Xiaomi smartphone owners often face severe restrictions on the Android operating system that block the standard feature of recording conversations. Since Android 10 and later, Google has closed direct access to the audio stream for third-party applications, making it impossible to record through a regular “caller”.
The solution to this problem is True Phone Dialer & Contacts, a powerful tool that bypasses system locks and allows you to keep an archive of conversations, but for the application to work correctly on the shell of MIUI or HyperOS, you need competent and detailed configuration of access rights.
In this tutorial, we will take a look at each configuration step that will turn your phone into a full-fledged voice recorder, learn how to avoid common errors, why the system can "kill" the recording process, and what hidden settings need to be activated for stable operation.
Preparation for installation and selection of the application version
The first step is to choose the right version of the software. The standard version from the Google Play Store often has a stripped-down functionality due to store policies. For full-fledged work on Xiaomi, it is recommended to use the True Phone Pro version or a special modification that supports circumvention of restrictions.
The APK installation file should only be downloaded from the developer’s official website or verified repositories. Using third-party forum builds can lead to a leak of sensitive data, as the application gains access to the microphone and contacts.
⚠️ Note: Before installing the new version, remove any other call apps that may conflict with system services to avoid double-handling incoming calls.
Once a file is downloaded, you must allow installation from unknown sources, and in modern versions of MIUI, this is done at the time of installation attempt, when the system requests permission for a particular browser or file manager.
Make sure that the device has enough free space. Local recording of conversations, especially in high quality, can quickly take up gigabytes of memory if automatic synchronization with the cloud is not configured.
Primary setting and default assignment
After the first launch, True Phone will offer to adjust the basic settings, and it is critical to agree to the request for the appointment of the call app by default, without this step, the system will continue to use a standard "bell ringer" that can not write conversations.
The app will request access to contacts, microphone and phone, and all permissions must be granted immediately, and if you refuse access at this stage, the recording functionality will not work.
In the settings menu, select the recording method. For most Xiaomi devices, the best option is Audio Source or Accessibility Service. The first method tries to capture sound directly, the second emulates the taps to activate the built-in voice recorder.
Configure the format of saving audio files. WAV format provides better quality, but takes up more space. MP3 or OGG format is more economical and convenient for sending through instant messengers.
Adjustment of Accessibility (Accessibility)
The key to running Android 11+ is to activate the special features service, which allows the app to “see” the call screen and automatically press the record button if direct audio capture is blocked by the system.
Go to the phone settings, find the Additional settings section → Special features. In the list of installed services, find True Phone and activate the switch. The system will issue a security alert, confirm the action.
Inside the settings of the application itself, in the "Record" section, select the option to use the availability service. Here you can configure the delay before pressing the write button so that the interface has time to display.
If the service is permanently shut down on its own, check the power saving settings. MIUI aggressively closes the background processes, considering them to be battery consuming.
☑️ Access rights verification
Optimizing battery and background processes
Xiaomi's aggressive energy-saving system is the main enemy of background recording, so if the system "sleeps" the application at the time of a call, the recording will be interrupted or not at all, you need to manually prohibit the restriction of background activity.
Press the app icon on your desktop, select About, and go to Battery. Set Unlimited mode, which is a critical step for stability.
You also need to lock the app in memory, open the menu of running apps, find the True Phone window, press it and press the lock, which will prevent the memory from being cleared when using the Clear Everything feature.
Turn on Autostart. In the Security app, find the Permits section" →"Autorun and activate the slider for True Phone.This ensures that the app will start immediately after the phone is turned on.
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For maximum reliability, enable the “Do not unload from memory” option in the developer settings, although this can increase battery consumption.
Table of comparison of recording methods
Different Xiaomi models and Android versions may react differently to audio capture techniques. Below is a table to help you choose the optimal configuration depending on the situation.
| Method | Sound quality | Compatibility | Difficulty setting up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Source | High (stereo) | Low (Android 9 and below) | Low. |
| Accessibility | Average (depending on the dynamics) | Tall (Android 10-14) | Medium |
| Root Access | Perfect. | Any (requires hacking) | Tall. |
| High-profile communication | Low (ambient noise) | Universal. | Low. |
Root rights are the best, but they are unwarranted and can disrupt banking applications, and Accessibility is the middle ground for most users.
If none of the software methods is producing a clear sound, the only way out is to turn on the speakerphone, in which case the microphone writes the sound from the speakers, which can reduce legibility in noisy rooms.
Problems and frequent errors
A common problem is recording silence instead of voice, which occurs when an application cannot access the stream. VOICE_CALL. Try changing the sound source in your recording settings on Microphone or Voice Communication.
If files are not saved, check the permissions to write to the file system. In Android 11+, the path to the folder may have changed. By default, True Phone saves files to the /TruePhone/CallRecordings folder in internal storage.
⚠️ Note: When updating the system MIUI Permission settings may reset. After each major update, check availability status.
In some cases, antivirus built-in scanners can block the recording module. Add the application to the antivirus exceptions in the Security menu.
Secret code for checking logs
Cloud and data export
Local storage is limited to smartphone storage. True Phone supports synchronization with Google Drive, Dropbox and other cloud services. Set up automatic upload immediately after the conversation is over.
Not only does this save space, it also serves as a backup in case the device is lost or broken, and it is important to set up sync only over Wi-Fi so that you don't waste mobile traffic.
To export specific records, use the application's built-in file manager. Select the files you want and select Share to send them via Telegram, WhatsApp or email.
Regularly audit records, and old conversations that have no legal or personal value should be deleted so as not to overload cloud storage.
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Automatic cloud sync is the only way to ensure that important conversations are kept safe when settings are reset or your smartphone is broken.