Recordings from a Xiaomi voice recorder can be needed in a variety of situations, from fixing an important lecture to saving voice notes. However, many users face the problem of where to find these files, how to open them on another device or restore them after accidental deletion. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to listen to records, from a standard application to alternative methods using a file manager and cloud services.
The feature of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is that the manufacturer often changes the layout of system folders and application interface depending on the version of MIUI. Therefore, the instructions that are relevant to MIUI 12 may not work on MIUI 14 or HyperOS. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal solutions that work on most devices released after 2018.
1. Standard application "Dictophone": where to look and how to use
The most obvious way is to use the built-in Dictophone app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and supports basic functions: recording, listening, cropping and exporting files, to find it:
- 📱 Open the app menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
Once you're up and running, you'll see a list of all the saved records, sorted by date.
- 🎧 Click on the tape to listen.
- ✏️ Cut unnecessary fragments (button "Edit»).
- 📤 Share a file via messengers or save to the cloud.
- 🗑️ Delete unnecessary entries (hold your finger on the file to highlight).
⚠️ Note: In some Xiaomi firmware, default records are saved in format.m4a (AAC), If the file doesn't open on the PC, use it. VLC Media Player or Convert It to Media Player.mp3 via online services.
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If the Dictophone app is missing, it can be installed from Google Play (for global firmware) or download APK from the official Xiaomi website for Chinese versions.
2. Where the recorder files are stored in the phone's memory
All records made through a standard application are stored in the device’s internal memory along the way:
/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/sound_recorder/Or (in new versions of MIUI):
/storage/emulated/0/Recorder/To find this folder:
- Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Total Commander).
- Go to the section "Internal Storage".
- Find the MIUI or Recorder folder (depending on the firmware version).
- There's a folder inside. call_rec (for conversation records) and the main directory with format files.m4a or.
If there is no folder, check the settings of the Dictophone application:
- Open the app and tap on it. ⚙️ Settings (three dots in the upper right corner).
- Select the save folder - here is the current path.
| MIUI version | The path to the records | File format |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 10–12 | /MIUI/sound_recorder/ | .amr or.m4a |
| MIUI 13–14 | /Recorder/ | .m4a |
| HyperOS | /MIUI/voice_recorder/ | .mp3 or.m4a |
What do I do if the folder is empty?
3. Listening to records via PC or Mac
If you need to transfer the records to your computer for editing or backup, connect your smartphone to your PC via USB-cable and follow the following steps:
- On your phone, select File Transfer Connection Mode in the USB Notification.
- On your computer, open either Windows or Finder (Mac).
- Go to the Internal Memory folder → Recorder (or) MIUI/sound_recorder).
- Copy the necessary files to the hard disk.
For convenience, you can use specialized programs:
- 🖥️ Mi PC Suite – official software from Xiaomi for file management.
- 📂 AirDroid – Wireless file transfer over Wi-Fi.
- 🔄 Syncthing – Synchronize folders between devices.
⚠️ Note: When connecting through USB 3.0 (blue connector) Some users are faced with a folder reading error MIUI. In this case, try to use USB 2.0 (black connector) or enable debugging by USB developer-setting.
Po Po Po USB-cable|Google Drive (Mi Cloud) and Mi Drive (Google Drive)|Bluetooth.|Through messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)|Another way.-->
4. How to recover deleted recordings of the recorder
If you accidentally delete an important record, you can try to restore it, and success depends on how long it has been since it was deleted and whether the phone used memory cleaners (such as Clean Master).
Method 1: Through the Recycle Bin in the File Manager
The standard Mi File Manager has a Recycle Bin feature where files are stored for up to 30 days:
- Open Mi File Manager.
- Tap on. ⚙️ Settings → Basket.
- Find the deleted file and restore it.
Method 2: With the help of third-party utilities
If the cart is empty, use data recovery software:
- 📱 DiskDigger (for Android) – scans internal memory.
- 🖥️ Recuva (for PC) – works with a connected phone in mode MTP.
- 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver supports.amr and.amr formats.m4a.
Important: The less you use your phone after deleting, the better the chances of recovery. Avoid installing new apps or writing new files, they can overwrite deleted data.
Disable Wi-Fi and mobile data | Charge your phone at least 50% | Install Recovery Program (DiskDigger, Recuva) | Do not save new files to your device-->
5. Alternative applications for recording and listening
If the standard Xiaomi voice recorder does not suit you, consider third-party applications with advanced features:
| Annex | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Voice Recorder | .mp3 support, cloud storage, widget for fast recording | Advertising in the free version |
| Hi-Q MP3 Recorder | High quality recording (up to 320 kbit / s), noise reduction | Fees paid |
| OTTER.ai | Speech recognition and automatic decoding into text | Registration is required |
To transfer recordings from third-party apps to the standard Xiaomi voice recorder:
- Open the file manager and find the application folder (usually /Android/media/[application name]).
- Copy the files to /Recorder/.
- Restart the Dictophone app - records should be displayed.
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The app side often offers better recording quality, but the standard Xiaomi voice recorder is more reliable synchronized with the Mi Cloud and other ecosystem services.
6. Automatically save records to the cloud
To avoid losing important records, set up automatic downloads to Mi Cloud or Google Drive:
Method 1: Through the Mi Cloud
- Open your Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud
- Turn on synchronization for the Dictophone application.
- The records will be available on i.mi.com under the Files section.
Method 2: Google Drive
- 📁 Install the Google Drive app.
- 🔄 In settings, enable AutoSave for folder /Recorder/.
- 🌐 Files will be available from any device at drive.google.com.
Note: the free Mi Cloud tariff provides only 5 GB of space, and Google Drive – 15 GB. For large volumes of records, consider paid rates or alternative clouds (Yandex Disk, Dropbox).
7. Solving common problems
If the recordings are not played, disappear or the Dictator app gives out errors, check the following points:
- 🔊 No sound when playing: Make sure the volume of media files is not at zero. Check the file on another device - it may be corrupted.
- ⚙️ App crashes: Clear cache in Settings → Annexes → Dictaphone → Memory. → Clear the cache.
- 📱 Records are not saved: Check the free space on the device and the application permissions to access the storage.
- 🔄 Files don't show up in folder: Try updating the app or restarting your phone.
If the problem persists, try resetting the app settings:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Recorder → Storage.
- Click Reset settings (Clear Data).
- ⚠️ Note: This will delete all local records, but can solve problems with the program.