How to Record a Call on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which run MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, offer users a wide range of communication management capabilities. One of the most popular features, especially for business people and those who often communicate with service services, is automatic or manual recording of telephone conversations. This option allows you to save the audio track of the dialogue directly in the memory of the device, which eliminates the need to hold the phone to the ear or turn on the recorder on the second device.

However, depending on the version of the Android operating system and regional settings, the process of activating this feature can be significantly different.In the latest security updates, Google has made serious restrictions on the access of applications to the microphone during a call, which directly affected the operation of the standard in Xiaomi smartphones.

In this article, we will analyze in detail all the current ways to record a call on Xiaomi, consider the nuances of working in different versions of the shell and offer effective workarounds for models where the function was limited by the manufacturer. You will learn how to activate the hidden capabilities of the system and what third-party solutions really work in the system. 2026-2026 years.

Standard recording function in the phone application

Start with the most obvious and legal method that is built into the standard Phone app from Xiaomi. In most cases, especially in global versions of firmware for certain regions (for example, India, Indonesia, Russia in some builds), this feature works out of the box without the need to install additional software. To activate you need to open the Phone application and go to the settings menu, which is usually hidden behind three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.

The settings that open up you'll find Call Record, and that's where all the major audio capture settings are concentrated, and the system allows you to flexibly configure the behavior of the function, so you can choose whether to record all incoming and outgoing calls automatically, or only for numbers that aren't in your phone book, which is especially useful for filtering personal and work contacts.

⚠️ Note: If the Phone app settings menu does not include the Call Record option, this means that your firmware version has software blocked by the manufacturer due to Google’s licensing restrictions or regional privacy laws.

An important aspect is communication. In modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS, when a record is turned on, the system can automatically play a voice message that a conversation is being recorded. It is impossible to turn off this warning by standard means in most global builds, as this is a requirement of many countries. However, in some Chinese versions of firmware or when using certain activation methods (which will be discussed below), this sound may not be available.

Record quality depends on how you switch. If you use a classic cellular connection, the recording will be from an internal channel. When using VoLTE or VoWiFi (wire-fi calling), conflicts can occur, leading to silence in the recorded file, as the audio stream is encrypted and transmitted differently. In such cases, it is recommended to temporarily switch to a standard 3G/2G network for important conversations, if the recording quality is critical.

Changing the smartphone region to activate the function

There is a time-tested method to unlock the built-in recording feature on devices where it was hidden, and the idea is to change the system region of the smartphone. The logic is simple: in some countries, recording conversations is more softly regulated, and Xiaomi activates the corresponding modules in the firmware for these regions, most often choosing countries such as India, Indonesia or Malaysia.

To implement this method, you need to go to your device Settings, then select the Additional (or Advanced Settings) section and find Region. In the list of countries that opens, select, for example, India. The system interface may change slightly, local services will appear, but the basic functions will remain the same. After changing the region, restart your smartphone and check the settings of the Phone application.

Note that this method does not work on all versions of MIUI. In the latest security updates of Google Play Services and Android Dialer, the binding of the recording function has become tougher, and a simple change of region may not work.However, for devices on Android 11 and earlier, as well as for some Android 12 builds, this method remains the most effective and secure, without requiring Root rights.

Once activated by changing the region, you can safely return the region settings back to Russia or your country of residence. In most cases, the unlocked recording function is saved even after returning to the original settings, as changes are made to the configuration files of the Phone application, not only to the system regional settings.

Use of third-party applications for recording

If Xiaomi’s built-in capabilities are unavailable or unsatisfactory, third-party apps come to the rescue, but because of Google’s tightening privacy policy, most of these apps on Google Play are not working correctly: they only record your voice, and the interlocutor is heard extremely quietly or not at all, this is due to the blocking of access to the audio stream during a call.

However, there are solutions that circumvent these limitations.One of the most popular and reliable options is ApkPure’s Automatic Call Recorder app or special editions of Call Recorder – ACR. These applications often require installing a special plug-in or using an alternative sound source (for example, through availability or special rights).

• 📱 Call Recorder - ACR: A powerful application with flexible settings, supports cloud storage and various audio compression formats, but requires careful configuration of the sound source.
• 🎙️ TapeACall: A popular service that uses a conferencing method to record (requires a paid subscription for long conversations and runs through a server).
• 📼 Blackbox Call Recorder: An app that tries to exploit vulnerabilities in microphone access, but its effectiveness depends heavily on the specific Xiaomi model and Android version.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party recorders from unknown sources (APK-Files) always check the file with antivirus. Third-party applications have access to your contacts and audio stream, which poses potential risks of data leakage.

It’s important to understand that no third-party app offers 100% guarantee of work on all Xiaomi devices. The developers of MIUI and HyperOS constantly close the backdoors that these programs use. So if you choose this path, be prepared for the fact that after another system update, the application may stop recording the voice of the interlocutor, and you will have to look for a new version or alternative.

Activation through the codes of the engineering menu

For advanced users who are not afraid to experiment with system settings, there is a method of activating recordings through an engineering menu or special ones. USSD-This method allows you to enable hidden modem and telephony functions that are not displayed in the normal interface. However, this method does not work on all processors (most often MediaTek) and firmware versions.

One of the known codes for logging into the engineering menu on Xiaomi devices is ##3646633#. Once in the menu, you need to go to the Hardware Testing tab, then select Audio -> Audio Debug. Here you can find the settings associated with recording sound, but changing the parameters without accurately understanding their purpose can lead to the complete disappearance of sound in the device.

##86569726##

This code (#86569726##) is sometimes used to activate hidden recording functions in older versions of MIUI. Once the code is entered, a notification of successful activation should appear in the Phone application. If the code does not work or the system writes "Nade Code is required", then your firmware version has closed this entry.

Using an engineering menu carries certain risks: Carelessly changing parameters in the Audio or Connectivity sections can lead to improper operation of the speaker, microphone or even communication module. Before making any changes, it is strongly recommended to make a full backup of data or at least remember the original values of parameters so that you can go back.

Setting up the quality and storage of records

Record quality and storage are two critical parameters that affect the usability of the feature. In the standard Xiaomi application, records are usually saved in M4A or MP3 format (depending on the version of MIUI). The M4A format provides better quality with a smaller file size, but may not be compatible with older players on PCs without installing codecs.

By default, files are stored in internal memory along a path that can be found through the file manager: MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec. However, in new versions of the shell, the path may change to standard for Android: Android/data/com.android.phone/files/CallRecord. It is important to check the occupancy of this section regularly, as long conversations in high quality can quickly take up space.

To automate the memory cleanup process, you can use the built-in Security > Cleanup app, and in the cleaning settings, you can specify that call records older than 30 days must be deleted automatically, which will prevent a critical call from being recorded due to lack of space.

HyperOS recording problems and new solutions

With the release of the HyperOS shell, which gradually replaces MIUI on new Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, the policy on call recording has become even stricter. In global versions of HyperOS, the recording feature is often completely cut out of the code of the Google Phone or Xiaomi Dialer application, and simple methods like changing the region stop working, due to the global harmonization of security standards.

For HyperOS users, the following options remain: using specialized modified APKs of the Phone app (requires removing updates to the stock app and installing a modified version with the record enabled), switching to custom firmware (for example, xiaomi.eu, where the feature is often returned by enthusiasts), or using hardware voice recorders.

Modified versions of the Phone app can be found on profile forums (e.g., 4PDA or XDA) that are the original application with a modified manifest and resources to enable recording. However, installing such versions requires disabling application signature verification or using ADB to replace the system package, which is a procedure for experienced users.

💡

If you upgrade to HyperOS and lose your call record, don't rush to drop your phone. Try to switch to India first and clear the phone and phone services app data. In 30 percent of cases, this returns the feature without complex manipulation.

Also, consider that HyperOS has enhanced permission control, and even if a recording application is installed, the system can block it from running in the background. You need to manually go to Settings -> Applications -> All applications, find your recorder and allow AutoRun, and remove restrictions on background operation and battery savings.

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