Owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones often face the need to maintain important dialogue, whether it is a conversation with the bank, ordering a pizza or a business conversation. Recording calls on Xiaomi Redmi 9 has its own peculiarities due to the security policy of the operating system Android 10 and above, which restricts access to the microphone during a conversation. Many users, updated with older versions of the firmware, are surprised to find that the usual button “Record” disappeared from the interface of the call.
Fortunately, there are several proven methods to circumvent these limitations and capture high-quality audio. In this article, we will detail the standard capabilities of the MIUI system, configuring alternative dialers, and using specialized software. You do not need to be an expert in programming or obtain root rights to establish automatic or manual recording of conversations.
Before getting into the technical details, it is worth noting that your country may require you to notify the person about the recording.Always consider the legal aspects of using such features. Below are the current solutions for the Redmi 9 model that work stably and do not require complex system modifications.
Staff recording function in the application Phone
The first thing to check is the built-in functionality, which is often hidden in the depth of settings or depends on the regional version of the firmware. In global versions of MIUI, Xiaomi often replaces the native call with Google Phone, where the algorithms of operation are dictated by Google’s policy, not the smartphone manufacturer. However, in some cases, especially in Chinese or Indian builds, the native feature may be available.
To check, open the Phone app and find the gear icon or three dots in the corner of the screen. Go to Settings and carefully examine the options list. If you're lucky, you'll see Call Record. In this menu, you can activate automatic recording of all incoming and outgoing or select specific numbers from the contact book. The sound quality in this mode is usually the best, since the recording is directly from the system audio stream.
⚠️ Note: If there is no record in the call settings menu, it means that your regional firmware is blocking this feature at the system level.
If the standard method didn't work, don't despair. There are workarounds that bring back this useful option. Often, just changing the region in your smartphone settings is enough, although this trick is becoming less common on global firmware, and it's also worth checking if you have a version of Google's Phone app installed that doesn't have the recording feature in most countries by default.
Setting up Google Phone to record conversations
Since Redmi 9 comes with a shell dominated by Google’s ecosystem, most users use the Google Phone app. Recent updates to the app have a built-in recording feature, but it has one critical feature: when a record is activated, both people hear a loud voice notification “Recording Begins,” a security requirement of Android that cannot be disabled by standard means.
However, for many users, having a notification is an acceptable price to pay for being able to easily save conversations. To activate the feature, open the Google Phone app, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. In the list, find "Record Calls" and turn on the "Always Write" or "Numbers Not in Contacts" switch.
☑️ Setting up Google Phone
It is important to understand the differences between automatic and manual recording in this application. In manual mode, you must press the "Write" button every time you connect, which is inconvenient in stressful situations. Automotive mode is more reliable, but requires getting used to the audible alert. Files are saved in the Phone folder inside internal memory and synced with Google Assistant if the appropriate option is enabled.
Use of third-party recorder applications
If the standard methods do not suit you because of loud notifications or lack of functionality, third-party software comes to the rescue. The Android application market offers many solutions, but not all of them work correctly on the Redmi 9 with its hard battery optimization. The most stable has been the Cube. ACR, Call Recorder - SKVALEX Automatic Call Recorder from Appliqato.
The main difficulty in installing such programs is to provide all the necessary permissions. MIUI can aggressively kill background processes, so after installing the recorder, you need to go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find the installed recorder and allow autorun, work in the background and display on top of other windows. Without this, the record may break or not start at all.
| Annex | Type of record | I need a Root. | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cube ACR | Automatic. | No (App Connector required) | Records messengers (Viber, WhatsApp) |
| SKVALEX | Manual/Car | No (paid version) | High quality, minimum of bugs |
| TapeACall | Through the conference | No. | Paid subscription, recording via server |
| Blackbox | Automatic. | No. | Simple interface, works on Android 10+ |
Special attention should be paid to the application Cube ACR. To work properly on new versions of Android requires the installation of a special auxiliary application (App Connector), which gives access to the audio stream of VoIP and normal calls. Once you install the main application and connector, follow the instructions on the screen to activate the availability service, this will allow you to record not only ordinary calls, but also conversations via Viber, Telegram and WhatsApp.
Why do some apps not record the voice of the person they are talking to?
Solving problems with silence and sound quality
One of the most common problems Redmi 9 users have is recording a conversation where only one person is heard or there is complete silence, which is because the system directs the audio stream to the earpiece speaker, and the microphone is locked to other applications. To fix this, make sure to turn on speaker during the conversation, in which the audio stream becomes available for capture by the microphone, and third-party applications can record both people.
Another important aspect is noise reduction settings. In some cases, aggressive noise cancellation MIUI perceives the voice of the interlocutor as background noise and trims it. Try turning off additional improvements or smart noise cancellation in the audio settings if this option is available in your firmware version. Also make sure that the case does not overlap the bottom microphone located next to the charging connector.
⚠️ Warning: Recording a conversation with the speakerphone on can cause echoes. To minimize this effect, try not to move the phone or create unnecessary noise in the room during the conversation.
If you use a headset, that can change. Bluetooth headsets often have their own codecs and may not stream audio to the recorder app. In such cases, it is recommended to conduct test calls to a friend to check if the voice is recorded in the pair "earphone + phone." For critical conversations, it is better to rely on the built-in feature or speakerphone without a headset.
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To improve the quality of recording through the microphone (when you can not hear the interlocutor), try during the call to move the phone slightly from the ear or use hands-free mode, even if you speak quietly, this will allow the microphone to catch the voice from the speaker.
Where to find and how to manage recorded files
After a successful recording, the question arises: where is the file stored? The path to stored audio depends on the way you used it. For a Xiaomi or Google Phone record, files usually lie in the root folder of internal memory. Open the Explorer, go to the Internal Memory section and find the folder. MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec Or just call.
For third-party applications, the path may be different. For example, Cube ACR creates its Cube ACR folder at the root of the file system. Inside the folder, files are usually sorted by call date and time, which makes it easier to find the desired dialog. The file format is often.mp3 or.m4a, which provides good compatibility with any media player and the ability to quickly transfer through instant messengers.
Recording can also be managed through the Dictophone or Sound Recording app, which is pre-installed on Redmi 9. It often has a Call Record tab where you can listen to, rename or delete unnecessary files. Remember to periodically clear your memory, as long, high-quality conversations can take up a significant amount of space.
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The standard way to call records on Xiaomi Redmi 9: Internal memory. → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. For Google Phone: Internal Memory → Call.
Legal aspects and data security
When using the recording functions, it is important to keep privacy in mind. Recorded files contain personal information, and their leakage can lead to unpleasant consequences. It is recommended to set a password or graphical key to log in to your smartphone, as well as use the “Hide files” function in the folder Explorer for important records. MIUI has a built-in file hiding tool, accessible via swipe down in the Explorer app.
Legally speaking, recording a conversation without warning in most countries can be considered a violation of the law, especially if the recording is planned to be used as evidence in court or is published in the public domain. Always assess the risks before sharing a recorded file. There are generally no restrictions for personal use (for example, to keep an order in mind).
Be careful when transferring files through cloud storage or messengers, make sure you send the file to the right person and that the communication channel is protected, regularly back up important conversations to your computer or external drive so that they do not lose them in the event of a system failure or loss of your phone.