How to increase the volume of recording from a voice recorder on a Xiaomi phone

The problem of silent recording on Xiaomi smartphones is familiar to many users, especially owners of budget models Redmi and POCO. Often after an important lecture, meeting or interview when listening to a file, it becomes obvious that the voice is barely distinguishable against the background of noise, this may be due to the software limitations of the shell MIUI or HyperOS, as well as the physical characteristics of the built-in microphone.

Fortunately, there are many ways to fix this without losing quality, and in this guide, we will discuss both the standard settings and the use of third-party software that allows you to bypass the system limits of signal gain.

Before you go to any drastic measures, you should check the basic parameters of the device, sometimes the reason is the banal locking of the microphone with a cover or contamination of the hole, make sure that the microphone hole is free and there is nothing to prevent the capture of sound.

Checking hardware limitations and cleaning the microphone

The first step should always be to diagnose the physical condition of the device. Xiaomi smartphones usually have several microphones: the main one for conversations, the additional one for noise cancellation and for recording video. The recorder most often uses the main or bottom microphone located on the end of the case.

Accumulation of dust, pile from clothing or pocket dust in the speaker and microphone grid can reduce sensitivity by 30-40%. Carefully clean the holes with a soft dry brush. Do not use sharp objects so as not to damage the membrane.

Also worth noting is the protective case. Some silicone bumpers have irregular cut-out geometry, blocking the access of sound. Remove the case and test recording. If the volume is increased, the problem is solved by replacing the accessory.

• 🧹 Carefully clean the bottom of the smartphone with a soft brush from dust.
• 📱 Remove the protective case and check the record without it.
• 🔍 Visually inspect the microphone grid for contamination.
• 🎤 Conduct a test using a headset to compare quality.

⚠️ Warning: Never blow heavily into a microphone or use high-pressure compressed air – this can damage the sensitive membrane inside the enclosure.

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Use the “Listen” feature in the audio settings to check the microphone performance in real time before recording an important event.

Settings of the built-in Dictaphone application in MIUI

The Mi Recorder app has hidden potential that not everyone knows about, and in the latest versions of the MIUI shell, developers have added the ability to choose the type of recording that directly affects the final volume and frequency range.

To access advanced settings, open the app and click on the three dots in the top right corner. Select Record Settings. Here you are interested in Record Type or Quality. The default is often Standard, which compresses the audio file heavily, cutting down the quiet frequencies.

Change the regime to HD-This will increase the file size but retain dynamic range, allowing later software to raise the volume without wheezing, and check if the Noise Suppression option is enabled. In quiet rooms, it is better to turn it off, since noise reduction algorithms often “eat” a quiet voice along with a background hum.

Another important parameter is the sound source. In some versions of the firmware, you can choose the priority microphone. If you hold the phone in your hand, choose the main microphone. If the phone is on the table far from the speaker, try to switch the source, although in most Xiaomi models this parameter is hidden from the user.

Use of third-party applications for recording

If standard tools don’t give the desired result, it makes sense to turn to specialized software from Google Play. Third-party voice recorders often have their own audio processing algorithms and allow you to manually adjust the gain (Gain) before recording.

One of the best solutions is the Easy Voice Recorder or RecForge II app, and you can find the Microphone Gain slider in the settings of these programs, which allows you to record sound much louder than the default system does.

But there's a caveat: Excessive digital amplification leads to digital distortion (clipping), the sound becomes sharp and unpleasant, and the optimal amplification is between +3 dB and +6 dB, which gives you a volume gain, but keeps your speech intelligible.

• 📲 Download Easy Voice Recorder from Play Market.
• ⚙️ Go to the quality settings (hamburger menu).
• 🎚️ Find the Microphone Gain slider and install it +4 dB.
• 💾 Choose the format WAV for minimal loss of quality.

Also worth paying attention to the Dolby On app. It automatically analyzes the environment and applies equalizer and compression profiles, which makes a quiet voice denser and louder at the time of recording.

Comparison of recording formats and their impact on sound

Choosing a file format is not just a matter of compatibility, but also a key factor for quiet entries. Different codecs handle dynamic range differently. Xiaomi is characterized by using AAC or MP3 by default, which is not always effective.

Let’s look at the main formats available in Android apps:

When recording silent events, always choose WAV or FLAC. Even if the file will take up 5-10 times more space, the ability to process it well is worth it. MP3 irretrievably loses information about quiet sounds during the encoding process.

⚠️ Attention: Files in format WAV It takes about 10MB per minute to write. Make sure your Xiaomi device has enough free memory before starting a long conference.

Software enhancement of already recorded files

If you've already recorded it and it's too quiet, don't despair. There are effective post-processing methods that can raise the volume to an acceptable level, and you can do it right on your phone or on your computer.

For fast processing on your smartphone, use editorial applications such as Lexis Audio Editor or WaveEditor. Import a file, select Amplify or Normalize. Normalization will automatically raise the volume level to the highest possible level without distortion (usually up to -1 dB).

A more advanced method is to use a compressor, compression reduces the difference between the loudest and the quietest sounds, and once compressed, the overall volume can be raised, and the quiet voice can be heard, and the peaks will not wheez.

Recommended compression settings for speech:


Threshold: -20 dB




Ratio: 3-1 or 4-1




Attack: 10 ms




Release: 100 ms




Makeup Gain: +5 dB

You can do this in the free Audacity program on your PC. Just drag and drop a file, apply the "Compressor" effect, and then "Amplify," and the result is very different from just twisting a volume slider in a player.

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Normalization is the safest way to amplify a record, as it automatically calculates the maximum possible level of amplification without distortion.

Technical life hacks to improve recording

In addition to the software settings, there are physical techniques that significantly improve the quality of sound capture on Xiaomi.

Always place the microphone closer to the source of the sound. If you're recording a lecture in the audience, sit in the front row. If you're recording an interview, hold the phone no more than 15-20 cm from the mouth of the person, pointing the bottom end of the device towards him.

Use external microphones. Xiaomi smartphones support connectivity USB-microphone OTG or loop through a 3.5 mm connector (if any) or Type-C. Even an inexpensive loop will give an increase in quality and volume, which is impossible to obtain by software methods.

• 🎤 Use a loop microphone for a long distance interview.
• 📏 Keep your phone no further than 20cm from the speaker.
• 🔌 Connect the outside. USB-microphone OTG-cable.
• 🚫 Avoid recording in rooms with echoes (empty halls).

It also helps to make an improvised reflector, so if you're recording sound in a noisy place, you can cover your phone and the sound source with a blanket or a jacket, leaving a hole for air, and this creates a less noise-free acoustic zone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)