Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to keep an important conversation, whether it’s a business deal or a personal conversation. The Redmi 8, despite its age, remains popular due to the reliability and functionality built into the MIUI shell. However, users can not always quickly find stored audio files in the intricate structure of the system folders. Recording calls on devices of this brand has its own unique storage features that differ from standard recorders of other brands.
Understanding the logic of the Android file system in conjunction with Google’s software constraints will help you avoid confusion. In recent versions of the operating system, access to the microphone for third-party applications was limited, making the built-in MIUI functionality the main and often the only working tool.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for searching and playing back dialogs, touch on quality tuning, look at common errors when a file is created but remains silent, and look at alternative solutions. Navigating internal storage will be an easy task if you follow the instructions below.
Where to find call records in a standard application
The most obvious and quick way to access a file is to use the built-in caller. The MIUI shell integrates the voice recorder function directly into the call log, which eliminates the need to wander through file managers. Open the Phone app (green tube icon) and go to the History or Journal tab. Find the contact or number you were talking to on the list. If the recording was done automatically or manually during a conversation, there will be a special icon next to the number or contact card.
Click on the call you're interested in to open up the details. In the menu that opens, in addition to the callback and message buttons, you'll see a voice recorder icon or a Play triangle. When you click on it, you'll start playback right in the dialing interface. This is convenient for quick content checks, but it doesn't always allow you to manage the file as a separate document. For more in-depth audio work, you need to go to the full list of all records.
To see all the saved dialogs at once, while in the Phone app, click on the three dots in the top right corner (settings menu). In the drop-down list, select Call Record. This opens a separate player window with a list of all the conversations ever saved, sorted by date. This section provides basic management functions: delete, rename and, most importantly, the ability to share a file or send it via instant messengers.
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If you don’t see the entry icon in the call log, it’s possible that the auto write feature is disabled in the settings or the conversation was too short to save.
It’s worth noting that the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI installed on your Redmi 8. In some updated versions of the settings menu, the recording is placed in a separate subsection within the general settings of the Phone application. If you don’t find an item in the top menu, try clicking on the gear of the settings inside the app and searching for the Call Record section there.
Search for files through the Explorer and File System
Sometimes the built-in Phone player doesn't display files, or you need to copy them to your computer for storage. In this case, a standard file manager comes to the rescue. On Xiaomi smartphones, it's called Explorer (yellow folder icon). Android has a strict hierarchy, and audio calls are in a dedicated directory. Knowing the exact path will allow you to find the file even if the Phone application is not working properly.
Open Explorer and go to the Folders section (or Internal Memory). You need to open directories sequentially along the next path: MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. In the file. call_rec All audio files of conversations are stored. Files usually have an extension.m4a or.mp3 and named in the format of "Recording"+date+time." If the folder call_rec It is empty, so the records were either not made or were deleted.
It's important to understand the difference between folders. MIUI/sound_recorder And you can also have rec folders, which store the recordings of a standard voice recorder that you made manually, not during calls. Don't confuse these directories, or you'll be looking for calls in an empty folder. call_rec protected from accidental deletion by the system more actively than regular media files, but when cleaning the cache or resetting settings, they can be lost.
Hidden system folders
If you plan to access these files frequently, create a folder shortcut call_rec This will save you time in the future, and you can send files from this folder over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct by simply selecting a file and clicking the "Send" button. This is especially useful when you need to transfer a large amount of audio information without compression, which is often used by instant messengers when sending through chat.
Configure automatic recording and quality parameters
To avoid worrying about manually turning on the recorder during an important conversation, Xiaomi Redmi 8 offers an automatic recording feature. This is a critical setting for those who use a smartphone for work. To activate this mode, open the Phone app, click on three dots (menu) and select Settings. Next, go to the Call Record section.
In this menu, you'll see the Automatic Record switch, and when you activate it, you can choose to write down all calls or only selected numbers. Selected numbers allow you to create a black or white list of contacts that you can automatically record, which helps save space on the drive without having to record unnecessary conversations with couriers or spam calls.
☑️ Set up the perfect recording
Special attention should be paid to the quality of the sound. In the recording settings (often hidden in the submenu or available through long-pressing the voice recorder icon in the call interface), you can choose a bitrate. The standard value is usually 128 kbit / s, which is a balance between quality and size. If you want maximum voice detail for subsequent decryption or analysis, choose the maximum quality available, but remember that the files will take up more space.
You can also turn on the Write Warning option in the settings. If this option is activated, your interlocutor will hear a voice message that the conversation is being recorded. Many countries require a second-party warning, so you should turn off this feature with caution and understanding the legal consequences. On Redmi 8, this setting is on the same menu as the automatic recording management.
The problem of soundlessness: why is the file silent?
One of the most common problems that Redmi 8 and other Android 10 and higher users face is the lack of sound in the recorded files. You see the file, the duration corresponds to the conversation, but when you play it, you hear silence or only your voice, and the interlocutor is not heard, this is due to changes in Google security policy that limit the access of applications to the microphone during the call for other applications, but sometimes affect system functions.
First of all, check if the phone app is closed while you're talking. On some versions of MIUI, an aggressive power-saving system can kill the recording process if you roll the app or the screen goes out. Also, the reason could be the use of a headset. If you were talking through Bluetooth headphones, the recording could come from the main microphone of the phone, which was then closed with your hand or in your pocket, which led to a deaf sound.
⚠️ Note: If you upgraded your firmware or Phone app through the Google Play Store, the recording feature may stop working correctly.Google periodically blocks old call recording methods, and Xiaomi is forced to update its algorithms.During the transition period, files can be created empty.
Another reason is a conflict with third-party recording apps: If you have a voice recorder app from the Play Market (like Call Recorder), it can intercept the audio stream by blocking the system recording. Try to remove all third-party recorders and leave only the built-in MIUI functionality. The Redmi 8 system solution is usually more stable than third-party counterparts, since it has deeper access rights.
To diagnose a problem, make a test call to another number (such as a friend's phone or your second device). During the conversation, turn on speakerphone and ask the person to speak clearly. Once completed, check the file. If there is a record on the speakerphone, but in normal mode (ear) - no, the problem may be a hardware noise cancellation or software failure of audio routing.
Comparison of built-in voice recorder and third-party applications
Users often wonder if they should trust the built-in solution or download a specialized app from the store? Let's compare the key features so you can make a choice. The built-in tool in Redmi 8 is deeply integrated into the system, which provides high stability, but has limited customization functionality.
Third-party applications like Call Recorder-ACR or TapeACall offer cloud synchronization, voice recognition, and more flexible format settings. However, on modern Android versions, they often require complex manipulations to gain access rights, and sometimes can’t record the voice of the interlocutor at all due to system limitations.
| Characteristics | Built-in MIUI dictaphone | Third-party annexes |
|---|---|---|
| Stability of work | High (systemic level) | Medium (depending on the Android version) |
| Speaker recording. | Always working. | Often require on-hand communication |
| File formats | MP3, M4A (standard) | WAV, OGG, AAC (flexible choice) |
| Cloud synchronization | Through Mi Cloud/Google Drive | Built-in app (Dropbox, Drive) |
If you want a simple and reliable record of "here and now" conversations without unnecessary settings, the built-in functionality of Redmi 8 is more than enough.It requires no additional permissions, does not show ads and does not consume battery power in the background when you do not call. Third-party applications only make sense in narrow scenarios, for example, if you need to transfer recordings immediately to a server or convert voice to text in real time.
Transfer and backup of audio archive
Smartphone memory is not dimensionless, and the archive of conversation records can take up gigabytes of space, especially if you have automatic recording of all incoming. Regularly transferring files to your computer or to the cloud is good practice. The easiest way is to connect Redmi 8 to your computer via a computer. USB-In the connection menu on the phone screen, select File Transfer mode (MTP).
On your computer, open the disk that appears, go on the Internal path. Storage/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. Copy the files you want or the entire folder to your hard drive. Once you copy, you can rename the files for easy search, adding the names of the interlocutors or the essence of the conversation, since the standard Rec name is Rec.+date+Time is not always informative.
You can use cloud services to automate the process. Set up folder sync. call_rec You can use Google Drive or Yandex.Disk through the mobile application of these services. Select the autoboot function and specify a specific folder. Now each new call record file will automatically fly to the cloud, freeing up space on the phone and creating a backup in case of loss of the device.
⚠️ Note: When transferring files through USB Make sure the copying process is complete. Interrupting the transmission can damage the audio file and it will stop playing.
Remember to periodically clean the folder with records from unnecessary. Files with marked numbers (spam, erroneous set) should be deleted immediately so that they do not take up space. In the Phone application, you can enable the automatic deletion of records older than 30 days, if this option is available in your version of MIUI, which will eliminate manual cleaning.