Recording conversations on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: all ways to enable and customize

Why Redmi Note 8 doesn’t have a call record button and how to fix it

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 often face the lack of built-in conversation recording functionality – despite the fact that the hardware of the smartphone fully supports this feature, the reason lies in the policy of MIUI: in some regions (including Russia and EU countries), the recording of calls is disabled by default due to legal restrictions, but it can be activated through both hidden system settings and third-party applications.

It is important to understand that the legality of recording conversations depends on the legislation of your country. In most cases, you need to notify the interlocutor about recording. On Redmi Note 8, the function is implemented at the software level, so you do not need root rights or firmware modifications - just know the correct sequence of actions.

Official method: enable via MIUI settings

The most reliable method is to use the built-in MIUI tools that are hidden in the depths of the menu, which works on all versions of the firmware for the Redmi Note 8 (including MIUI 12/13/14), but may require pre-activation of the developer mode.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Phone app (the tube icon on the home screen).
• ⚙️ Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Record of Conversations section (if no item - see next step).
• 🔄 Turn on the switch Automatic Record or select Record all calls.

Activate the developer mode (if there is no "Recording conversations" item)

Update the phone app to the latest version

Check for free space on the device (minimum 500 MB)

Reboot your smartphone before setting up-->

If there is no Conversation Record section in the menu, it means that the function is locked at the regional settings level, in which case resetting the settings of the Phone application will help:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the phone and select the Warehouse.
3. Click Clear Data and Reset Settings.
4. Restart the device and try again.

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If the entry section doesn’t appear after the reset, try changing the device region to India or China in the Settings Additional → Language and Region. This will often unlock hidden features.

Alternative methods: applications for recording calls

If the built-in feature never worked, third-party utilities will come to the rescue.

Before installing, check the permissions of the application: it must request access to the Microphone, Warehouse and Call Log.

1. Launch the app and follow the setup wizard.
2. Enable the option Automatic Record in the settings.
3. Add the application to AutoRun (in MIUI settings: Battery → AutoRun).
4. Make a test call to check.

Built-in MIUI|Cube ACR|Call Recorder from Lovekara|Truecaller|Other |I don't record calls-->

⚠️ Note: Call recording applications may conflict with battery optimization MIUI. If the recording is interrupted, add the application to No Limits (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).

Hidden MIUI Features: Writing through Engineering Menu

For power users, there is a method of activating recordings through the Engineering Menu (CIT), which works on most versions of MIUI, but requires caution - incorrect actions can disrupt the stability of the system.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##4636##
2. In the menu that appears, select Phone Information.
3. Scroll down to the Record Settings section (could be called Call Recording).
4. Enable Voice Recording Enabled and save the changes.
5. Reset the device.

After the phone reboots, the recording button should appear during the call. If the menu does not open, check:

• 🔄 Correctness of code entry (without spaces).
• 📱 Version of the firmware (on some custom assemblies) CIT switched off).
• 🔧 Root rights (not required, but sometimes helps).

Where records are stored and how to export them

By default, the call records on Redmi Note 8 are saved in the folder:

/sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/

or (for third-party applications):

/sdcard/[Application name]/Recordings/

The files are.amr or.mp3 and named by pattern: Recording_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.amr. For easy management:

• 📁 Use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) to listen and rename.
• ☁️ Upload important records to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud).
• 🔍 Use the filter in the file manager to search by date: sort files by date of change.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party applications, records can be automatically deleted after 30 days. To avoid this, change the storage settings in the application itself or regularly transfer files to another location.

Solving the problem: Why the record doesn’t work

If the call recording is not running, check the following points:

• 🔇 No audio in the recording: Make sure the microphone is not blocked by another app (e.g. Google Assistant).Reboot the device.
• 📵 Recording ends: Disable battery optimization for the recording app (see section above).
• 🚫 No Record button: Update the Phone app via Google Play or reset its settings.
• 🔒 Files are not saved: Check storage permissions and free space (minimum 1GB).

For diagnosis, use the error log:

1. Install Logcat Extreme.
2. Start recording the call and reproduce the problem.
3. Export the log and search for lines from CallRecorder or MediaRecorder.

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If the problem persists after all the manipulations, try rolling back the Phone app version to the factory version. To do this, remove the updates in the application settings (Settings → Apps → Phone → Three Dots → Remove Updates).

Legal aspects: can you record conversations legally

In most countries, the recording of telephone conversations is regulated by the law on personal data and confidentiality of communications.

• 📜 Russia: It is allowed to record conversations only with the notification of the interlocutor (Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Art. 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
• 🇪🇺 EU (GDPR): The explicit consent of both parties is required, and the violation is punishable by a fine of up to 4% of the company's annual income.
• 🇺🇸 United States: Laws vary by state, and in most cases, one-party consent is sufficient).

To avoid problems:

• 🎤 Always warn the person to record the recording at the beginning of the conversation (for example: "The conversation is recorded to record the information. You don't mind?").
• 📄 Keep records no longer than necessary and do not distribute them without the consent of the participants.
• 🚨 In business correspondence, use specialized services (for example, Zoom or Skype with recording function).

⚠️ Note: Recordings of conversations without the consent of the interlocutor have no legal force in court and can be regarded as a violation of the law on wiretapping. The exception is when the recording is conducted to protect their rights (for example, in case of threats or blackmail), but here also proof of necessity is required.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recording calls on Redmi Note 8