Where recorded conversations are saved on Xiaomi: a complete guide to finding and managing files

Have you recorded an important conversation on a Xiaomi smartphone but can’t find the file? Or are you worried that the records take up too much space in the device’s memory? In this article, we will analyze exactly where audio files from the recorder and phone conversations are stored on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices running MIUI. We will show not only standard storage paths, but also hidden folders, and explain how to avoid losing records when resetting or updating the firmware.

The process of writing and saving files on Xiaomi depends on several factors: the version of MIUI, the smartphone model, the way of recording (built-in voice recorder, call recording, third-party applications), and even regional settings. For example, on devices for the Chinese market, storage paths may differ from global versions. We analyzed the behavior of system applications on MIUI 12-14 and identified all possible locations for audio files, from obvious to those that are not mentioned in the official documentation.

Standard Ways to Save Records on Xiaomi

By default, Xiaomi smartphones store recorded conversations in system folders accessible through any file manager.

• 📁 Internal memory: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/ — It's where you store the recordings from the built-in voice recorder.m4a or.mp3 depending on the quality settings.
• 📱 Call records: /storage/emulated/0/CallRecordings/ — The folder only appears after the first recording of a conversation through the Call Record function in the Phone app, and in some regions this feature is disabled by default due to legal restrictions.
• 🔄 Backup copies: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/backup/AllBackup/ — If you have enabled data reservations through Settings → The phone. → Backup, records can be duplicated here in archived form.

On devices with MIUI 14 and later, the path to record recorder records may change to /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.miui.soundrecorder/. This is due to an updated media retention policy that meets the requirements of Android 11+. To see this folder, you may need to enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings.

It is important that you use it. SD-map as the main storage, the paths will be similar, but with a prefix /storage/XXXX-XXXX/ (where XXXX-XXXX — unique identifier of the card, for example: /storage/1234-5678/MIUI/sound_recorder/.

How to find records through system applications

You don’t have to dig into the file manager – MIUI provides convenient ways to access records directly from the interface:

1. Sound recording: Open it from the app menu, and it shows all the stored recordings, which can be listened to, edited (trimmed) and exported. ⋮ → Settings where you can change the format of the save (for example, with.m4a on.mp3).
2. Call log: If you've recorded phone conversations, open the Phone app, go to the Log tab, and find the microphone icon next to the contact you want. Click on it to listen to the recording.
3. Gallery: Some versions of MIUI display audio files in the Albums → Audio section.This is handy if you want to share a recording quickly via instant messenger.

On devices with MIUI for China (e.g., models with the C suffix in the title), the path to entries may differ due to a different system folder structure, in which case try searching the file manager with the.m4a or.mp3 query, sorting the results by date of creation.

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If the recording is not played, check the codecs in the player settings..m4a files may not open in older versions of the applications.

Hidden folders and alternative locations

Sometimes records are stored in non-obvious places, especially if you have used:

• 🔧 Third-party recording applications (such as Cube Call Recorder or Cube Call Recorder) ACR). They create their own folders, for example: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.acr.app/files/.
• 📞 Google Drive recording: If you set up automatic download, files can only be stored in the cloud. → Google → Backup.
• 🔒 Encrypted records: on some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro) records from safe mode are stored in /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/secure/ And they need a password to access it.

To find hidden folders:

1. Open the file manager (e.g., files from Xiaomi or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the manager settings and turn on the option to Show hidden files.
3. Enter the.m4a or.mp3 extension in the search box.

On devices with MIUI 13+ Confidential Recording Mode can automatically move to a secure storage if keywords are found in them (for example, "password", "bank"). PIN-device code in the file manager.

Export and backup of records

To avoid losing important records when resetting your phone or replacing your device, follow this algorithm:

For copying to a computer:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
2. Go on the path of internal memory → MIUI → sound_recorder (or alternative path from the previous sections).
3. Copy files to any folder on your computer. For convenience, you can create an archive (.zip) directly on your phone.

To upload to the cloud:

• 📁 Mi Cloud: Open Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backup and select Sound Records.
• ☁️ Google Drive: In the file manager, select the desired files, click Share → Save it to the Disk.

⚠️ Warning: When using Mi Cloud, make sure you have enough space in the cloud.The free fare is limited to 5GB and audio files take up a lot of space.m4a weight ~30-50 MB.

Problems with the preservation of records and their solutions

Xiaomi users often encounter common mistakes when working with records.

If after updating MIUI recordings are no longer saved, reset the settings of the application Record sound:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Sound Recording → Storage → Clear Data

Important: After the reset, all previous records will remain in place, but the quality settings and save folders will return to the factory.

Security and confidentiality of records

Records of conversations may contain sensitive information, so protecting them is a critical issue.

• 🔐 Encryption: Use applications like Cryptomator to create encrypted containers with records.
• 🚫 Access restriction: in Settings → Confidentiality → Special access → Access to files disable access to unnecessary applications.
• 🗑️ Secure Delete: For irrevocable erasure, use Secure Delete utilities that overwrite files with zeros.

⚠️ Note: In some countries, recording telephone conversations without the consent of the interlocutor is prohibited by law, for example, in Russia it is regulated by article 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Violation of the secrecy of correspondence.

On devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS, we have a feature called Confidential Space, which allows you to hide the recordings from prying eyes, to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Privacy space.
2. Create a separate profile with a password.
3. Move the folder. sound_recorder This is through the file manager.

Differences between MIUI models and versions

The location of the records can vary depending on the model and version of the firmware, and below is a comparison table for popular devices:

On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), folder structure may change due to a new storage architecture, in which case, use a filtered file manager search by date of creation – records usually appear on the day they are created.

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On new firmware (MIUI 14+), records can be automatically archived to /MIUI/backup/ once a week.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi entries