Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi: how to turn on and configure

Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi smartphones is a feature that can be useful in a variety of situations, from fixing important business agreements to saving memorable conversations with loved ones. However, many users are faced with the fact that the option is either absent from the menu or unstable, the fact that the ability to record calls depends on the version of the MIUI firmware, regional settings and even the device model.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to enable recording conversations on Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark, from standard tools to workarounds for firmware where the feature is locked. We’ll focus on the nuances of working on MIUI 14 (including the global and Chinese versions), as well as legal alternatives like Google Phone. If you’ve previously searched unsuccessfully for a record button in the call menu, here you’ll find an explanation of why it’s not there, and what to do about it.

Why Xiaomi may not have a conversation record feature?

Before you get to the instructions, it’s important to understand why your Xiaomi doesn’t have a write option, and the reasons fall into three categories:

• 📱 Regional restrictions: In some countries (e.g. the EU), recording conversations without notifying the interlocutor is prohibited by law. MIUI for these regions, the function is disabled by default.
• 🔄 Firmware version: Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi has begun to gradually remove the built-in record from the standard Phone app in favor of alternative solutions (e.g. Google Phone).
• 📵 Smartphone model: On some devices (especially budget Redmi or POCO) The function can be reduced to save resources.

In addition, Chinese firmware (China ROM) often uses conversation recording out of the box, but requires manual activation in hidden settings. Global ROMs are not available due to legal risks.

Method 1: Built-in recording in the standard Phone application (for supported models)

If your Xiaomi is a record-enabled model (see the list below), you can activate the feature directly in the Phone app. The instructions are relevant for MIUI 13/14 on Chinese and some global firmware:

1. Open the Phone app (the tube icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the magazine tab (watch icon in the lower menu).
3. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Settings.
4. Scroll down to the Record conversations section and activate the switch.
5. Select Record Mode: Record all calls — automatically record all conversations. Manually record — the recording button will appear during the call.

After activation during the call, a microphone icon will appear at the top of the screen (🎤). Click on it to start or stop recording. The files will be saved in the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec inner-memory.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make sure there is enough free space on your phone (records take ~1 MB/minute)

Turn off power saving modes for the Phone application

Set up auto-clean exceptions in Settings → Storage

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Method 2: Recording via Google Phone (for global firmware)

If there is no recording option in the standard Phone app, the most reliable solution is to use Google Phone (also known as Google Dialer), which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO with MIUI 12.5+, but requires pre-configuration:

1. Install Google Phone from Google Play.
2. Make it the default app for calls: Go to Settings → Apps → Default App Management → Phone App. Select Google Phone from the list.

Google Phone

⋮

Settings → Recording calls

Record automatically

Record selectively

Important: Google Phone supports recording only on devices with Android 9 and above. Some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro) may have conflicts with system services, in which case, resetting the app will help.

💡

If the recording doesn’t work after you install Google Phone, clear the phone app cache and restart the phone, which eliminates conflicts 80% of the time.

Method 3: Hidden MIUI settings (for Chinese firmware)

On smartphones with China ROM, the recording of conversations is often hidden in the engineering menu to activate it:

1. Open the Phone app and type in the code ##6484## (some models run ##64663###).
2. In the menu that appears, select Call Recording (or a similar item in Chinese).
3. Activate the option and save the settings.

To quickly find records, use the built-in Explorer (Settings → Storage → Conductor) with a filter by date of creation.