Where do you keep records of conversations on Xiaomi smartphones: where to look for files and how to extract them

Have you turned on a call recording on your Xiaomi but can’t find a file now? Or have you accidentally deleted an important audio recording and want to restore it? In this article, we’ll take a look at all the possible call records storage locations on Redmi, Poco and Black Shark devices, from obvious folders to hidden system directories that aren’t covered in the official documentation.

The problem with finding records is that MIUI uses several different storage locations depending on the firmware version, phone model and recording method (built-in voice recorder, phone app, third-party programs). We analyzed the behavior of Android 10-14 systems with MIUI 12-15 shells and identified all possible scenarios, you will learn not only where to look for files, but also how to export them correctly so as not to lose data when you reset your phone or update.

Standard storage locations for MIUI records

On most Xiaomi devices, the default call records are stored in one of two folders of internal memory, depending on which application was used to record:

• 📱 Application "Phone" (built-in call recording): files are stored in /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/. The file name usually contains the date, time and subscriber number in the format rec_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_+79XXXXXXXXXX.mp3.
• 🎤 The Dictator app: records get into /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/ or /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/. The files are called simpler here — recording_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.mp3.
• 🔄 Sync with Mi Cloud: If backup is enabled, records can be duplicated in the cloud. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backup.

It's important to understand that the /storage/emulated/0/ path is a virtual representation of the phone's internal memory. In fact, files are physically stored in /data/media/0/, but access to it without root permission is limited. If you connect the phone to your computer via USB, you'll only see a "simplified" folder structure.

On devices with MIUI 14+ Android 13+ There is an additional folder for records — /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.android.dialer/call_recordings/. This is due to the tightening of file retention policies in new versions of Android.If you don't find entries in standard places, be sure to check this directory.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note) 10 Pro MIUI 13) Call records can be automatically archived through 30 days and move to the folder /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/archive/. Check it if you don’t find any new files.

Hidden system directories: where else can records be stored

If you don't find records in standard folders, don't panic. MIUI sometimes saves duplicate files in hidden system directories, especially if the record was interrupted or the phone rebooted during a conversation.

• 🔍 /data/com.android.providers.media/documents/ — temporary copies of records created by the system for preview may be stored here.
• 🗄️ /data/user_de/0/com.miui.voicerecord/files/ — internal storage of the Dictophone application, available only with root rights.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/.call_recording_temp/ — a temporary folder used by some versions MIUI to buffer records during the call.

These root-free folders can only be accessed through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or specialized file managers like Mixplorer with superuser mode enabled. For example, to view the contents of a hidden folder through ADB, use the command:

adb shell ls /data/com.android.providers.media/documents/

Note that files in these directories may have non-standard extensions (such as.tmp or.dat) or no extension at all.mp3 or.m4a.

Features of storing records on different Xiaomi models

The manufacturer uses different approaches to record storage depending on the product line and the firmware region, and here are the key differences we found in our testing:

On devices for the Chinese market (with firmware China) ROM) Default call records are encrypted and stored in a folder /data/system_users/0/call_record/, And that makes them inaccessible without special tools, and if you imported one, the only way to extract the records is to use the official Mi app. PC Suite with authorization through Chinese Mi Account.

On Poco F3/F4/F5 with global firmware, call recording is often disabled by default due to regional restrictions.

1. Open the phone app
2. Go to Settings → Recording calls
3. Insert the option "Automatic recording"
4. Select the storage format (internal memory or storage). SD-map)

How to find records if they are not displayed in the file manager

If you are sure that the record was made, but do not see the files in the standard folders, the problem may lie in one of the following factors:

• 🔒 Hidden Files: Enable the display of hidden elements in your file manager (in the file manager). MI File Manager is done through Settings → Show hidden files).
• 🗑️ Basket: On MIUI 14+ The deleted records are put in the bin and stored there for 15 days. → Basket.
• 🔄 Application cache: Sometimes the records remain in the cache of the Phone or Dictator app!
• 📱 External storage: If you are using SD-map, check the folders /storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/sound_recorder/ or /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Recordings/, where XXXX-XXXX — card.

For deep search, we recommend using Files by Google or Solid Explorer with superuser mode enabled. These tools are able to search files by signatures (for example, by MP3 headers), which helps to find records even with modified extensions.

Enable the display of hidden files in the manager

Check the folder in MI File Manager

Search files by date of creation (corresponding to the time of the call)

Try to play possible audio files via VLC

Check cloud backups in Mi Cloud-->

If you connect your phone to your computer via MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) and you can’t see the records folders, try alternative connection modes:

1. Connect your phone to USB
2. Smash the notification panel down
3. Click on the notification "Charging via USB"
4. Select File Transfer (MTP) or PTP mode
5. If it doesn’t work, try Midia Device Mode (MIDI) (sometimes works on older versions of Windows)

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 13+ and MIUI 14+ when connected through USB The default mode may be "Charge Only" mode. To see files, you must manually select the mode of data transfer in the notification panel. If this option is not available, check the developer settings: perhaps the option of debugging by the notification panel is enabled. USB only when charged.

Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations

If you accidentally delete a recording of a conversation, the chances of it being restored depend on how long it has been since you deleted it and how much you have used your phone.

1. Stop writing new files to your device immediately, which will prevent overwriting deleted data.
2. Turn off sync with Mi Cloud to avoid overwriting backups.
3. Use specialized programs for recovery: 🖥️ DiskDigger (Android) – Search files by signature MP3/M4A 💻 Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery (Windows) – when you connect your phone as a storage device 🍎 Stellar Data Recovery (macOS) – for memory imagery

Google Drive.

Backups

For root-righted devices, you can use more powerful tools like Undelete or Hex Editor that can recover files from their hex signatures. MP3-The file starts with bytes 49 44 33 (ID3-tag M4A — from 66 74 79 70 4D 3441 Knowing this, you can manually scan the memory partition for audio files.

If the recording was made through a third-party application (such as Cube Call Recorder or ACR), check:

• Application folder in /Android/data/[package_name]/files/
• Application settings – some programs save records in encrypted form
• Cloud storage tied to the application (Dropbox, Google Drive)

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If you regularly record important conversations, set up an automatic backup of your records folder to the cloud via the FolderSync or Sync.com app.>. This will protect your files even when you reset your phone to factory settings.

Export and backup of records

To avoid losing important records when your phone is reset or broken, we recommend exporting files regularly.

• ☁️ Cloud Storage: Upload files to Google Drive, Yandex Disk or Mi Cloud. MIUI 14+ This can be done directly from the file manager by selecting files and clicking "Share". → Save it to the cloud".

For mass export of records, it is convenient to use ADB. For example, the following command will copy all records from a standard folder to a computer:

adb pull /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ C:\Xiaomi_Call_Records\

If you need to not only save records, but also organize them (for example, by contacts or dates), use specialized programs:

• Call Recorder (from Lovekush Agarwal) – can sort records by contact and export to CSV
• Automatic Call Recorder – Supports tagging and searching by conversation content (premium feature)
• TapeACall – saves records indicating geolocation and duration of conversation

⚠️ Note: When exporting records through cloud services, be aware that files can take up a significant amount of time, such as hourly recording in a format that is not easily accessible. WAV weight ~600 MB, and in MP3 (128 kbps) — ~50MB: Set up compression or file conversion before downloading to save space. MI File Manager is done by allocating files → More. → Squeeze.

Problems with recording conversations and their solutions

Sometimes users find that recording conversations fails or files are saved with errors, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

On Android 12+ and MIUI 13+ devices, there may be a problem recording calls via speakerphone (in hands-free mode), due to a change in audio stream access policy, to circumvent the restriction:

1. Install the ACR (Another Call Recorder) application
2. In ACR settings, select the Root recording method (if you have rights) or AudioRecord + VoIP.
3. Enable the option to ignore the limitations of Android
4. Reboot the phone.

If after updating the firmware no longer saved records, try resetting the settings of the application "Phone":

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. Find the Phone app and open its settings
3. Select Warehouse → Clear the data (no cache!)
4. Reset the device

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On devices with MIUI Global Stable, call recording can be disabled at the firmware level, in which case only installing custom firmware (such as Xiaomi.eu) or using third-party root-enabled apps will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi conversation records