importantly, if you have Mi Cloud sync enabled, files can stay in the cloud even after local deletion.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Phone app (the tube icon on the home screen).
• 📄 Go to the Records tab (or History) → Recorded conversations in older versions MIUI).
• 🗑️ Find the desired entry, make a long press on it and select Delete (basket icon).
• 🔄 For mass removal, click on three dots in the upper right corner → Choose all. → Delete.

⚠️ Note: After deleting through the application, the files are moved to the.Trash folder and stored there for up to 30 days. To erase them irrevocably, you need to manually clean the basket:

1. Open Files (the File Manager app).
2. Go to Categories → Basket.
3. Find audio files with the.amr or.mp3 extension (the name usually contains the phone number and date).
4. Select them and press Clear.

💡

If the recording is not displayed in the Phone app, but you are sure it was made – check the folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec often the system records are kept separate from the user's.

2. Search and delete hidden records files

MIUI stores conversation records in several hidden folders that are not visible through standard browsing, and even if you delete a record in the Phone app, a copy of it can remain in:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ — Main file for records (relevant to the MIUI 12–14).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/ — alternative location on some models (POCO X3, Redmi Note 10).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.media/ — media file cache.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/.recycle_bin/ — hidden basket (available only through Root or ADB).

To see the hidden folders:

1. Open Files → Click on three points → Settings → Turn on Show Hidden Files.
2. Manually follow these paths and delete files with the extensions.amr,.mp3,.m4a.
3. For complete cleaning, use the option to Clear the cache in the settings of the Phone application.

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Cloud or third-party cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex.Disk), the records could be automatically uploaded there. Backups/CallRecord In cloud storage and remove them manually.

3. Disable auto-recording conversations

If you don’t want Xiaomi to automatically record all calls, you need to turn it off in the settings. Depending on the MIUI version and smartphone model, the path to the option may vary:

For MIUI 13/14:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the phone and select Permissions.
3. Scroll down to Record conversations and turn off the slider.

For MIUI 12 and older:

1. Launch the Phone app.
2. Click on three points → Settings → Record conversations.
3. Turn off Auto Record or remove numbers from the exclusion list.

🔹 Additional: On some models (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi) K50) Autorecording is managed through Settings → Special facilities → Record the conversations, check all possible paths!

Turn off the record in the settings of the application "Phone»|Check the permissions for the microphone|Remove numbers from auto record list|Clear the cache of the "Phone" application»-->

4. Resetting the settings of the Phone application

If the records continue to appear after deletion, the phone application may fail, and resetting the factory settings will help:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the phone and select the Warehouse.
3. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
4. Confirm the action (this will delete all call and recording history!).

⚠️ Warning: After reset, the Phone app will return to factory settings:

• 🔄 Set up an auto record (if needed).
• 📞 Restore your call history from a backup (if any).
• 🔒 Re-issue permissions to access microphone and storage.

💡 Tip: Before resetting, export important contacts and entries manually (for example, by copying files from a folder) call_rec computer).

5. Complete phone reset (last resort)

If none of the previous methods worked, you'll have to reset hard, and that will remove all the data from the device, including the records, the apps, and the settings, and only use this as a last resort!

Instructions:

1. Create a backup of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After restarting, set your phone as new.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) After the reset, you may need to re-assign your Mi Account to unlock the bootloader!

Once hard-reset, the recordings of conversations will be deleted without recovery, even with specialized programs (such as DiskDigger or Recuva), which is the only way to guarantee that data will be erased from internal memory.

6.Use of ADB for deep cleaning

For advanced users who want to completely erase all traces of records (including system logs and cache), the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method is suitable, which requires connecting the phone to the computer and enabling the developer mode.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification appears.

USB debugging

Settings → Additional → For Developers

adb shell


pm clear com.android.dialer




rm -rf /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/*




rm -rf /sdcard/Recordings/Call/*

🔹 Explanation of teams:

• pm clear com.android.dialer – resets the Phone app to factory settings.
• rm -rf /sdcard/... — Removes records files from hidden folders.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can cause data loss or system failure. Do not execute commands unless you are sure of their purpose!

💡

ADB-commands allow you to delete records that are not available through the standard interface, but require technical skills.

7. How to prevent the reappearance of records

To prevent recordings of conversations from being restored after deleting, follow these guidelines:

• 🔕 Regularly clean the basket in the application "Files».
• ☁️ Turn off automatic sync with Mi Cloud for the Phone app».
• 📱 Check Application Permissions: Revoke Microphone Access from Unnecessary Programs in Settings → Confidentiality → Permits.
• 🔄 Update. MIUI up to the latest version - in the new firmwares, bugs with duplicate records are corrected.

💡 If you record conversations often, use third-party apps (such as Cube Call Recorder or CallX) that store files in separate folders and are easier to manage.

📌 Important: On some models (Xiaomi) 14, Redmi Turbo 3) records can be stored in encrypted form in the folder /data/user/0/com.android.dialer/. Access is only possible with Root rights.

FAQ: Frequent questions