Where Xiaomi keeps call records: all possible storage paths on Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones

Xiaomi’s smartphone phone recorder is one of the most popular tools for business correspondence, fixing important agreements, or simply insurance against fraudsters. However, many users are faced with the problem of where exactly these records are stored? The standard application Recording calls in MIUI does not always clearly indicate the path to files, and after updating the system or resetting folders can “move” to other directories.

Even more complicated is the case with models that record through third-party applications (such as Cube Call Recorder or ACR), in which files are scattered across different folders, and their names are encrypted with a set of numbers and letters, and we analyzed the behavior of more than 20 Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 8 Pro to Xiaomi 14 Ultra) and identified all possible options for storing records, from standard to hidden.

In this article you will find:

• 📁 Standard paths for records in MIUI 12–15 and Android 10–14
• 🔍 How to find hidden files through the Explorer and ADB
• ☁️ Cloud services where records are automatically downloaded
• ⚙️ Application settings affecting the conservation location
• ⚠️ Common mistakes that make records disappear»

1. Standard folders for calling records in MIUI

If you use a built-in recording app (a microphone icon in your phone handset), the default files are saved in one of two folders, depending on the MIUI version and the smartphone model. Starting with MIUI 12 and Android 10, the path has become more unified, but in older firmware (such as Redmi 5 or Mi 8), the records may lie in non-obvious places.

Main directories:

• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ — most common path for MIUI 12–15. Here files are sorted by date and phone numbers.
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/ — alternatives in some models (e.g, POCO X3 Pro).
• 📂 /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.android.providers.media/ — hidden folder where records can be duplicated for backup.

Files usually have a format.m4a or.amr and names of the species Call_20260515_143022_+79123456789.m4a, where:

• 20260515 – date (year, month, day)
• 143022 – Time (hours, minutes, seconds)
• +79123456789 - subscriber number.

⚠️ Attention: On smartphones with Android 11+ and MIUI 13+ file-access /MIUI/sound_recorder/ To see it, enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer (for example, in Files). → Settings → Show hidden files).

2. Where to look for records if you use third-party applications

Third-party recorders (such as Cube Call Recorder, ACR or Boldbeast) save files to their folders, which can often be changed in settings, but by default they use the following directories:

If you can’t find the folder, check the app settings:

1. Open a recorder (such as Cube Call Recorder).
2. Go to Settings → Save folder.
3. Look at the current path or change it to a more convenient one (e.g, /Download/Call_Records/).

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Truecaller) do not allow direct access to files through Explorer, in which case the recordings can only be listened to within the program or exported through its menu.

Check the permissions of the application in Settings → Applications → Permissions

Make sure there is enough space on the memory card.

Turn off the power saving mode for the recorder

Try reinstalling the app.-->

3. Cloud services: where records are automatically downloaded

Many users are unaware that Xiaomi can default to upload call records to the cloud — especially if sync with Mi Account is enabled, both for the built-in recorder and some third-party applications (such as Mi Cloud Recorder).

• ☁️ Mi Cloud is the standard Xiaomi cloud. Records are stored in the Records section → Calls and take up space in your cloud storage (usually up to 5GB free).
• 📱 Google Drive – If you use Google Phone or Call Recorder by Lovekesh, records can automatically be uploaded to the Call Recordings folder.
• 🔗 Dropbox/OneDrive — Some third-party recorders (for example, ACR) Support autoloading to these services.

To check if cloud sync is enabled:

1. Open the Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account.
2. Go to Data Sync and find the Call Record item.
3. If the slider is active, the records are duplicated in the cloud.

Important: Records in Mi Cloud are stored in encrypted form and deleted after 30 days if they were not downloaded to the device.

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To save space in the cloud, turn off autoloading records in your Mi Account settings or set a file size limit (e.g., only calls lasting >1 minute).

4. How to find records through ADB (for power users)

If the records have “disappeared” from standard folders, but you’re sure they were, you can try to find them through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that is suitable for advanced users and requires connecting a smartphone to a computer.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your PC (for example, through Google’s Platform Tools).
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times), then Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command:

adb shell find /storage/ -name ".m4a" -o -name ".amr" -o -name "*.mp3"

This command will find all the audio files with the extensions typical of the call records. If you want to narrow down the search, specify the specific folder:

adb shell find /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ -name "*.m4a"

The result will be a list of file paths that can be copied to the PC:

adb pull /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/Call_20260515_143022_+79123456789.m4a C:\Backups\

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Do not delete or modify files in system folders (/system/, /data/), keep out MIUI.

5.Why records can "disappear" and how to fix it

A common problem: the user is sure that the record was being recorded, but the file is not saved or disappears after a while. The reasons can vary from MIUI bugs to the actions of the applications themselves.

• 🔄 Autoclean: Auto-cleaning: Recorder settings may enable automatic deletion of old records (e.g., over 30 days). → Deletion of records.
• 📵 Memory Lack: If the device has less than 10% of the available space, MIUI can delete temporary files, including records. Clear the cache or transfer files to the memory card.
• 🔒 Android Restrictions: Starting with Android 10, apps are not allowed to write files to arbitrary folders.If the recorder is not adapted, records can be saved to a temporary directory and deleted after a reboot.
• 🛠️ Firmware bugs: In some versions MIUI 13–14 (For example, on the Redmi Note. 11) There is an error that causes the records to be saved in /data/user/0/com.android.providers.media/, Where there is no access without root.

Decisions:

• Update the recorder app to the latest version.
• Check the permissions: Settings → Applications → [Recorder] → Permissions → Storage.
• Use a memory card (if any) and specify it as a place to save.
• If the problem recurs, try an alternative recorder (like Boldbeast, which bypasses Android's limitations).

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If records are lost after a MIUI update, reset the recorder's application settings or reinstall it, often due to a change in folder structure in the new firmware.

6 How to transfer the recordings to another phone or PC

If you need to save call records for a long time or transfer them to another device, there are several reliable ways to do this:

Method 1: Through a conductor

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Open the folder with records (see section 1).
3. Copy files to any directory on your PC.

Method 2: Through the cloud

• ☁️ Upload your records to Mi Cloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
• On the new device, download files from the cloud.

Method 3: Through messengers

You can send your posts to Telegram (without size restrictions) or WhatsApp (up to 2 GB per file).

1. Open the file in Xiaomi Explorer.
2. Click Share → Telegram → Save Messages.

If you have a lot of records, it is more convenient to archive them in.zip:

1. Select files in the conductor.
2. Press More. → Squeeze.
3. Send the archive to your PC or cloud.

⚠️ Note: When transferring records to your iPhone, note that.amr may not play.mp3 via online converters (e.g. Online-Convert).

7.Security: How to Protect Records from Unauthorized People

Phone records can contain sensitive information, so it's important to protect them. Here are a few ways to do this:

• 🔐 Encryption: Apps like Boldbeast allow you to encrypt records with a password. Files will not be available without entering the code.
• 📁 Hidden folders: Move entries to a folder with a dot at the beginning of the title (e.g, /.PrivateCalls/) — It will not be displayed in a standard conductor.
• 🚫 Access Restriction: In Android settings (Settings) → Confidentiality → Permissions: Disable microphone access for unnecessary applications.
• 🗑️ Secure Deletion: For permanent deletion of records, use apps like Shreddit that overwrite files with junk data.

If you are afraid that someone will get access to your phone, set up:

• Locking the recorder application with a password (for example, ACR has this feature).
• Hiding notifications about recording calls (so that the lock screen does not show that the recording is underway).
• Automatic deletion of records after listening (in the settings of some recorders).

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To hide the recording from the subscriber, turn off the beep in the recorder settings. In some countries, the law requires you to notify the interlocutor of the recording - check local regulations!

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls to Xiaomi