Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have long been universal tools that replace many individual gadgets, including professional voice recorders. The built-in Mi Recorder app has a wide range of features that allow not only recording high-quality audio but also editing the received files directly on the device. However, users often face a situation when they find that at the beginning or end of the track there are unnecessary noises, pauses or unnecessary conversations that need to be deleted.
The process of editing audio on the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS is implemented quite conveniently, but has its own features that distinguish it from working in third-party applications. The standard interface offers basic tools for cropping (trimming), which make it easy to cut off unnecessary fragments without losing the quality of the main audio. Understanding the logic of working with a timeline and markers will help you quickly bring any file in order, whether it is a lecture, interview or a personal note.
In this article, we will discuss how to remove a recording from a Xiaomi phone recorder using only the standard tools of the system. We will examine the algorithm of actions for different versions of the firmware, discuss the nuances of saving changes, and pay attention to the important limitations that every smartphone owner should know about.
Interface and capabilities of a staff dictaphone
The Dictophone app in Xiaomi smartphones is a system component deeply integrated into the shell.This means that it has low-level access to the microphone, which ensures minimal latency and high recording quality even while other background processes are working. The application interface has undergone changes from version to version, but the basic structure has remained unchanged: the record list, the record control button and the editing toolbar.
When you open a specific file from the list, the system offers you a few actions. The focus is on playback, but that's where the content functionality is hidden. In older versions of MIUI, editing tools could be hidden in an additional menu, whereas in current versions of HyperOS, the edit button is often prominently displayed or available through a swipe. The key here is the visualization of the sound wave, which allows you to visually assess the volume and the presence of pauses.
It is worth noting that the functionality may vary depending on the regional version of the firmware (Global, China, EEA). In some Chinese versions, the functionality is extended with transcription capabilities that are not yet available globally. However, the basic audio cropping feature is present in all versions. If you do not find the right buttons, make sure that the application is updated to the latest version through the GetApps store or Google Play.
⚠️ Warning: Before you start any manipulation of files, make sure you have a copy of the original. editing with saving over the original file may make it impossible to restore the deleted part.
For comfortable work with audio, it is recommended to use the horizontal orientation of the screen if the application supports rotation, or simply take into account that on a small screen the wave detail will be lower. The accuracy of installing crop markers depends on how much detail you see the graph of the amplitude of the sound.
Preparation for editing: search and selection of a file
Before you start deleting a piece of a record, you need to find the file you want in a vast list that can take months to form. The Dictator app sorts records by date of creation, with the most recent ones usually at the top of the list. However, if you're actively recording lectures or meetings, it can be inconvenient to navigate only by date. The system allows you to rename files, which is good practice for quick navigation.
The file is selected by a simple tap by its name in the general list. Once opened, you'll see a player with playback, rewind and timer controls. This is where you can navigate to editing tools. Depending on the version of the interface, the button can be called Edit, Cut, or have a scissor icon. Sometimes this feature is hidden in a menu marked with three dots or horizontal bars in the corner of the screen.
It's important to understand the difference between deleting the file itself from the list and deleting part of it. Clicking on the basket icon in the shared list will completely erase the record. We need to go inside the file. If you accidentally delete the entire file, immediately check the Recycle Bin folder in the Files app or in the settings of the recorder itself, where remote objects can be stored for up to 30 days.
For users working with large volumes of audio, a useful feature is the ability to sort records by length or size. This helps you quickly find long interviews where the probability of having extra snippets is higher. Also pay attention to the file format (usually.m4a or.mp3), as some old editing methods may have depended on the codec, although the modern Xiaomi voice recorder works with them uniformly.
Step-by-step instructions: how to cut the record
Once you open the audio file and find the edit button (often a pencil or scissor icon), you will see a trimmer interface, visualize a sound track that is limited on both sides by sliders, these sliders represent the beginning and end of the fragment being saved, and anything outside the area between the sliders will be removed when saved.
The action algorithm is simple enough, but it requires precision in positioning the boundaries. First, play the recording to roughly determine the moments to be cut off. Then stop the playback and drag the left slider to the point where the final recording should begin. Similarly, do the right slider to mark the end of useful audio. When moving the sliders, the system usually plays a small fragment, helping to accurately get into the desired phrase.
☑️ The dictaphone trimming algorithm
Special attention should be paid to the accuracy of setting the boundaries. The finger on the screen closes part of the view, so it is better to use short swipes to fine-tune the slider. If you accidentally moved the slider in the wrong direction, do not rush to cancel the action — just put it back in place. Some versions of the application allow you to scale the timeline with a pinch, which makes it much easier to work with long recordings, where seconds on the screen take only a few pixels.
Once you have set boundaries, be sure to listen to the selected snippet. Press the play button in edit mode. You will only hear the part that remains after cropping. Make sure that the important opening phrase is not cut off or, on the contrary, there is no unnecessary noise at the end. If you are satisfied with the result, click on the Save or Ready button. The system will suggest saving changes to the current file or creating a new copy - choose the second option for security.
| Action. | Control element | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Start of pruning | Left slider | Removing the start of the file to a point |
| End of pruning | Right slider | Removing the end of the file after the dot |
| Listen. | Play button | Checking the selected fragment |
| Save. | OK/Ready button | Fixing changes |
Removing the middle of the record: cutting out a fragment
The situation when you need to delete not the beginning or end, but the middle of the recording (for example, a prolonged pause or an extraneous conversation in the center of the lecture) is more difficult to solve, since the standard interface of the Xiaomi voice recorder is focused primarily on trimming the edges (Trim).
The method is to cut and save copies in sequence, first you crop the file, leaving only the first part (until the unnecessary fragment), and save it as File Part 1. Then you go back to the original (or cancel the action if the application allows the story) and crop the second part (after the unnecessary fragment), saving it as File Part 2. After that you will need a third-party audio editor or online service to glue the two parts, or you can just use them as is.