Where to find phone calls on Xiaomi: official and hidden methods

Introduction: Can I listen to the phone records on Xiaomi?

Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and POCO sub-brands) do not have built-in phone recording in most regions, a limitation due to privacy laws. However, many users are surprised to find files with records in their memory or to be faced with the need to save an important conversation.

In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to access call records, from standard MIUI tools to third-party apps and hidden folders. Particular attention will be paid to Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5 models, where file storage logic may differ, and you will learn how to recover accidentally deleted records and why some conversations may not be saved at all.

Official methods: Recording calls via MIUI

In some regions (e.g. India or China), MIUI firmware includes a built-in call recording feature, which can be checked as follows:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
3. Select Conversation Record (if no item is available, the feature is disabled for your region).

If the option is available, the records will automatically be saved in the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/calls The files are.amr or formatted in internal memory.mp3 and are named by pattern: call_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_number.

The presence of the item "Recording conversations" in the settings of the phone

folder `MIUI/sound_recorder` file-manager

Permissions for the Phone application (Settings → Applications → Permissions)

Update MIUI Update (some features appear after updates)-->

Important: Even if the recording function is active, it may not work with some carriers (e.g., VoLTE or VoWiFi), in which case the system creates empty 0KB files.

Hidden folders and system files: where else to look for records

MIUI hides some system folders from the user by default to find entries that don't appear in the standard file manager:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (in File Transfer mode).
2. Enable the display of hidden files in Windows Explorer (View → Hidden Items).
3. Going the Way: Internal Memory → MIUI → sound_recorder → Calls or internal memory → Android → data → com.android.providers.media → files → CallRecordings

If there are no folders, then the records have never been saved. On Xiaomi 12T models and the newer ones, the path may be different: check also Android → media → com.miui.voicerecord.

Third-party applications for recording calls

If there is no built-in feature, you can use third-party programs.

• 📱 Cube Call Recorder ACR — Records both sides of the conversation (requires root or activation via a ADB). Supports cloud storage.
• 🔊 Call Recorder by Lovekesh – a simple interface, saves records in the Download/CallRecordings.
• 🛡️ Truecaller - has a built-in recorder (not in all countries).
• 📤 Automatic Call Recorder – allows you to set up automatic recording for specific contacts.

Before installing, check the application permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions. To work correctly, you will need access to:

• Microphone.
• Call log.
• Warehouse

Cube Call Recorder ACR|Call Recorder by Lovekesh|Truecaller|Automatic Call Recorder|Back-in MIUI|Do not record calls-->

⚠️ Attention: On Android 12+ Many of the call recording apps have stopped working due to Google's restrictions. ADB-Command: adb shell appops setcom.android.phone android:record_audio This command will unlock access to the audio stream, but may violate the operator's privacy policy.

How to Recover Deleted Call Records

If files have been deleted, you can try to restore them using specialized utilities.

1. DiskDigger (for Android): Download from Google Play. Select Basic Scan (no root) or Full Scan (with root). Filter results from the.amr,.mp3,.m4a extensions.

Recuva

• Connect your phone to your computer as a storage device.
• Start Recuva, select the Audio file type.
• Show the way to Xiaomi’s internal memory.

The chances of recovery depend on:

• 🕒 The time after the removal (the less, the better).
• 📱 Phone models (on Xiaomi with) UFS 3.1 data is overwritten faster).
• 🔄 Activity of writing new files after deletion.

💡

Before recovery, turn off mobile Internet and Wi-Fi on your phone – this will reduce the risk of overwriting deleted files with new data.

⚠️ Warning: Do not save recovered files back to your phone's internal memory! Use the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) or external drive. Re-write to the same memory partition can irrevocably damage the remaining pieces of data.

Problems and Solutions: Why Records Are Not Saved

Common reasons why call records are not saved on Xiaomi:

On Xiaomi models with HyperOS (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), the logging logic has changed: files can now be saved to the Mi Cloud by default.

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Check the Call Records section (if any).
3. Synchronize data if the record is enabled.

💡

Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi began gradually removing the call recording feature from global firmware. If your phone was updated by air (OTA), check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone.

Legal aspects: can you record calls legally?

Telephone records are regulated by the laws of your country.

• 🇷🇺 Russia: It is allowed to record conversations if you are a participant (Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation), the use of the recording in court is allowed with the consent of the second participant (oral or written).
• 🇺🇦 Ukraine: Notification of the recording required (Article 31 of the Constitution) A hidden recording may be considered inadmissible evidence.
• 🇪🇺 EU: In most countries (e.g. Germany, France) recording without consent is prohibited and punishable by a fine before €10 000.
• 🇺🇸 U.S.: Laws vary by state, California requires consent of all participants, Texas only one.

On Xiaomi with global firmware (e.g. MIUI Global), the recording feature is often disabled for legal reasons, and if you have enabled it through ADB or third-party apps, remember:

• Records cannot be published in the public domain without the consent of the participants.
• In court, it may be necessary to confirm the authenticity of the file (metadata, expert opinion).
• Communication operators (for example, MTS, Beeline) can block the recording at the network level.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Through the cloud:

• Upload files to Mi Cloud, Google Drive, or Yandex Disk.
• Download to PC via the cloud web interface.

For privacy, archive your password files before transfer (use 7-Zip or WinRAR).