Where to find screen recording on Xiaomi: search and settings

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to capture what is happening on the display, whether it is passing a difficult level in the game or saving important correspondence. However, after the process is completed, many users are lost, not understanding exactly where the file is stored. Standard location can vary depending on the version of the firmware MIUI or HyperOS, as well as regional settings of the device.

The Chinese-made Android shell system has its own multimedia storage logic. Screencast files usually end up in the gallery by default, but can be hidden deep inside the file system if the user has previously changed the default settings. Understanding the MIUI folder structure will help you quickly find footage without unnecessary searches.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the possible paths to your records, explain how to change the default location and what to do if a file is lost immediately after shooting.You will learn how to effectively manage your Xiaomi media library and never lose important content again.

Standard paths in the Gallery and Guide

The most obvious and quickest way to find a newly created recording is to go to the Gallery system application. Almost always, after the recording stops, a thumbnail appears in the notification curtain, clicking on which instantly opens the video in the player. If you missed this moment, open the Gallery app and go to the Albums tab.

Here you need to find an album called Screen Recorder or Screen Recorder. Newer versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 may have folders called differently, like Screenshots, unless a separate directory has been created. Inside this album, files are usually sorted by date of creation, allowing you to quickly find a fresh video.

If you can't find a file through the gallery, you should use System Explorer. Android has a clear hierarchy, and screen recordings are no exception. They are stored in internal memory in a specially designated folder.

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If you can't see the folder with the records in Explorer, check if the system files are hidden in the display settings, sometimes it helps to see hidden directories with the application data.

For manual search, go the following way:

Internal memory → MIUI → screen_recorder

This is where the original video files are stored until they are moved or deleted. Note that in some cases the path may be different if you used a third-party recording app, but for standard Xiaomi functionality, this path is relevant.

Search through System Explorer and Files

The second method is more detailed and allows you to manage files like in a classic operating system. Open the Explorer app (or Files) on your smartphone. Depending on the version of MIUI, it can be simply called Files or have a folder icon.

From the Explorer menu, select the Video category or go to Internal Drive. The system automatically indexes all video files, so searching through the Video category is often faster than manually wandering through folders. However, if there are many files, you'd better use a direct path.

⚠️ Warning: When cleaning memory through built-in optimization tools, be careful. Algorithms may suggest removing "large video files" that include your screen recordings.

The folder structure in the conductor may look confusing to the beginner, but it's logical.

• 📁 DCIM — It often stores photos and videos from the camera, but sometimes screencasts get here.
• 📁 Pictures is the standard folder for images, check for a ScreenRecorder subfolder.
• 📁 MIUI — system folder where the default is screen_recorder.

Using file search inside the explorer is also effective. Type in the.mp4 extension or part of the file name if you remember the date of the entry, which will save time if you don't remember the exact path.

Saving Settings: How to Change the Default Path

Many users are unaware that the location of the records can be changed, which is especially true if the internal memory of the smartphone is full, and on the memory card (SD-map) there is a free space. You need to go to the settings of the recording function itself.

Run the Screen Record app through a system search or find it in the Tools folder. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner to open the settings menu. Here is the Save in option, which allows you to select your preferred storage.

Available storage options usually include:

• 💾 Internal memory is a standard option that ensures fast operation of the clipboard.
• 📀 SD-card – optimal for long records in high resolution, so as not to clog the system partition.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud – Automatic synchronization, but requires stable Wi-Fi and paid fare.

Once you change paths, all new records will be saved to the selected directory, and the old files will remain in the same place, so you will have to manually move them if you want to clean up.

It's important to note that when you write at 1080p resolution and above, and when you have high bitrate, the file size can grow very quickly, and a minute of recording can weigh between 10 and 50 MB depending on the dynamic picture.

Using Google Search and System Search

If you have no memory of where the file might have been saved, or if standard methods have failed, use the built-in search engine. Xiaomi smartphones have a global search that indexes the contents of the device.

Swipe down the desktop to open the search bar, type in "Screen Recorder" or "Screen Recorder," and it will show not only the app, but also the files that have that name or contain those words in the metadata, which is one of the most effective ways.

You can also search by file type. Type the extension in the search bar:

ext:mp4

This will filter all the video files on the device, and then you just have to sort them by the date of the change to find the latest ones, and this method is universal and works even if you change folder names manually.

⚠️ Note: System search may consume battery power in the background while indexing files. If the phone starts to warm up while searching, let it finish the process or close the search engine.

Another life hack is a search through the Google app. If you have photo sync enabled, try to find a record through the Google Photos web interface on your computer. Often the cloud copies media files faster than you can find them in the tangled folder structure on the phone itself.

Display problems and hidden files

There are times when the recording went well, the timer stopped, the notifications came up, but the file was nowhere, and this is a common problem with the Android media scanner or errors in the MIUI file system.

The first thing to do is to check the folder "Recently deleted" in the Gallery, perhaps the file was deleted accidentally or by the security system if it was flagged as suspicious (false antivirus alarm).

The second option is that the file is written down, but it's not indexed, and in this case, it physically exists along the way. /MIUI/screen_recorder, But it doesn't show up in the gallery. To fix this, you can reboot the device or clear the cache of the Gallery and Media Storage app».

The table below will help diagnose the problem depending on the symptoms:

Alternative methods and third-party applications

If the standard screen recording feature on Xiaomi doesn’t suit you or you can’t find files, you can always use third-party solutions.The Google Play Store offers a variety of apps that have their own galleries and save path settings.

Popular alternatives include AZ Screen Recorder, Du Recorder or XRecorder.They often provide more flexible bitrate settings, the ability to draw on the screen while recording, and a built-in editor.

When using third-party software, files are usually saved in a folder with the application name, for example:

Internal memory → DCIM → XRecorder

This is even more convenient, since you know exactly where to look for a file and it won’t mix with system screencasts, and these applications often have cloud sync, which eliminates the question of “where to find a file” if the phone gets lost.

However, privacy is worth remembering: Third-party recorders require broad permissions to access the screen and files, and use only proven high-ranking apps to avoid personal data leaks.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Remember that cleaning the folder with the records of the screen regularly helps to free up gigabytes of memory, since video files take up significantly more space than regular photos.