Where is the voice recorder in the Xiaomi phone: a complete guide to search and setup

Why you can’t find a voice recorder on Xiaomi and what to do about it

You try to make voice recording on Xiaomi, but you can't find a built-in voice recorder? This problem is familiar to many brand users — especially those who recently switched from the iPhone or Samsung, where the recording app is always in plain sight. The fact is that MIUI hides the voice recorder deeper than other shells, and on some models it is not at all "out of the box".

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to find a recorder on Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi flagships, from the standard Record app to alternative solutions. You’ll learn where records are stored, how to turn on autorecord calls (if your firmware supports this), and what to do if the recorder disappears after the update. And also a list of Xiaomi models that do not have a recorder by default and require manual installation.

Before you start searching, check two things: 1 Your version of MIUI – in old firmware (below MIUI 12) the recorder may have been called differently or not. 2) Firmware Region – on global versions (Global ROM) the application may be disabled due to legal restrictions in some countries.

Standard location of the recorder in MIUI: where to look first

On most modern Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 12 and later), the built-in voice recorder is called Recorder (English version) and hidden in the Tools folder.

Main screen → Tools folder → Recording app

If the Tools folder is not on the desktop, try these alternative ways:

• 🔍 Search by system: swipe down the main screen (Search call) MIUI) and enter a request for a Recorder or Recorder.
• 📱 Menu of all apps: tap the icon • • • • (or swipe up on the home screen) → Find in the alphabetical list "Recording".
• ⚙️ Through Settings: Go to Settings → Annexes → Manage applications and enter in the search Record.

On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T or Redmi Note 11), the recorder can be integrated into the Notes app to check this out:

1. Open your notes.
2. Click on the icon + (create a new note).
3. If there is a voice recording option on the menu, then the voice recorder is here.

Xiaomi models without built-in voice recorder: what to do for owners

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with native recording app, most often this applies to budget models or devices for specific regions (for example, Redmi). 9A for India or POCO M3 Here is a complete list of default non-dictaphone models (relevant to the European Union). MIUI 14):

If your model is on this list, you have three options:

• 📥 Install a tape recorder from MIUI: download APK The standard com.miui.voiceassist application from trusted sources (e.g. APKMirror) Important: the version must match your firmware!
• 🔄 Update firmware: on some models, the recorder appears after switching to MIUI 13/14. Check for updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🎤 Use third-party applications: Easy Voice Recorder or ASR Voice Recorder (available on Google Play) supports background recording and cloud saving.

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Before installing the APK voice recorder, disable source verification in Settings → Applications → Special Rights → Installation of unknown applications.

⚠️ Note: On Android One models (e.g. Mi) A3) standard recorder MIUI Not installed – only use third-party solutions from Google Play.

Where are records from the recorder stored and how to transfer them to the PC

All voice recordings from the built-in Xiaomi voice recorder are saved by default in the phone’s internal memory along the way:

/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/

To find this folder:

1. Open any file manager (such as Google Files or Mi File Manager).
2. Go to the Inner Memory → MIUI → sound_recorder.
3. Record files have an extension of.m4a or.mp3.

To transfer the records to the computer:

• 📎 Through USB-cable: connect your phone to your PC, select File Transfer Mode and copy the folder sound_recorder.
• ☁️ Through the cloud: upload files to Google Drive or Mi Cloud (Write is an option Export in the application).
• 📧 Post: Send your own emails via Gmail (limit to 25MB per email).

If the folder sound_recorder empty, check the settings of the recorder:

Open Record → Click on ⋮ (three dots) → Settings → Save folder

How to enable autorecording of calls on Xiaomi (if supported)

The automatic conversation recording feature is not available on all Xiaomi models and depends on regional firmware. For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro (global version), this option is not available, but on the Xiaomi 11T (Chinese firmware) it is.

1. Open the phone app.
2. Press on. ⋮ (three-point) → Settings.
3. Look for the Call Recording or Call Recording item.

If you don’t have an option, try these workarounds:

• 📞 Third-party apps: Cube ACR Call Recorder (requires permission to access microphone and contacts).
• 🔧 Change of the firmware region: switching to Indian or Chinese MIUI Sometimes you open hidden features (but you risk losing your warranty!).
• 📱 Alternative launchers: Some shells (like Nova Launcher) allow you to add a call recording widget.

⚠️ Note: In Russia and the EU, automatic recording of calls without the consent of the interlocutor may violate privacy laws (Article 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Make sure the feature is legal in your area | Check the available space on your phone (records take ~1 MB/minute) | Turn off battery savings for the voice recorder app | Test recording on a short call-->

Problems with the voice recorder on Xiaomi: why not record or fly out

If the built-in Xiaomi voice recorder is not working correctly (does not save records, the microphone crashes or does not turn on), the reasons may be as follows:

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the app settings:

Settings → Applications → Record → Storage → Reset Settings

Android 12+ models may require audio recording permission:

Settings → Privacy → Permissions → Microphone → Enable for “Recording”

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On Xiaomi with MediaTek chipsets (like Redmi 10C), the voice recorder can conflict with system services, in which case only third-party software will help.

Hidden features of the Xiaomi voice recorder: what you did not know

The built-in Record app in MIUI has several hidden features that are rarely mentioned in official instructions:

• 🎵 Cutting records: Open any record → tap the icon ✂️ → prune.
• 🔊 Voice amplification: in the recording settings (⋮ → Settings → Sound quality) you can turn on the option to improve speech (only works on flagships with Snapdragon) 8xx).
• 📡 Streaming transmission: on models with MIUI 14 You can stream the recording to another phone via Mi Share (in the record menu) → Share).
• ⏱️ Record timer: Before recording, click on the icon ⏰, to set automatic completion after a predetermined time.

Some firmware (Xiaomi.EU or HyperOS) have a voice recognition feature, which allows voice to be converted to text to activate:

Open the post → Click on three dots → “Transform into text”

Please note: this feature requires an internet connection (data is sent to Xiaomi servers for processing).

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If you need to record lectures or interviews, turn on the high quality mode (bitrate 192 kbps) in the voice recorder settings, which will increase the file size but improve the clarity of the sound.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the recorder on Xiaomi