Where on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 saves call records: all possible storage locations

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 is still a popular smartphone among users who value balance of price and functionality. One of the most popular features is recording phone conversations. But where exactly does the device store these files? The answer is not as obvious as it seems: it depends on the firmware version, the settings of the Phone application and even the third-party services used.

In this article, we will analyze all possible locations for storing call records on the Redmi Note. 8, including standard folders MIUI, You will also learn how to find files manually through the file manager, why records can disappear and how to restore them in the event of loss. 9/10 and newer updates MIUI 12+.

1. Standard place of storage of records in MIUI

The default app is Phone (com.android.dialer) on the Redmi Note 8 keeps records of conversations in a folder /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/. This is a good way to go for most versions. MIUI, But there are important exceptions:

• 📁 MIUI 11 and older: files are formatted.m4a (AAC-coding) and are named by template call_rec_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.m4a.
• 🔄 MIUI 12+: the path may change /sdcard/Recordings/CallRecord/ — It depends on the regional firmware.
• 📱 Global vs. Chinese firmware: in Chinese versions MIUI records are sometimes kept in /sdcard/DCIM/CallRecord/.

To check out this place:

1. Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Total Commander).
2. Go to the root directory of internal memory (/sdcard/).
3. Find the file. MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec.

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If the folder call_rec empty, try to enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings. MIUI To do this, you need to tap on three points in the upper right corner and select “Show hidden files».

Important: If you use a memory card, the path can be automatically redirected to the memory card. /extSdCard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/. This depends on the default storage settings in the Settings section. → Warehouse.

2. Alternative folders for records (if the standard is empty)

If there are no records in the main folder, check these alternate locations:

Especially often, entries are “hidden” in the /sdcard/Android/data/ folder. This is due to changes in the Android 10+ storage policy, where applications are prohibited from saving files in the root directory without the explicit permission of the user.

Turn on Developer Mode (7 times tap on "Version") MIUI» on the telephone»)

Activate the option “Do not turn off background processes” in “Settings → Developer”

Use a file manager with root rights (such as FX File Explorer) or connect your phone to your PC via adb

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If you don’t find records in any of the folders, check if the recording feature is enabled at all: open the Phone app, click three dots → Settings → Recording Conversations. In some regions (e.g. the EU), this feature may be disabled by default due to legal restrictions.

3. Cloud services: where else records can be stored

MIUI is integrated with Xiaomi Cloud and Google Drive, which can automatically synchronize call records.

• ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud: if you have “Talk Records” synchronization enabled in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization, files are copied to the cloud and can be accessed via the web version of i.mi.com (Devices section» → «Files»).
• 📁 Google Drive: When using third-party apps (such as Call Recorder by Lovekesh), records can automatically be uploaded to the CallRecordings folder on the Drive.
• 🔗 Other services: Some applications (like Truecaller) save records in their cloud, but only for premium users.

To check the cloud copies:

1. Open Mi Cloud on your phone or through your browser.
2. Go to the Devices section → select your Redmi Note 8.
3. Find the Recordings or CallRecord folder.

Yes, only Xiaomi Cloud.

Google Drive or other service

No, I only keep it locally.

I don't know how it works.

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⚠️ Note: If you delete a recording from your phone, it can stay in the cloud for another 30 days (depending on the settings of the Mi Cloud Recycle Bin), and then you can’t recover it without specialized tools.

4.Why Call Records May Be Lost and How to Fix It

Redmi Note 8 users often face the problem of "disappearing" records, and here are the main reasons and solutions:

• 🗑️ Autocleaning: MIUI can automatically delete old records if the “Clean up garbage” option is enabled in Settings → Warehouse → Clean it up, turn it off for the folder. call_rec.
• 🔄 Firmware update: after update MIUI The path to the records may change. Check the alternate folders (see section 2).
• 📵 Resetting: When resetting to factory settings, records are permanently deleted if there was no backup.
• 🛠️ File system errors: If the phone is not properly disconnected during recording, the file may be corrupted. Try to restore it using Recuva or DiskDigger (root required).

If records are missing regularly:

1. Check the free space on your phone (minimum 500MB is required for the recording function to work smoothly).
2. Turn off battery optimization for the Phone app in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
3. Install a third-party recording app (such as Boldbeast Call Recorder) that saves files to a secure folder.

5 How to manually change the location of the records

If you don't like the standard storage space, you can change it.

1. Open the Phone app → click on three dots → Settings.
2. Select “Conversation Record” → “Place of Conversation”.
3. Specify a new folder (e.g. /sdcard/Download/CallRecords/).

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI This item may not be available:

• Use Adb to Change Path: Adb shell settings put global call_recorder_path /sdcard/YourFolder/ (Developer mode enabled and PC connection required).
• Install a third-party recording app with folder selection (e.g. Call Recorder by Skvalex).

If you want to save a memory card:

1. Put it in. SD-map and format it as internal memory in Settings → Warehouse.
2. In the call recording settings, select the memory card as the save location.
3. Move existing records manually through the file manager.

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Changing your save location doesn't guarantee 100% reliability. Always back up important records to the cloud or PC.

6.How to listen to and manage call records

To listen to the saved records:

1. Open the Phone app → the Records tab (the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen).
2. Slip on the desired recording for reproduction.
3. To delete or send a record, click on the three dots next to the file.

Records management functions in MIUI:

• 📤 Export: You can send a record via Bluetooth, Email or instant messengers.
• 🔍 Search: Filtering by date, contact or duration.
• 📌 Fixing: Important records can be secured so they don’t get deleted during cleaning.

If the "Records" tab is missing:

• Update the Phone app via Google Play or Mi App Store.
• Check if the recording function in the settings is disabled (see Section 1).
• Install an alternative dialer (like Google Phone), but note that it doesn’t support recording on all devices.

7. Third-party write apps: where they save files

If you don't like the standard recording feature, you can use third-party apps, and here are the popular options and how to save them:

Advantages of third-party applications:

• ✅ The ability to record incoming and outgoing calls (in some regions, the standard application records only outgoing calls).
• ✅ Selection of format and recording quality (from 8 kbit / s to 192 kbit / s).
• ✅ Cloud sync with Google Drive, Dropbox and other services.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. Boldbeast) require root rights to record calls on newer versions of Android. Without root, they can only record from their side (microphone) and not from both sides of the conversation.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls on Redmi Note 8