“Call recording is not available where you are” on Xiaomi: how to remove the restriction and return the feature

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the message “Call recording is not available where you are” when trying to activate the built-in conversation recording feature, a problem typical of devices with global MIUI firmware (especially in the EU, India and Russia markets) and due to legal restrictions, not technical problems. In 2026, the situation became more complicated, the manufacturer tightened control over the feature due to the requirements of GDPR and local privacy laws.

Many users mistakenly believe that the message appears due to a software failure or regional settings. SIM-In fact, the root of the problem lies in Xiaomi’s policy: the company blocks the recording of calls at the firmware level for countries where legislation prohibits or restricts the recording of conversations without the consent of the interlocutor. And the function is physically present in the system, and it's just hidden from the user, and we'll figure out how to get around the restriction legally and without risking the guarantee.

Important: All of the methods described are MIUI 14/15 and are relevant for the Redmi Note 12/13, POCO X5/F5, Xiaomi 13/14 and other Android 13/14 devices. Older versions (e.g. MIUI 12) may require additional steps.

Why Xiaomi is blocking call recordings in some countries

The main reason for the restriction is legal requirements, and the European Union, Russia and several Asian countries have laws regulating the recording of telephone conversations:

• 📜 GDPR (EU: Recording conversations without the consent of the interlocutor is considered a violation of the right to privacy (Article 7.
• 📄 152-FZ (Russia): Requires the second person to be notified about the recording. Xiaomi's built-in feature does not provide for this, so it is disabled.
• 🌍 Local laws: India, Singapore and the UAE also have similar restrictions, but with varying degrees of severity.

Technically, the lock is implemented through region_lock It's a firmware system that defines the country by:

1. IMEI devices (linked to the region of sale).
2. SIM-map (operator and country code).
3. Language and region settings in MIUI.

Interesting fact: on devices for the Chinese market (China ROM), call recording is unlimited, as local law does not prohibit it, but such firmware is not certified for use outside of China and can cause problems with Google services.

Official ways to enable call recording (without risk to warranty)

If you don’t want to resort to “grey” methods, try the legal options:

1. Use the Mi Recorder app (available on Google Play), which integrates with the system call and records conversations in the background. Minus: requires manual triggering before each call.

MIUI 15

Xiaomi 13T Pro

).

⚠️ Note: When using Google Phone, recorded files are stored in the Google cloud. Make sure you have enough space in Google Drive, otherwise the records can be automatically deleted.

Install Google Phone from Play Market|

Make it the default app |

Enable entry in Google Phone | settings

Check the free space in Google Drive-->

Informal methods: circumventing regional constraints

If the official methods didn’t work, you can try to bypass the lock through system settings, all of the methods below require administrator or unlocked bootloader rights, which can void the warranty.

Method 1: Redesigning the region through ADB

This method works on MIUI 14/15 without root rights, but requires a connection to a PC:

adb shell settings put global hidden_api_policy 1


adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.Settings$DevelopmentSettingsActivity




adb shell settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0

After the commands are executed:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Region.
2. Select the country where entry is allowed (such as Indonesia or Thailand).
3. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: After changing the region, some local services (for example, Yandex.Mail or SberBank Online) may disappear. You can return the original settings through resetting to Settings → System system → Resetting settings.

Method 2: Installation of modified firmware

For experienced users, MIUI EU or Xiaomi.eu firmware is suitable, where call recording is unlocked by default.

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (requires a Mi Account and wait 7 days).
2. Download MIUI EU for your model from Xiaomi.eu.
3. Fastboot or TWRP (instructions are available on the 4PDA forum).

If nothing helps, try:

1. Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
2. Install Magisk and Call Recorder Enabler (requires root).
3. Contact Xiaomi to unlock the feature (indicate that you are using your phone for business).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions