How to make a call on a Xiaomi phone: from standard tunes to custom ringtones

Have you just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone and want to personalize it? Or are you tired of the standard ringtone that is no different from millions of other phones? Installing a unique ringtone is one of the first steps to making it your own. But if you've never changed a call to MIUI before, the process may seem obscure: where to look for settings, how to download your tunes, and why sometimes the sound doesn't play? In this article, we'll explore all the ways, from basic to advanced, and how to avoid typical mistakes.

Xiaomi regularly updates the MIUI shell, and the location of some menu items may change. We took this into account and prepared universal instructions for MIUI 12-14 versions (including global and Chinese firmware). If your phone runs on HyperOS, don't worry, the principles remain the same, only the partition names differ.

Method 1: Selecting a standard ringtone from the MIUI Gallery

The easiest method is to use built-in tunes. Xiaomi offers about 20-30 standard ringtones, which include both classic signals and more modern options.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Slip on the item Call (or the Melody of the call in some versions).
4. Scroll down the list, and you've got all the options available. Click on any one to listen.
5. After choosing, tap OK or Save.

If you don't like any of the sounds, you can download additional ringtones right from this menu.

• 🔍 At the top of the screen, select the Online tab (or Download).
• 🎵 Listen to available tunes and download your favorites (you will need an Internet connection).
• 📲 After downloading, they will appear in the Local section.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F3 Or Redmi Note 10 Pro, the tab may not be online, due to regional restrictions or the firmware version, in which case use Method 3 (file-based installation).

Method 2: Using music from the Music app

If you have music on your phone, you can easily convert it into a ringtone, which is convenient when you want to put a favorite song or piece of audiobook on the phone.

1. Open the Music app (note icon).
2. Find the track you want to use as a ringtone and tap it to play.
3. Press three points (⋮) top-right.
4. In the drop-down menu, select Use as a call (or Set as a melody).
5. Confirm the selection – now this track will play when the call is in.

Pay attention to a few nuances:

• 🎶 The length of the track is not cut automatically. If the song lasts 4 minutes, the call will play the whole song (until the caller drops the call.
• 📱 Not all audio formats are supported:.mp3,.m4a,.flac or.wav files may not be played.
• 🔊 The volume of the ringtone depends on the original recording level. If the track is quiet, increase the volume in any audio editor before installing it.

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To cut a song to the ringtone, use free apps like Ringtone Maker or MP3 Cutter, which allow you to select the desired snippet and save it in the optimal format.

Method 3: Install custom ringtone through file system

If you want to use your own melody (like a recorded voice or a unique sound), you need to first upload it to your phone and then specify the path to the file in the settings.

1. Download or move the audio file to your phone’s memory, and we recommend using the Ringtones folder (if you don’t have one, create it in the root directory).
2. Open Settings → Sound and vibration → Call.
3. At the top of the screen, select the Locals (or My Melodies) tab.
4. Find your file in the list and tap it for pre-listening.
5. Save the changes.

If the file does not appear in the list, check:

• 📁 Location: The file must be in one of the system folders - Ringtones, Notifications or Alarms!
• 🔄 Format: only supported.mp3,.m4a,.Reconvert the file if necessary.
• 📏 Size: optimal file weight is up to 5 MB. Large files can slow down playback.

Cut the track to 20–30 seconds | Convert to.mp3| Move to Ringtones| Check the volume of the file |Reboot the phone after installation-->

Method 4: Set up individual contact calls

In MIUI, you can assign unique tunes to individual contacts, which is convenient if you want to know who is calling without looking at the screen, for example, for loved ones you can put a calm sound, and for work you can put a more persistent one.

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Find the right contact and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, click Edit (pencil icon).
4. Scroll down to the Call or Melody block.
5. Select a standard ringtone or upload your file (similar to Method 3).
6. Save the changes.

Important details:

• 📞 If the contact is saved SIM-If you have a card, the individual call may not work.
• 🔕 For contact groups (such as Family or Work), you can also assign individual tunes. To do this, create a group in Contacts, then edit its properties.
• 🎛️ On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) There's a contact call vibration option, and you can combine it with a ringtone.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Contacts instead of the standard Xiaomi app, the customization of individual calls may be different.In this case, open the contact in Google Contacts, click Change → Additionally. → Call.

Method 5: Advanced Settings through Zedge and Other Apps

If you don't have enough built-in options, you can use third-party services, and one of the most popular is Zedge, an app with a huge library of ringtones, notifications and wallpaper, and how to use it:

1. Download Zedge from Google Play (or AppGallery for models without Google services).
2. Open the app and go to the Ringtona tab.
3. Find your favorite melody (you can filter by genres: "Classic", "Electronics", "Games", etc.).
4. Slip on the ringtone, then press Download.
5. After downloading, select Set as a call – the system will automatically redirect you to MIUI settings.

The advantages of Zedge:

• 🎵 More than 1 million free ringtones.
• 🔍 Easy keyword search (such as “alarm clock call” or “movie tune»).
• 📱 Automatic integration with phone settings.

Alternative annexes:

• 🎶 Ringtone Maker – to create ringtones from their tracks.
• 🔔 Audiko – a service with popular tunes from movies and games.
• 🎧 MP3 Cutter is a simple editor for cutting audio.

The solution to the problem: why does not work ringtones Xiaomi

Sometimes users find that the call is either not played or is playing with a delay. Let's look at the typical causes and ways to fix them.

1.The call doesn't play at all

Possible causes and solutions:

• 🔇 Do Not Disturb Mode: Check if it is activated in the notification curtain or in Settings → Sound. → Don't disturb.
• 📵 Speaker problems: Test music or video playback. If there's no sound, the speaker may be faulty (repair required).
• 🔄 System failure: restart your phone. If it doesn't work, reset your audio settings to factory settings (Settings) → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting the sound settings).

2.The call is playing, but very quiet

What to do:

• 🔊 Check the physical volume control (buttons on the sidebar). Sometimes users accidentally reduce the sound to a minimum.
• 📱 In sound settings (Settings) → Sound and vibrations) increase the volume of the call.
• 🔧 If the problem is only with the custom ringtone - increase the volume of the original file in the audio editor.

3.The call is interrupted or played with a delay

This is most often related to:

• 📁 Unoptimized file: Convert ringtone to.mp3 bitrate 128-192 kbit/s.
• 🗑️ Overloaded memory: Clear the cache of system applications (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Settings (⚙️) → Clear the cache).
• 🔄 Application conflict: disable battery optimization for Phone app (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Phone. → No restrictions).

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If the ringtone problem occurred after the MIUI update, try rolling back the sound settings to factory or wait for a patch from Xiaomi. Often bugs are fixed in the next versions of the firmware.

Additional tips for customizing the sound on Xiaomi

Besides ringtones, MIUI has other useful options for personalizing the sound:

• 🔔 Vibration when calling: you can choose one of 10+ Vibration patterns or create your own (Settings) → Sound. → Vibration on the bell).
• 🎶 The alarm clock tune: set up separately in the Clock app.
• 📳 Notification sounds: For each application (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) you can assign a unique signal (Settings) → Notifications → Notification settings for applications).
• 🔇 Stunned schedule: useful for meetings or sleep (Settings) → Sound. → Don't disturb. → Schedule).

For Xiaomi owners with HyperOS (new shell instead of MIUI):

• 🆕 The way to call settings: Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Call.
• 🎛️ Additionally, there is an option Adaptive sound, which automatically adjusts the volume depending on the ambient noise.

Important: Models with a MediaTek chip (such as the Redmi 9A or POCO M3) may not support high-bitrate audio files. If the.flac ringtone is not playable, convert it to.mp3.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions