Searching for saved audio files after an important conversation often turns into a real quest, especially on smartphones with a shell MIUI. Owners of the popular model Redmi Note 9 Pro are no exception: the Android protection system and features of the proprietary firmware create several layers of nesting where this data is hidden. Understanding the logic of the Xiaomi file system will allow you to easily find the right tracks, whether it is a conversation with the operator or a personal conversation.
In this article, we will go into all possible audio storage locations, touching on the standard path through system settings, manual search through explorer and the nuances of working with cloud services. It is important to note at once that the location of files may depend on the version of MIUI and the application used for calls.
Some users have a situation where the record indicator is on, but the file is not visible anywhere, and this is often due to access rights or specific privacy settings in new versions of Android, let's figure out where the system stores this data and how to get to it.
Standard path through the phone application
The easiest and most obvious way to find a record is to use the built-in functionality of the MIUI Dialer app. Unlike older versions of Android, where files could be simply in a shared folder, it has a binding to a specific number or call history, which makes navigation easier if you're looking for a conversation with a specific contact.
You open the standard caller and go to the call history tab, find the number you want, click on it, or the arrow icon next to it, to reveal details, and if you recorded it with regular means, it will display the play button or the voice recorder icon.
However, if you need to access the file itself to pass it to someone, playback alone is not enough. You need to go to the settings menu of the application itself. Usually this is done through three dots in the corner of the screen or the menu button, and you should choose Record Settings or just Recorded Calls.
The list that opens shows all the saved dialogs, sorted by date, and if you click on a specific file, you'll see sharing or deletion options, which is a standard interface that doesn't require you to connect to a computer.
Searching for files through System Explorer
If the standard call menu doesn't display history or you need direct access to the file system, you'll have to use a built-in file manager. In Xiaomi, it's called Explorer or File Manager. The interface here may differ depending on the regional version of the firmware, but the logic remains the same.
Recorded conversation files on Redmi Note 9 Pros are most often located in internal memory. You need to open Explorer, select the folder category (to see the directory structure, not just the file types), and find the folder. MIUI. Inside it, you should look for a directory. sound_recorder or call_rec.
The full path often looks like this:
/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/This directory stores audio files in.m4a or.mp3 format. Note that newer versions of Android may restrict access to the Android/data folder or system partitions. If you can't see the MIUI folder, try switching the folder view or using a file name search.
However, if completely reset to factory settings, the entire directory will be destroyed without the possibility of recovery.
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Use the date-by-date sorting in Explorer to quickly find the most recent records without going through hundreds of old files manually.
Nuances of Google Drive and Clouds
Modern Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi Note 9 Pro, often pre-installed a Google phone (Google Phone). Unlike the MIUI Dialer, this app doesn't store records in the phone's internal memory by default. Instead, it automatically sends them to Google Drive.
This is done for security and space saving purposes, but creates confusion for users who are used to searching for files locally.If you have made a call through a standard Google app (blue handset), look for files in the cloud.
The path to files in the cloud is usually as follows:
Google Drive β Call Recordings folderAnd here, files are sorted by date, and the advantage of this storage is that the records don't take up space on the phone and disappear when you lose it, but you need an Internet connection to listen to it, or you need to activate the offline mode for specific files in advance.
β οΈ Note: If you have changed your Google account on your phone or in the Phone app, new entries may be saved to the new account cloud, while old ones will remain in the previous one.
Third-party applications for recording calls
Users who are not satisfied with the functionality of regular funds often install third-party applications from the Play Market, such as Call Recorder, TapeACall or Automatic Call Recorder.
Each application creates its own folder at the root of internal memory, most often called the same as the application, or contains the developer's name, such as /Recordings/ or /ACR/. You can find them through a general file search by entering the.mp3 or.wav extension.
Below is a table with approximate paths for popular recorders:
| Annex | An approximate path in memory | File format |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Call Recorder | /CallRec/ or /Recordings/ | .mp3.wav |
| TapeACall | Inside the application (cloud) | .m4a |
| Blackbox Call Recorder | /Blackbox/CallRecordings/ | .mp3 |
| MIUI Dialer (System) | /MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/ | .m4a |
When using third-party software, it is important to monitor permissions. Once Android is upgraded to versions 11, 12 and higher, the system can block the application from accessing the microphone during a call if it does not have special rights or is not configured through ADB.
Why have third-party apps stopped writing sound?
Access and MIUI rights issues
MIUI shell is known for its aggressive power saving and memory management policies. Often, a file is physically written but Explorer or another application cannot show it due to access restrictions, which is especially true for Android 11 and later.
If you can't see the record folder, check your privacy settings. Go to Settings β Privacy Protection β Special Permissions β File Access. Make sure your Explorer or audio player is allowed access to the storage.
It's also worth checking whether Second Space Mode or Guest Mode is enabled, and if the files recorded in the main profile are not visible in the second space, and vice versa, it creates the illusion of data loss.
Another reason could be overloading. If there is no space left on the Redmi Note 9 Pro drive, the system may have interrupted the recording or not saved the file correctly. Always leave at least 1-2 GB free for system processes to work properly.
βοΈ Checking the recording settings
Transfer and backup of records
Once you have found the files, the question of their safety arises: the internal memory of a smartphone is not the most reliable place for important data, and it is recommended to periodically transfer the archives of conversations to a computer or external drive.
For transfer to the PC is the easiest to use USB-Connect the phone to File Transfer modeΒ» (MTP). Find the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec And you can copy it to your hard drive, and it'll only take a few minutes.
Alternatively, you can use cloud services like Yandex.Disk or Dropbox, which can automatically sync a particular folder. Set up autoload for the folder. call_rec, Your records will always be safe in the cloud.
β οΈ Note: When copying files through USB Do not remove the cable when writing or reading data, which can damage the file system and not only lose records, but also other data.
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Regular backup of the folder with records on the external media is the only guaranteed way not to lose important information when a smartphone breaks down.