Where Xiaomi Stores Records of Phone Calls: A Complete Guide to File Search and Management

Xiaomiโ€™s smartphone phone recorder is a useful tool for capturing important information, evidence, or simply storing memorable conversations, but many users are faced with the problem of where exactly these records are stored and how to access them. Depending on the device model, version MIUI The application used to record the path to the files may differ.

In this article, we will take a look at all possible storage locations, including standard system folders, cloud services, and third-party applications. You will also learn how to transfer records to your computer, restore deleted files, and set up automatic storage in a convenient place.

If youโ€™ve ever lost an important recording or couldnโ€™t find it, this guide will help you understand all the intricacies, starting with the basics: where Xiaomi stores audio conversation files by default and how to quickly find them.

Standard location of MIUI records: where to look for files

In most of the smartphones Xiaomi based MIUI 12-14 records of telephone conversations are stored by default in the device's internal memory in a special folder:

1. the standard application "Phone" (Mi Dialer):

Records are stored in a folder. /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/. Here you will find files in format.m4a or.amr, named by the date and time of the call (e.g, 20260515_143022.m4a).

2.The Dictator (Mi Sound Recorder) appendix:

If you use a built-in voice recorder to record conversations (for example, through the hands-free function), the files may be in the hands-free zone. /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/Call/ or /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/.

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Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note) 10 pro POCO X3 Pro) the path may be different. If there is no standard folder, check /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.media/ โ€” Sometimes records are hidden there because of the specifics of the permits. MIUI.

To find the folder quickly:

  1. Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Total Commander).
  2. Turn on the display of hidden folders in the manager settings.
  3. Follow one of these paths or search for a keyword. call_rec.

If there are no records in the expected place, check the settings of the Phone application:

  1. Open the phone. โ†’ โ‹ฎ (menu) โ†’ Settings โ†’ Recording of conversations.
  2. See the "Save folder" item - an alternative path may be indicated here.
๐Ÿ“Š What Xiaomi model do you use?
Redmi Note 12/13
POCO X5/F5
Mi 11/12/13
Redmi 10/9
Another model

Features of storing records on different Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi smartphones retain records the same way, and letโ€™s look at the key differences for the popular lineup of devices:

1. Redmi Note series (Note) 10/11/12) and POCO (X3/X4/X5):

- The records are most often in /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/.

- File format:.m4a (High quality) or.amr (compact size).

- Nana POCO With a global firmware path, it could be /Recordings/Call/.

2. Flagship models (Mi) 11/12/13, Xiaomi 13T):

- They use secure folders because of privacy policy: /Android/data/com.android.providers.media/call_recordings/.

- Requires root rights or a file manager with access to system partitions (e.g., file management, FX File Explorer).

3. Devices on MIUI for Russia (e.g. Redmi) 10C):

Records can automatically sync with Mi Cloud (if backup is enabled).

- Local files are searched for in /MIUI/voice_recorder/.

๐Ÿ” How to find out the exact path for your model?

Record the test conversation (10-15 seconds).

Use a file manager with a date search function (e.g. Solid Explorer).

Sort files by time โ€“ the fresh record will be at the top of the list.

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Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) recordings can be encrypted. Listening to them will require the original Mi Dialer app - standard players will not open such files.

What to do if the folder call_rec idle?
If the folder exists but there are no records in it, check: 1. Record settings: the function may be disabled in the Phone โ†’ Settings โ†’ Recording conversations. 2. Permissions: Phone application may be denied access to microphone or storage (check Settings). โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Permissions). 3. Cloud storage: records could be automatically downloaded to Mi Cloud (see section below). 4. Cache cleanup: sometimes files are deleted when the Phone application data is cleaned".

Cloud Storage: Synchronizing Records with Mi Cloud

Xiaomi offers users to automatically reserve conversation records in the Mi Cloud service, which is not available on all devices, but if it is activated, files can be restored even after the phone is reset to factory settings.

How to check if synchronization is enabled:

  1. Open your Settings โ†’ Xiaomi Account โ†’ Mi Cloud.
  2. Scroll down to the "Backup" section.
  3. Find the "Talk Records" (or "Audio Records") item and make sure the switch is active.

How to download the recordings from Mi Cloud:

  1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
  2. Select the section "Reserve copies" โ†’ "The device [your model]".
  3. Find a folder with records (usually called Call Recordings or Sound Recorder).
  4. Select the desired files and click "Restore" or "Download".

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Note: Cloud recordings may take up space in your Mi Cloud account. 5GB is free by default, but when used actively, records will quickly fill up storage.

๐Ÿ“Œ Restrictions of Cloud Storage:

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Records are synced only when connected to Wi-Fi (configurable in Mi Cloud). โ†’ Synchronization settings).
  • โณ Recovery of large files can take a few minutes.
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Access to records is possible only from a device linked to a Xiaomi account.

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If you record conversations frequently, set up automatic downloads to Google Drive or Dropbox via the Automate or Tasker app.This will eliminate the Mi Cloud addiction and give you more control over files.

Third-party Write Applications: Where They Store Files

Many users install alternative programs to record conversations, such as Cube Call Recorder, Call Recorder by Lovekush or ACR. These apps usually offer more customizations, but also store files in their folders.

Popular applications and their ways of saving:

AnnexThe path to the recordsFile formatFeatures
Cube Call Recorder/storage/emulated/0/CubeBackup/.mp3, .wavSupports cloud sync with Google Drive
ACR (Another Call Recorder)/storage/emulated/0/ACR/.amr, .mp4Can encrypt records with a password
Call Recorder by Lovekush/storage/emulated/0/CallRecordings/.3gp, .mp3Automatically sorts by contact
Truecaller/storage/emulated/0/Truecaller/Recordings/.m4aRequires a premium subscription to record

How to find records from third-party applications:

  1. Open the application settings to write (usually under "Save folder" or "Storage").
  2. If no path is indicated, check the standard locations: /storage/emulated/0/[Title of the annex]/ /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/[packet]/files/

root

Root Explorer

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Attention: Some applications (e.g, ACR) Can store records in a secure Android storage (/data/data/...). Without root rights, access to these files will be restricted, in which case export the records directly from the application interface.

1. Check the settings of the application (Section "Storage")

2.Look for the folder with the program name at the root of internal memory

3. Use a search by file format (.mp3,.amr,.m4a)

4. Export entries through the app menu if the folder is not available-->

How to transfer records to a computer or other device

If you need to save conversation records on a PC, flash drive or other device, use one of the proven ways:

1. Through USB-cable (the most reliable method):

  1. Connect your smartphone to your computer using the original cable.
  2. On the phone, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode.
  3. Open this computer on your PC and find your device.
  4. Go to the entries folder (see sections above) and copy the files to the disk.

2. wireless network (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth):

  • ๐Ÿ“ฒ Wi-Fi Direct: Use apps like Send Anywhere or Xender to transfer files without cable.
  • ๐Ÿ“ณ Bluetooth: Suitable for transferring 1-2 records, but slower USB.
  • โ˜๏ธ Cloud: Upload files to Google Drive, Dropbox or Mi Cloud, then download to PC.

3. Through email or messengers:

Send your posts to your mail (eg, Gmail) or to the messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp).

Restriction: the size of the attachment usually does not exceed 25-50 MB.

๐Ÿ”ง Advice for large archives:

If there are many records (such as hundreds of files), archive them before transferring them:

  1. Install the app RAR ZArchiver.
  2. Select a folder with records and create ZIP-archive.
  3. Move one file instead of hundreds of small files.

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It is better to use for transferring records to a computer USB-cable MTP โ€” It's faster and more reliable than wireless methods.

Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

If you accidentally delete an important record, don't despair, you can try to restore it. Success depends on how long it has been since you deleted it and whether the device is actively used (new data could overwrite old ones).

Recovery methods:

1. Through the basket (if included):

- V MIUI There is no default system basket, but some file managers (such as Mi File Manager) have their own.

Open the manager, go to the Recycle Bin and check if there are deleted records.

2. Through specialized programmes:

DiskDigger (for Android) scans internal memory for deleted audio files.

Recuva (for PC) โ€“ connect your phone in the โ€œFile Transferโ€ mode and scan the disk.

EaseUS MobiSaver โ€“ supports recovery with Xiaomi without root rights (but with restrictions).

3.From the backup of Mi Cloud:

- If sync was enabled, restore records through Settings โ†’ Mi Cloud โ†’ Backup.

Select the date of the copy in which the record was still available.

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Warning: Don't install recovery software on the same disk where the records were stored! This can overwrite deleted data. Use a separate one. SD-card or connect your phone to a PC.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Instructions for using DiskDigger:

  1. Download DiskDigger from Google Play.
  2. Launch the application and select โ€œFull Scanโ€ (requires root permissions for deep search).
  3. Mark the file types: Audio (M4A, AMR, MP3).
  4. Wait for the scan to finish and select the right records to recover.
  5. Save files to a new folder (not to the system partition!).
What if the program does not find deleted files?
If recovery fails: 1. Check other software: try 2-3 different programs (for example, Undeleter or Undeleter). GT Recovery. 2. Contact a specialist: service centers use professional equipment for deep memory scanning. 3. Check the cloud copies: it is possible that the record was saved to Google Drive or Mi Cloud automatically. 4. Do not write new data to your phone before recovery โ€“ this reduces the chances of success.

Set up automatic record saving in a convenient location

To avoid manually searching for records, set up automatic saving to a convenient folder or cloud, which will save time and protect files from loss.

1. Change the save folder in the standard application:

  1. Open the phone. โ†’ โ‹ฎ โ†’ Settings โ†’ Recording of conversations.
  2. Find the item "Save folder" (or "Storage place").
  3. Select a different folder (for example, /Recordings/ or SD-map).
  4. Save the changes.

2. Automatic upload to the cloud:

- For Mi Cloud: Enable synchronization in Settings โ†’ Mi Cloud โ†’ Backup.

- For Google Drive:

  1. Install Automate or Tasker.
  2. Create a task: "When a new file is in /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ โ†’ Download to Google Drive".

3. Retention on SD-map:

- Put the memory card in the phone.

- In the recording settings, specify the path of the view /storage/XXXX-XXXX/CallRecordings/ (where XXXX-XXXX โ€” ID SD-map).

Make sure the application has permission to write to an external medium.

๐Ÿ“Œ Recommendations for the organization of records:

  • ๐Ÿ“ Create a separate folder for records (for example, /Call_Records/) and set up a save there.
  • ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Use apps with automatic date and contact sorting (e.g, ACR).
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Set up a weekly automatic cloud upload so you donโ€™t lose data when you reset your phone.

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Automatic backup of records to the cloud is the best way to protect important conversations from accidental deletion or phone breakdown.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi conversation records

Can I record conversations without notifying the interviewee?
In most countries, recording conversations without the consent of the interlocutor is prohibited by law. MIUI Automatic recording notification (voice or beep) is enabled by default, and can only be turned off via an engineering menu or modified firmware, but this can have legal consequences. In some regions (for example, in Russia) the verbal consent of the interlocutor to record is required.
Why are recordings cut or interrupted?
This can happen for several reasons: ๐Ÿ“ต Weak network signal โ€“ recording is interrupted when communication is lost. ๐Ÿ”‹ Battery Optimization โ€“ Android can pause recording to save charge. Add the Phone app to exceptions (Settings) โ†’ Battery โ†’ Optimizing the battery). ๐Ÿ“ฑ Memory Lack โ€“ if the device has less than 10% of the available space, the records may be broken. ๐Ÿ”Š Conflict with other applications โ€“ some programs (like Truecaller) block standard recording. Solution: Check recording settings, free up disk space, and disable battery optimization for the Phone app".
How to turn on the recording of conversations if it is not in the settings?
On some Xiaomi models (especially in the European market), the call recording feature is disabled by default due to legal restrictions. To activate it: Install Google Phone (an alternative phone app) from Google Play. Open Google Phone โ†’ Settings โ†’ Record conversations. Enable the function and select contacts to record. โš ๏ธ Some devices will require unlocking the bootloader and installing custom firmware (for example, Xiaomi.eu).
Can I listen to the recordings on another phone?
Yeah, but there's nuance: ๐Ÿ“ฑ If files are in format.m4a or.mp3, They'll be opened by any player. ๐Ÿ”’ If the records are encrypted (for example, in the ACR), You will need an original application or password. โ˜๏ธ Records from Mi Cloud can only be heard through the Xiaomi account to which they are attached.Tip: For universal access, convert records to.mp3 Using applications like Audio Converter.
How much space does the recording take and how do you save it?
The size of the file depends on the format and duration:.amr โ€” ~1 MB in 1 minute (low quality, suitable for voice notes)..m4a โ€” ~2โ€“3 MB in 1 minute (good quality)..wav โ€” ~10MB in 1 minute (studio quality, rarely used) How to save space: ๐Ÿ”„ In the recording settings, select the.amr format instead of the.m4a. ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Regularly delete unnecessary records (for example, over 30 days). โ˜๏ธ Set up automatic upload to the cloud and delete local copies.