Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the need to find a saved conversation, which may be necessary to restore important information, confirm agreements or simply archive personal conversations. The standard set of features of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS provides automatic storage of audio files, but their location is not always obvious to the average user.
The Android system logic on the Chinese giant’s devices is designed to protect user data from accidental deletion while providing quick access. The path to files can vary depending on the operating system version and the settings of the Phone app itself. Understanding the directory structure will allow you to effectively manage the device’s memory.
In this article, we will discuss in detail where to look for audio archives, how to reconfigure their storage to an external drive, and what to do if standard search methods do not give results.
The Standard Way to Record Audio in Internal Memory
By default, all conversation records are stored in the internal storage of the smartphone, which is designed to ensure system performance and data security, and if you've never changed the default settings, your files are on a strictly defined path, which is the same for most modern models of the brand.
To find the file you want, you need to open any file manager, like a standard Explorer or a third-party Total Commander. You need to go to the root directory of the internal drive. Next, the sequence of folders will look like this: first the directory opens. MIUI, later sound_recorder, finally — call_rec. This is where all your dialogues are.
💡
Use File Search in Explorer by entering the.mp3 or.m4a extension to instantly filter out the extra contents of the folder.
It is important to note that in older versions of the shell MIUI The structure may have been different. Previously, files were often placed directly in a folder. MIUI/sound_recorder non-additional catalogue call_rec. If there are no files in the above path, check the parent directory.
Files usually have automatic numbering or date in the title, which makes it easier to find a specific conversation. However, the system does not always sort them chronologically in the list, so it is better to use the "change date" sorting function in the conductor itself.
Storage features on different versions of MIUI and HyperOS
The evolution of the shell is making its own adjustments to the organization of the file system. With the release of HyperOS and the updated versions of Android 13/14, Google has tightened security policies, which also affected access to system folders, which led to changes in the way applications interact with storage.
On new devices, the path can be hidden from easy viewing if the file manager does not have the appropriate permissions. In some cases, the system offers special access to Android folders, a protective mechanism that prevents malware from accessing your personal conversations.
Why did the MIUI file go missing?
Users who have switched from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14 or HyperOS may notice that the familiar path has become unavailable for some third-party applications. Xiaomi's standard Explorer still sees these files without problems, but when connected to a computer via USB, the structure may appear differently.
Regional features of firmware should also be considered in global versions (Global) ROM) The folder structure is strictly enforced (CN ROM) The paths may differ with the established Russian language, for example, a record folder was used instead of a record folder. sound_recorder.
Configure the preservation of records on SD-map
Talk audio recordings, especially in high-quality formats, can take up a significant amount of memory, which over time leads to a lack of free space in the internal drive, and fortunately, the system allows you to redirect the flow of stored files to the microSD memory card.
To do this, you need to open the Phone app (green handset). Click on the three dots in the upper right corner or the menu button, then select Settings. Find Call Record and go to Record Settings. Here you will find the option "Remember to write."
☑️ Set up the record SD-map
Once switched to a memory card, all new conversations will automatically be stored in a similar folder structure, but on an external medium: MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec, The root directory will change from the internal memory to the SD-map.
⚠️ Attention: If you extract SD-The map or it will fail, new records will no longer be created, and old ones will become unavailable for listening through the standard phone interface.
Using an external drive also makes it easier to back up, so you can just pull out the card and copy the files to your computer without having to plug in the phone itself with cables, which is especially useful when you archive large amounts of data regularly.
Use of Third-Party File Managers
Xiaomi’s standard Explorer is functional, but sometimes third-party solutions provide more flexible tools for working with files. Apps like X-plore, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer allow you to see hidden files and have a more powerful built-in player.
When you first run a manager on a new version of Android, the system will ask permission to access all files, a mandatory procedure without which the application will not be able to display the contents of the MIUI folder. Without this access, you will see only an empty screen or a limited set of folders.
| Manager | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Conductor | Built-in, fast access | Limited functionality |
| X-plore | Two-panel mode, access to the cloud | A complex interface for beginners |
| Files by Google | Cleaning up garbage, simple design | Fewer display settings |
Third-party managers often let you sort files not just by date, but by size or type, which helps you quickly find the "heavy" entries that take up the most space and delete them if necessary.
Problems with access and application rights
A common problem users face is the inability to find a folder or open a file. This is often due to Google's privacy policy update. Starting with Android 11, access to Android/data and Android/obb folders (where data sometimes migrates) is limited to third-party applications.
However, the MIUI folder is usually at the root and should not be blocked. If you can't see the files, check if they are hidden. In the Explorer settings, the option "Show hidden files" should be activated. Also make sure that the call record is even enabled in the phone settings.
⚠️ Warning: Some antivirus applications may block access to system folders with audio, considering mass reading of files suspicious activity.
If you are using cloud sync Mi Cloud or Google Drive, check their status. Files can be automatically deleted from the device after successfully uploading to the cloud, provided the appropriate storage optimization option is enabled.
File formats and compatibility
Xiaomi conversation records can be saved in a variety of formats, most commonly.mp3 or.m4a (AAC). The format choice depends on the recording quality settings and the operating system version. The.m4a format provides better quality with a smaller file size, but may not play on very old computers without codecs.
Modern versions of MIUI use.m4a by default to save space. If you want a universal format, you can use a converter, although this is rarely necessary, since most modern players support both formats.
💡
The M4A format is the standard for modern smartphones, providing the optimal balance between sound quality and memory.
When transferring files via messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), audio quality can be compressed. For transferring archived records, it is better to send them as a “File” rather than as “Audio” to preserve the original quality and metadata.
Recovering Deleted Records of Conversations
Accidental deletion of important files is a bad situation, and if you cleared the basket in the conductor or deleted the file without it, the chances of recovery are there, but they depend on the time since the deletion, and the fewer write operations you perform after deletion, the higher the probability of success.
To start, check the Recycle Bin folder in a standard Explorer. Files are stored there for usually 30 days. If it is empty, use specialized software for PCs, such as Dr.Fone or DiskDigger (requires root rights for deep scanning).
Also worth checking backups. If you have Google Drive or Mi Cloud sync enabled, the file may be there. In Google Drive, check the Backups section, and in the Xiaomi ecosystem, the cloud gallery or voice recorder if you have synced.
⚠️ Warning: Do not write new data to your phone (do not shoot videos, do not download games) if you plan to restore deleted files. New information can overwrite memory sectors where deleted records were stored.