The modern smartphone has long ceased to be just a means of communication, becoming a universal multimedia tool that is always at hand. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often underestimate the built-in Dictophone app, considering it a primitive tool for quick notes, but it is a powerful tool with functionality available to many professional gadgets.
The right setup allows you to use your phone to create podcasts, record lectures, interviews or even demo tracks without buying additional equipment. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to make the most of your smartphone’s audio capabilities, adjust sound quality and avoid common mistakes that can spoil important material.
The MIUI or HyperOS shell interface offers flexible settings that are hidden from the surface. Understanding the principles of microphones, noise reduction and compression formats will help you get clean sound in any environment, whether it is a noisy street or a quiet studio.
Interface and basic application settings
The standard application is launched via the Dictophone icon in the Tools menu or folder, and once opened, you are taken to the main screen, which displays a list of previous recordings and large current control buttons, and there are no extra elements, which allows you to quickly start recording sound in a critical situation.
To access the configuration, you need to click on the menu icon, which is usually located in the upper right corner or hidden under three dots. This is where the key switches affect the final quality of the audio file are located. Basic settings include the choice of sound source, which is especially true for models with multiple microphones.
⚠️ Before an important recording, be sure to check whether the “Silence” or “Do Not Disturb” mode is activated, as system notification sounds can be recorded by the microphone and spoil the track.
You can also find the "Show a floating window" option in the settings menu, which allows you to roll the voice recorder into a small button on top of other applications, which is convenient if you need to open notes or messengers in parallel without interrupting the recording process.
The standard value is often set to Normal mode to save space, but for important events, it is better to switch to High. The difference in bitrate can be significant, especially if you plan to further process the file on your computer.
Selection of format and sound quality
One of the most important parameters is the file format to be saved. Xiaomi devices often use MP3 or AAC format by default, which provide good compression at an acceptable quality. However, for archival purposes or professional use, the WAV format, which is-lossless (lossless).
Switching between formats is done in the quality settings menu. It is worth remembering that choosing a format without compression will quickly fill the internal memory of the device. One minute of writing in WAV format can take up 5-10 times more space than a similar file in MP3.
The sampling rate is another technical parameter that affects the detailing of high frequencies. 44.1 kHz or even 22.05 kHz is enough to record human speech. If you plan to record music or surrounding sounds in high detail, it makes sense to choose the maximum available value, usually 48 kHz.
Some users are wondering if it's worth changing the bitrate manually. Bitrate determines the amount of data processed per second. For voice notes, 128 kbit / s is quite enough, whereas for music recordings, it's better to set 320 kbit / s or use a format without compression.
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If your phone’s memory is limited, use the AAC format with a bitrate of 192 kbps – this is the “golden mean” between voice quality and file size.
Use of recording scenarios
The unique feature of the MIUI voice recorder is that it has preset scripts, which automatically adjust the microphone sensitivity and noise reduction algorithms to a specific situation, and switch between them through a drop-down list on the app's home screen.
The Universal scenario is suitable for most household tasks, balancing between suppressing background noise and keeping the voice tone natural, but in specific settings, such as a lecture in a large audience or a wind interview, this mode may not work properly.
- 🎤 Interview: The mode is optimized to record the dialogue of two or more people at different distances from the phone, and it tries to level the volume of the interlocutors.
- 🎓 Lecture: The algorithm focuses on a remote sound source, ignoring the rustle and conversation of neighbors.
- 🎵 Music: Disables aggressive noise cancellation while maintaining a wide dynamic range and frequency response.
- 🗣️ Memo: Mode with maximum compression and mono-recording, designed for short voice notes to themselves.
It's important to understand that script switching changes how software filters work in real time, so if you start recording in "Lecture" mode and then switch to "Music" mode, the sound quality will change, but the file will remain unified, so you better choose a profile before the session begins.
☑️ Checking before recording the interview
Recording of telephone conversations
The feature, which is built into the standard call interface but is closely related to system audio streams, can work differently on Xiaomi devices depending on the firmware region (Global or China) and the Android version.
To activate automatic recording, you need to go to the settings of the Phone application (telephone icon), and here is the call record, where you can set up the automation of the process, so you don't have to think about turning on the recorder during an important conversation with a customer or customer support.
There are two main methods of recording: through the speaker and through the internal audio stream, recording through the internal stream gives a clear sound of the interlocutor and your voice without echoing, but on many global firmware, this feature is blocked by privacy laws, in which case the recording is done through the microphone, picking up the sound from the speaker, which reduces the quality.
⚠️ Note: When using the conversation recording function on global firmware devices, the interlocutor may hear periodic audible signals-warnings that the conversation is being recorded.
To improve the quality of recording conversations through the microphone (when internal recording is not available), it is recommended to use a headset, in which case your voice will be written from the microphone of the headset, and the voice of the interlocutor will be written directly from the communication channel, which will give the best possible result in the current limitations of the system.
Working with external microphones
Xiaomi devices support the connection of external audio devices through a 3.5 mm connector (if it is in the model) or through a USB-C adapter. This opens up opportunities for podcasting and vocals.
When you connect an external microphone, the system automatically has to redirect the audio stream. However, sometimes you need to manually adjust. In some cases, a standard application may not see the loop, and then you will have to use third-party software, but in 90% of cases Xiaomi correctly recognizes the external device.
| Type of connection | Compatibility | Sound quality | nuance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in microphone | All models. | Average. | Catch processing noise |
| USB-C microphone | Android 5.0+ | High. | Requires power from the phone |
| Bluetooth headset | All models. | Low/Mediocre | Delay and compression of the codec |
| Jack 3.5mmmmmmmmmmmm | Coupled models | High. | May require an active loop. |
If you use a professional powered loop, make sure it's compatible with mobile devices. Some studio microphones require phantom power that the smartphone can't provide. In these cases, they use special interfaces or microphones with their own battery.
The problem with a crack at recording
Editing and managing files
Once you've finished writing, the file is saved to the device's memory. The standard application allows you to do basic editing: cropping the beginning and the end, removing noisy fragments, opening the file in the list and clicking on the edit icon (usually a pencil or scissors).
Marking allows you to tag while you're recording, which is a very useful tool for lectures or long interviews, and you can quickly jump to tagged moments without listening to all the time-consuming material.
Files are stored in the system folder MIUI/sound_recorder. You need permissions to access them through the file manager. If you connect your phone to your computer, you can find the records at the root of the internal memory or in the Recordings folder.
To free up space, you can set up automatic deletion of old records or their cloud synchronization. Xiaomi Cloud or third-party services like Google Drive allow you to store archives in security, making a local copy on your phone optional.
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Use cloud sync for important records so you don’t lose them in the event of a smartphone breakage or accidental deletion.