How to record a phone conversation on a Xiaomi smartphone: all ways with instructions

Recording phone conversations on Xiaomi is a challenge that users face for a variety of reasons, from storing important business information to capturing evidence in controversial situations. However, the standard capabilities of MIUI are not always obvious, and in some regions the call recording function is completely hidden due to legal restrictions. In this article, we will examine all the current ways to record conversations on Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi devices, from embedded tools to third-party applications, including bypassing regional locks.

It is important to understand that the legislation of many countries (including Russia) requires the consent of the interlocutor to record a conversation, the use of recordings in court or public space without permission can entail legal liability.

This article is relevant for all modern Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS, including the Redmi Note 12/13, POCO X5/F5, Xiaomi 13/14 and others. If your device runs on pure Android (for example, Xiaomi A3), some methods may not work – we will also mention this separately.

1. Built-in call recording in MIUI: where to look and how to turn on

On most Xiaomi smartphones, the conversation recording feature is integrated into the standard Phone app, but its availability depends on the region of the firmware, for example, on devices for the Indian or Chinese market, the option is available by default, and in European and Russian versions it can be hidden.

To check for the presence of an embedded record:

• 📱 Open the phone application and dial the number to call.
• 🔍 During the conversation, pay attention to the screen: if there is a “Record” button at the bottom or top (usually with a microphone icon), the function is active.
• ⚙️ If there is no button, go to Settings. → Annexes → Phone. → Record calls and turn on the option.

If Call Record is not in the settings, your firmware does not support out-of-the-box, and one of the alternative methods described below will help.

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro) the built-in recording is only for incoming calls. Outgoing conversations are recorded only through third-party applications.

Where are the recorded files stored? By default, they are saved in a folder. /sdcard/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec/. The files are.amr or.mp3 and named by template: Recording_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_phone number.amr.

2. How to unlock hidden call recording via Engineering Mode

If your firmware has a recording feature disabled at the regional settings level, it can be activated via the Engineering Mode, which works on most Xiaomi devices with Qualcomm processors (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO F3).

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##.
2. In the menu that appears, select Usage statistics (or Usage Statistics).
3. Slip on the three-point menu in the upper right corner and select Call recording.
4. Activate the Enable Call Recording Switch.
5. Reboot your smartphone.

After the reboot, the Phone app should have a write button. If the combination ##4636### doesn't work, try the alternative code:

#36446337## (for MediaTek processor devices)
#83781## (for some POCO models)

Enable Developer Mode (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps)

Check the processor model (Qualcomm/MediaTek)

Make a backup copy of the data

Charge your phone at least 50 times%-->

⚠️ Attention: Changes in the engineering menu can lead to unstable operation of the phone. If after activating the recording there are problems with the connection (for example, lost sound in the speaker), reset the network settings in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

3. Third-party applications for recording: TOP-5 tested

If the built-in methods don't work, third-party apps come to the rescue, and we've selected the 5 most reliable solutions that are compatible with Xiaomi and do not require root rights, all of which are available on Google Play, but some may require additional permissions.

Before installing any app, check it is compatible with your Xiaomi model.For example, Boldbeast requires manual configuration for devices on MediaTek, and Cube ACR may not record conversations on Redmi 9A due to processor limitations.

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If the app doesn't record the audio of the other person, try to enable the "Use an alternative audio source" option in its settings. On some Xiaomi, this solves the problem.

4. Record conversations via Google Voice (for users in the U.S. and other regions)

Google Voice offers legal incoming call recording, but is only available to users with accounts registered in supported countries (US, Canada, etc.) If you have one, you can use it to record conversations even on Xiaomi.

How to set up:

1. Install the Google Voice app from Google Play.
2. Register or log in to an account with support for the service.
3. Go to Settings → Calls → Call options.
4. Activate the incoming call record.
5. During the conversation, press 4 on the keyboard - the system will notify the interlocutor about the start of recording.

Important: Google Voice only records incoming calls, can’t record them, and it automatically suspends the recording if the person you’re talking to doesn’t agree (some countries require it).

The records are stored in a Google account and are available for download in.mp3 format. The maximum duration of one record is 1.5 hours. For Xiaomi, this method is suitable if you need legal recording of conversations with the notification of the other party.

5. Recording through the second SIM-card

If software methods are not suitable (for example, due to legal restrictions), you can use hardware bypass: recording the conversation through the second SIM-This method does not require software installation and works on any Xiaomi models, including Black Shark.

Implementation options:

• 📞 Conference: Add a second caller (from another phone) and record the sound through it. Minus - the interlocutor will hear the voice of the second participant.
• 🎧 Headphones with microphone: Connect to Xiaomi a headset with a recording device (for example, Sony) ICD-UX570) and record the sound manually.
• 📱 Second smartphone: Put a second phone next to you with the voice recorder running, and the recording quality will be worse, but it works without installing the software.

To improve the quality of recording when using the second phone:

• Place both devices in a quiet room.
• Use a noise-canceling voice recorder app (such as Smart Recorder).
• Adjust the sensitivity of the microphone manually (in the settings of the recorder).

6.Legal aspects: when recording a conversation is legal

In Russia, the recording of telephone conversations is regulated by Article 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Violation of the secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations”) and the Federal Law. № 149-FZ (On information, information technologies and information protection:

• ⚖️ Recording of conversation without the consent of the interlocutor is allowed only if you are a participant in the conversation and the recording is for personal use (without distribution of information).
• 📢 Public distribution of the record (including courts, social networks, messengers) requires the written consent of all participants in the conversation.
• 🛡️ In disputable situations (e.g. threats, blackmail), the record may be used as evidence, but the court may request confirmation of its authenticity.

In other countries, the rules differ:

• 🇺🇸 In the United States, the principle of “one-party consent” is valid – at least one participant in the conversation is enough (in most states).
• 🇪🇺 All parties must agree to the agreement (regulations) GDPR).
• 🇨🇳 Recording conversations without consent is prohibited in China and may be criminally liable.

If you plan to use the recording in court or to resolve a conflict, consult a lawyer in advance, and in some cases it is better to warn the interlocutor about the recording, this will save you from accusations of violation of the law.

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Even if the recording of the conversation is legal, its distribution without the consent of the interlocutor can be qualified as a violation of the right to privacy (Article 152.2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When you record a conversation on Xiaomi, users encounter common mistakes, and we've compiled the most common ones and how to fix them.

If none of the methods worked, check to see if the recording is blocked by an antivirus or firewall.On some Xiaomi firmware (e.g. MIUI Global), built-in security tools can interfere with third-party recorders.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions