How to record a conversation on a Xiaomi phone: official and hidden methods

Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that users face for a variety of reasons, from storing important business information to capturing evidence in controversial situations. However, the manufacturer does not always provide this feature out of the box — especially on models for the European market due to legal restrictions. In this article, we will analyze all the available ways to record calls on devices with MIUI 12-15, including hidden settings, third-party applications and workarounds for different regions.

It is important to understand that the recording capabilities depend on the firmware version, the phone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Pro, Xiaomi 13, etc.) and regional settings. For example, on Indian and global versions of MIUI, the feature is often available by default, and on European versions it is blocked. We will look at solutions for all cases, including legal and technically safe methods.

1. Built-in call recording: where to look and how to turn on

On some Xiaomi models, the conversation recording feature is built into the standard Phone app, but hidden in the settings to find it:

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → select Settings.
3. Go to the Recording of Conversations (or Call Recording in English).
4. Activate the Write automatically switch or select Write manually.

If you don't have a Record conversation, your firmware doesn't support out-of-the-box, so move on to the following.

Note that on devices with MIUI for Europe (EEA), call recording is often disabled due to privacy laws, bypassing this by changing the firmware region (see Section 4) or using alternative methods.

2. Hidden MIUI settings: how to unlock a recording through the engineering menu

On some Xiaomi firmware, the call recording is hidden in the engineering menu, which works on Redmi 9/10/Note 11 and others with Qualcomm or Mediatek processors.

1. Open the phone app and dial the code: ##4636##
2. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information (or Phone Information).
3. Scroll down to Turn on VoLTE or Voice Call Recording.
4. Activate Enable Call Recording (if available).

⚠️ Note: Not all codes work on new versions MIUI 14/15. If the menu doesn’t open, try the alternative code:

##847##

or

##36446337##

Mediatek

Once activated, the record point should appear in the settings of the Phone application. If not, restart the device.

3. Third-party apps: top-5 call-recording

If the built-in methods don't work, third-party apps come to the rescue, and we tested dozens of options and selected the 5 most reliable ones for Xiaomi:

⚠️ Note: Call recording applications may conflict with MIUI Due to the limitations of Android 10+. If the recording doesn't start:

• 📱 Check the permissions: Settings → Annexes → Permits → Microphone and Warehouse.
• 🔄 Restart the phone after installation.
• 🛠️ In the application settings, select the recording method API Android or Root (if you have the right).

Disable battery optimization for the application |Allow autorun in MIUI | Allow access to microphone and storage |Reboot phone after setting--->

4. Change the firmware region: how to unlock the entry on the European Xiaomi

On devices with EEA firmware (Europe), call recording is often disabled due to GDPR. The solution is to change the firmware region to Global or India, where the feature is available.

1. Download the firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater (select Global or India region).
2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root of the phone’s memory.
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
4. Click on three dots → Select a firmware file and specify update.zip.
5. Confirm the installation and wait for the reboot.

When you change region, your phone will have a call record, but some local features (such as NFC support for European banks) may disappear.

⚠️ Warning: Change firmware resets all data! pre-reverse through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

5. Recording calls via ADB: for advanced users

If you're ready to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can unlock the record without changing the firmware. This is a method that works for MIUI 12-15 and requires a computer.

1. Enable Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux).

adb shell


settings put global force_call_recorder 1




settings put global call_recorder_app com.android.server.telecom

Reboot the phone.

After that, the phone application should have a recording button. If not, try an alternative command:

adb shell am start -n com.android.server.telecom/settings.CallRecordingSettings

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If ADB does not recognize the device, install Xiaomi USB Drivers and check the connection in Transfer Files (MTP) mode.

6. Alternative methods: recording via second phone or Google Voice

If none of these methods work, there are still workarounds:

• 📱 Recording via second phone: Put the second smartphone next to you and turn on the recorder (for example, the standard Dictaphone app on Xiaomi.
• 🎧 Using a headset with a microphone: Connect headphones with a microphone and record a conversation through a voice recorder app.Suitable for Redmi Buds or Xiaomi Earbuds.
• 🌐 Google Voice (US only): The service allows you to record incoming calls after setting up.

For better quality when recording via dictaphone:

• 🔇 Use a quiet room.
• 📶 Place the second phone at a distance of 10-15 cm from the main one.
• 🎙️ Enable High Quality Mode in the Recorder Settings.

7 Legal aspects: when recording conversations is legal

Before you record calls, make sure that it does not violate local law.

• 🇷🇺 Russia: Recording a conversation is legal if you are a participant (Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
• 🇪🇺 EU (GDPR): Recording is allowed only with the notification of the second participant (except for evidence for the court).
• 🇺🇸 In most states, one-party consent is sufficient, but in California and others, both are necessary.
• 🇮🇳 India: Recording is legal without notice unless used for selfish purposes.

Recommendation: If the recording is for business correspondence or litigation, notify the interviewee in advance with the phrase: "The conversation is recorded to record information. Do you mind?" This will protect you from legal risks.

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Even if the recording is permitted by law, its use as evidence in court requires compliance with a fixation procedure (for example, notarization).

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls to Xiaomi