Smartphone owners Xiaomi i Redmi often face the need to maintain an important dialogue, be it an agreement with a client or a conversation with technical support. However, the security policy Android in the latest versions has significantly limited the capabilities of the built-in voice recorder, making the process unobvious for many users. In this article, we will look in detail at how to set up call recording on devices with shell MIUI i HyperOS, what hidden activation methods exist, and what to do if there is no standard function.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that algorithms Google block access of third-party applications to the audio stream during conversation, forcing you to look for workarounds. Previously, the problem was solved by installing any voice recorder from Play Market, but now this often leads to recording silence instead of the interlocutor's voice. We will look at current solutions that work on modern firmware and help you avoid losing valuable information.

Built-in call recording function in MIUI and HyperOS

Company Xiaomi traditionally equips its smartphones with a powerful built-in tool for saving dialogues, which is integrated directly into the Phone application. This is the most reliable method, since it works at the system level and does not require the installation of additional software. However, depending on the firmware region (Global, EEA, Russia) and version Android, this option may be hidden or disabled by default.

To activate standard recording, you need to go to call settings. Open the Phone application, click on the three dots in the upper corner and select Settings. In the menu that opens, find the section Call recording. If you see this item, you are lucky: your version of the software supports the native function without restrictions.

Inside the recording menu, you can configure automatic saving of all incoming and outgoing calls or select specific contacts. The system allows you to store files locally or synchronize them with the cloud. It is important to note that the audio quality when using the built-in method is usually higher than third-party counterparts, since there are no problems with accessing the microphone.

⚠️ Attention: Some European firmware versions (EEA) have removed the call recording feature due to strict GDPR privacy laws. If the “Call Recording” item is not in the menu, then your region is programmatically blocking this feature.

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If the built-in function is there, but does not work, try clearing the cache of the “Phone” application in the smartphone settings: Settings → Applications → All applications → Phone → Clear → Cache.

Activation of hidden recording by changing the region

If there is no recording item in your settings Redmi there is a proven method of bypassing the regional restriction. The essence of the method is to temporarily change the region of the device to a country where call recording is legal and technically permitted, for example, India, Singapore or Russia (depending on the firmware version).

To perform this procedure, go to the main settings of the smartphone, find the section Additional settings and select item Region. In the list of countries, select India or Russia. After changing the region, the interface may change slightly, and the coveted recording option will appear in the call settings.

After activating the function, you can return the region back. In most cases, the recording setting is retained even after returning to the original region, but in rare situations, when updating the system, it may be reset. This method is safe and does not require obtaining root access or unlocking the bootloader.

  • 🌍 Changing the region does not affect the operation of banking applications or geolocation.
  • ⚙️ The recording function becomes available instantly after switching.
  • 🔄 When resetting the settings to factory settings, the region will return to the original one, and the function will have to be enabled again.
📊 Which region did you choose to activate the recording?
India
Russia
Singapore
I have not tried changing the region yet

Using third-party applications for recording

When built-in tools are not available or do not suit their functionality, third-party solutions come to the rescue. However, on Android 11, Android 12 and newer, Google has introduced strict API restrictions, which is why many popular voice recorders record only your voice, and the interlocutor is heard extremely quietly or completely absent.

The most effective solution today is considered to be the application Automatic Call Recorder from Appliqato or Cube ACR. These apps attempt to use special Accessibility Services to intercept the audio stream. For them to work correctly, you need to provide a wide range of permissions, including access to contacts, phone and microphone.

When you first launch such an application, you will be asked to enable the accessibility service in the system settings. Without this step, recording will not be possible. It is also recommended to disable battery optimization for the voice recorder so that the system does not “kill” the recording process in the background. Despite the efforts of the developers, on some models Xiaomi with aggressive energy saving, even these applications may work unstable.

⚠️ Attention: Third-party applications may not record conversations through instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), since they use the Internet channel (VoIP), and not the standard telephone network. To record VoIP, you need special settings inside the voice recorder application itself.

Setting up automatic recording for specific contacts

Manually pressing the record button during a call is not always convenient, especially in stressful situations. It is much more efficient to set up automatic recording for specific numbers or all calls in a row. The built-in voice recorder Xiaomi allows you to flexibly manage these parameters.

In the recording settings menu you will find the “Automatic recording” switch. Once activated, you can select the “All numbers” or “Selected numbers” mode. In the second case, a list of contacts opens, where you mark the people you need. This is useful if you want to save only conversations with your boss or delivery services, without clogging up your memory with unnecessary files.

The function of playing back the recording immediately after the call ends is also available. This allows you to instantly verify that the dialogue was saved correctly. Files are saved in the internal memory in a folder MIUI/sound_recorder/call_rec, from where they can be easily found through any file manager.

☑️ Setting up automatic recording

Done: 0 / 4

Solving problems with quality and lack of sound

Users often complain that after the update Android the recording has become quiet or the voice of the interlocutor disappears. This is due to changes in Google's security policy, which prohibits access to the voice stream during a call for all applications except system ones. If you use third-party software, the problem most likely lies there.

To improve the quality of recording through third-party applications, try changing the sound source in the voice recorder settings. Go through the options: Microphone, Voice call, VoIP. Sometimes turning on the speakerphone during a call helps - in this case, the microphone will pick up the voice of the interlocutor through the speaker, although the quality will be lower.

If the problem occurs in the built-in voice recorder, check if the “Noise Reduction” mode is enabled in the sound settings, which may mistakenly classify the interlocutor's voice as background noise and drown it out. Also make sure that the latest firmware version is installed on your smartphone, since engineers Xiaomi regularly release patches that correct the operation of the audio module.

Recording method Sound quality Setting up complexity Works on Android 13+
Built-in voice recorder High Low Depends on region
Change region High Medium Works stably
Third-party applications Low/Medium High Frequent failures
Speakerphone + voice recorder Low Low Always works
Why does Google block call recording?

Google argues this is to protect user privacy. In some US states and EU countries, recording a call without warning the interlocutor is illegal, so the company restricts access to the API at the operating system level for all manufacturers.

When using the call recording feature, it is important to be aware of the laws of your country. In Russia, for example, you have the right to record your conversations for personal use, but cannot distribute them or use them as evidence in court without notarizing the wiretap procedure. Other jurisdictions require mandatory warning of the interlocutor about the recording.

Recording files take up space in the internal memory. One minute of conversation in good quality can weigh from 500 KB to 1 MB. If you enable automatic recording of all calls, your smartphone's memory may quickly fill up. It is recommended to periodically transfer archives to a computer or cloud storage.

Recordings are deleted in the standard way through the Voice Recorder application or a file manager. Be careful: deleted files do not end up in the Recycle Bin and are difficult to recover. Before clearing memory, make sure that there are no important agreements among the entries.

⚠️ Attention: The MIUI and HyperOS interface is constantly updated. The location of menu items may vary slightly on different models (Redmi Note, Xiaomi Mi, Poco). If you do not find the described setting, use the search in the settings menu by entering the word “Recording”.

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The most reliable way to record calls on Xiaomi is to use the built-in function, activated by changing the region to India or Russia, since third-party applications on new versions of Android are unstable.

Why after Android update, call recording disappeared?

Google has tightened its security policy in Android 11 and higher, prohibiting third-party applications from accessing the audio stream during a call. If you are missing native recording, the update may have come from an global region (EEA) where this feature is prohibited by law. The solution is to change the region in the settings.

Is it possible to record WhatsApp conversations on Xiaomi?

The built-in Xiaomi voice recorder does not record calls via instant messengers. This requires special applications like Cube ACR with the VoIP recording option enabled, but their effectiveness is not guaranteed on all versions of Android due to traffic encryption.

Where are the files of recorded conversations stored?

By default, the files are saved in the internal memory along the path: Internal memory → MIUI → sound_recorder → call_rec. You can also find them through the “Voice Recorder” application in the “Phone” tab.

Will the interlocutor hear the recording signal?

The built-in Xiaomi voice recorder works It is silent and does not produce any beeps or voice warnings to the other party. Third-party applications also usually do not make sounds, but may show a notification in the status bar.