Where on Xiaomi recorded from the recorder: a complete guide to search for audio files

Have you recorded an important conversation or lecture on a Xiaomi voice recorder but can't find the file? Or accidentally deleted the recording and want to restore it through the file manager? In this article, we'll look at all possible storage locations on Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi smartphones, from standard paths to hidden MIUI folders.

The problem is that file location depends on the firmware version, the phone model, and even whether you used the com.miui.soundrecorder or a third-party app (like Easy Voice Recorder), and we analyzed current versions of MIUI 14/15 and collected data on popular models, from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14.

Standard folders for recording voice recorder on Xiaomi

By default, the Dictaphone app (Mi-application from Xiaomi) saves files in.m4a or.mp3 format in one of two folders of internal memory:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/ — mainfolder MIUI 12–15. Files are sorted by date in format REC_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.m4a.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Recordings/ — alternative path for some models (e.g, POCO F3 or Redmi K40).
• 🔍 It's important! On Android 13 phones+ and MIUI 14+ The folder can be hidden. To see it, turn on the hidden files in the Files. → Settings → Show hidden files.

If you did not find the records in these folders, check the settings of the Dictaphone application:

1. Open the Dictaphone app.
2. Tap on three points (⋮) top-right.
3. Select Settings → Save folder – here is the current path.

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If the folder sound_recorder empty, but you are sure that the records were, check the basket in the Files application (Basket) → Audio. The files are stored there until 30 days.

How to find records if the folder sound_recorder absent

Some firmware (especially custom or global versions of MIUI) may not have a standard folder.

If you use SD-The card is the main storage, check it out:

• 📁 /storage/XXXX-XXXX/MIUI/sound_recorder/ (where XXXX-XXXX — memory).
• 🔄 Sometimes the records are duplicated in the internal memory and on the SD. Check both locations.

Search for records through file manager and ADB

If the standard methods don’t work, use advanced search methods:

1. Search by file name

In the File Manager (MI File Manager):

1. Open the Category tab → Audio.
2. In the search bar, enter REC_ (recorder).
3. Sort files by date (Sort files) → By date).

2. Search through ADB (for power users)

If the phone is connected to the PC, run the command:

adb shell find /storage/emulated/0 -name ".m4a" -o -name ".mp3" | grep -i "rec"

This command will find all audio files with the.m4a or.mp3 extension that have rec (from the word "record") in their name.

Recovery of deleted recordings from the recorder

If you accidentally delete a record, the first 24 to 48 hours are critical to recover, and the faster you act, the better the chances of returning the file.

• 🗑️ Recycle Bin in Files app: go to Files → Basket → Audio and restore the desired file.
• 🔄 Backup copies MIUI: If automatic reservation is enabled in the settings → Google → Backup, check out Google Drive.
• 🛠️ Third-party utilities: DiskDigger, Recuva (requires root or PC connection).

⚠️ Warning! Do not write new files to your phone after deleting the record, this can overwrite deleted data. It is better to immediately remove the memory card (if used) and connect it to the PC to restore it.

Disable Wi-Fi and Mobile Data|Not installing new applications|Do not make new recordings on the recorder|Connect your phone to your PC in file transfer mode|Use proven utilities (DiskDigger, EaseUS)-->

Transferring records to PC or cloud

To avoid losing important records, we recommend that you migrate them to other devices on a regular basis.

1. Through a USB cable

Connect your phone to your computer and:

1. Select File Transfer Mode (MTP).
2. Go to the folder with records (see sections above).
3. Copy files to any folder on the PC.

2. Through cloud services

Upload the recordings to:

• 🌩️ Google Drive (Automatic Sync through Settings) → Google → Backup).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud (free 5GB available, but not all folders synced).
• 📤 Telegram (send the file to yourself in "Saved Messages").

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The most reliable way is to duplicate the recordings in two places at once: on the PC and in the cloud, which will protect against data loss when your phone breaks or resets.

Folder Access Problems: MIUI Rights and Limitations

Sometimes MIUI blocks access to system folders even if there are files in the system, and here are the typical errors and their solutions:

⚠️ Attention! On some firmware (e.g, MIUI China) access to system folders is locked without unlocking the bootloader. If you can't find files, try using a third-party recorder (e.g. Hi-Q) MP3 Recorder, which saves records to the folder you choose.

Third-party recorders: where they store records

If you're using a third-party application, rather than a standard Xiaomi app (like Easy Voice Recorder or ASR Voice Recorder), the storage paths will be different.

• 🎤 Easy Voice Recorder: /storage/emulated/0/EasyVoiceRecorder/ or /storage/emulated/0/Music/VoiceRecorder/.
• 📱 ASR Voice Recorder: /storage/emulated/0/ASR/ (wav files).
• 🔊 Hi-Q MP3 Recorder: allows you to select the save folder in the settings (by default) /storage/emulated/0/HiQRecorder/).

To find out the exact path for your application:

1. Open the recorder.
2. Find the Settings item in the menu → Storage location or Storage location.
3. If there is no such item, check the Help or the official website of the developer.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recordings of the recorder on Xiaomi