Where Xiaomi writes a recording of a conversation: a full search for files

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to save an important conversation, but after a call they can not find the saved file. This is a common situation, since the structure of the file system in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS has its own peculiarities. By default, the system hides audio recordings in the depths of the system folders so that the user does not accidentally delete important data.

Understanding where a device stores audio is critical to quickly accessing information or transferring files to a computer. Depending on the version of the Android operating system and the firmware version, the path may vary slightly. In this article, we will discuss all possible layouts and ways to customize this process.

It is worth noting that modern versions of Android (11, 12, 13 and above) have imposed strict restrictions on file access, which means that the standard path can be hidden from third-party applications.

Standard path to the folder with records in the system

By default, all audio recordings of phone conversations on Xiaomi devices are stored in internal memory. If you use Google's standard Phone app or built-in dialer MIUI, The system creates a special hidden directory, and most often the path is this:/MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec.

However, in the newer versions of the shell, which use a file system with delimited access rights, the path may change. Audio files can move to the system folder Android/data/com.android.dialer/files/recordings. Access to this directory is limited, and when you connect your phone to your computer via USB in file transfer mode, you may not see it without special permissions.

⚠️ Note: When you try to go to the folder Android/data Android 11 And above, through third-party file managers (like Total Commander), you can see the empty folder.

To quickly navigate to the right directory, you can use the built-in Explorer app. Search files by.m4a or.mp3 (depending on the quality settings), and the system will show all the audio files of conversations found.

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The standard path is most often found in a folder. MIUI/sound_recorder, But on new Android, it can be hidden in the system partition of data.

How to find a record through embedded applications

You don't have to go into the wilds of a file system to listen to or copy a conversation, and the MIUI and HyperOS shells have easy access through the Dictator app or directly through the call log, and it's the fastest way to find a specific conversation that's tied to a contact.

If you need to find a file through a call log, the algorithm is simple: Open the Phone app, go to the Journal tab or History tab, find the right contact or number, to the right of which is a voice recorder icon or a small recording icon, and click on it, you open the player for listening.

• 📞 Open the call log and find the number with the record icon.
• 🎙️ Click on the voice recorder icon for instant playback.
• 📂 Click the “More” button (three dots) and select “Send” or “Info” to see the path to the file.
• 📤 Use the Share feature to send a file to the messenger or cloud.

And all the records are duplicated in the Dictator app, and you run it, and at the top of the screen you'll see a category switch, and you'll select Call Record, and you'll see a list of all the saved dialogs sorted by date, and you can edit, crop, or delete any unnecessary snippets.

Configure the save path and the recording format

Users often wonder if it is possible to change the place where Xiaomi writes a recording of a conversation, for example, by transferring it immediately to the Internet. SD-Unfortunately, this is not the option in the standard phone settings, and the system tightly regulates the way you save it to ensure stability and data security.

However, you can adjust the format and the quality of the recording. To do this, go to the Dictator app, click on the menu (three bars or dots) and select Settings. Here you can access the recording quality settings. Choosing higher quality will increase the file size but improve speech legibility, which is important for legal evidence or important agreements.

The way to settings: recorder → menu → settings → recording quality

If your phone supports installing apps from unknown sources, you can use third-party call recording software that allows you to flexibly configure the save path, but you can’t change the directory from internal memory to a flash drive with regular means.

⚠️ Note: Using third-party apps to record calls on Android 10+ Xiaomi's recorder may not work properly due to system limitations.

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If your phone’s memory is crowded, regularly transfer old conversation records to your computer or cloud storage, as they take up a significant amount of storage.

Problems with access to files on Android 11, 12, 13+

Since the eleventh version of Android, Google has implemented a Scoped Storage policy, which means that applications and even the user themselves are restricted from accessing system folders, which is why many users cannot find the folder. call_rec When connecting a smartphone to a computer.

To get around this limitation and access files to copy, you can use the built-in file sharing tool over Wi-Fi. In the Explorer app on your phone, click on Deleted or Network Access, create a port and enter the browser address on your computer. In this mode, file system restrictions often don't work, and you see all the folders.

• 📶 Turn on Wi-Fi on your phone and computer on the same network.
• 📂 Open Explorer on Xiaomi and select Network Access».
• 💻 Enter the displayed address (for example, ftp://192.168.1.5:2121) Windows address bar.
• 📥 Copy files from the folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec hard-drive.

Alternatively, use a USB cable. When connecting, select File Transfer (MTP) mode. If the Android/data folder isn't displayed or empty, try using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) program on your computer to access the file system directly, but that requires command line skills.

Table: File location depending on MIUI version

The file layout may vary depending on which firmware version is installed on your device. Global (Global) and China (CN) versions may also have different directory structures.

As you can see from the table, with the update of the operating system, the path becomes less obvious to the average user. If you have fresh HyperOS firmware based on Android 14, expect direct access through the Internet. USB-cable to the folder with records is not worth it - it is easier to use cloud services or Wi-Fi transmission.

Synchronization and backup of records

To avoid worrying about keeping important conversations safe when changing your phone or accidentally resetting your settings, it’s recommended to set up automatic synchronization. Xiaomi offers its own Mi Cloud, which can automatically download recordings of the recorder.

To activate this feature, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud. Make sure the Dictator switch is activated. In this case, all new recordings will be automatically sent to the cloud. However, it is worth remembering that only 5 GB is available for free, and high-quality audio recordings can quickly exhaust this limit.

The alternative is to use third-party cloud storage, such as Google Drive or Yandex.Disk. In the settings of these applications, you can enable the autoboot function for a particular folder. If you manually move entries from the system folder to the Documents folder or create a special folder «Call_Backup», The cloud service will automatically copy new files there.

⚠️ Note: When synchronized via Mi Cloud, records may only be available for 30 days in the cart or have storage time limits, check the current service rules.

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