Owners of Xiaomi Redmi and Poco smartphones often encounter an intrusive feature that automatically stirs up music tracks or video files even when the user did not plan to, which can be caused by both activated settings in the application itself and specific MIUI shell algorithms that try to “guess” listener preferences.
The annoying effect of "walking line" or chaotic switching of songs disrupts the perception of content and requires immediate intervention in the parameters of the device. In most cases, the solution is within a few clicks on the screen, but sometimes a deeper analysis of installed applications is required. It is important to understand that standard audio player and third-party services like YouTube Music or VLC have independent playback settings.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all possible causes of random order and suggest step-by-step algorithms to eliminate them: you will learn how to manage the playback queue, clear system errors and set priorities for multimedia content. Follow the instructions carefully to regain full control of your media experience on Android.
Checking the settings of the built-in music player
The first thing you need to look at is the standard Music app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, which is often the source of the problem, because the default mode can be activated "Shuttering". To access the playback control, launch the application and open any track.
On the player screen, look for a control panel where you have the track switching and volume control buttons, and there's a button that controls the order of playback, which usually looks like two crossed triangles or two interlaced arrows, and if the icon is illuminated or has a colored indicator, it means that the random order mode is activated.
⚠️ Note: In some versions of the shell MIUI The stir button can be hidden in the optional menu.Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or swipe up to see the full list of options.
Click on this button several times until it changes its view to the regular list or number "1", which will mean playback in order. Also, check the global settings of the application itself. Go to "My Music", click on the menu icon (three bars) and select "Settings".
In the settings list that opens, look for the item that's related to playback, and it might have the option "Always mix" or "Random order for all lists." Make sure that the sliders in front of these items are put in an inactive position, which ensures that even when you launch a new album, the tracks will go sequentially.
Managing queues in third-party applications
If the problem is not in a standard application, but in third-party services such as VLC for Android, PowerAmp or browser versions of streaming platforms, the algorithm of actions will be different.
In popular video players like MX Player or VLC, order control is often in the drop-down menu while watching a video. Click on the screen to call the controller and find the playlist icon. In some cases, the mixing function is activated automatically when you move to the next file in the folder.
- 🎵 Open the Playlist menu and find the cyclic arrow or crossed arrow icon.
- ⚙️ Go to the settings of a particular application through the gear icon in the main menu.
- 📂 Check if the “Random Order” box is worth the properties of an open folder or album.
In free versions of apps (such as Spotify or YouTube), the mixing function can be imposed by developers and not completely disabled without a subscription, but in local players working with files on the memory card, there is no such restriction.
If you use a browser to listen to music through web sites, the problem may be extensions or scripts. Try opening the page in Incognito mode. If the order of playback is correct, then the installed extensions or accumulated browser cache are causing the conflict.
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Use third-party ID3 tag players like PowerAmp to more accurately manage track sorting by album and artist.
Cleaning the cache and resetting media service settings
Sometimes, a software failure in Android system components causes media files to behave incorrectly. Media Storage is responsible for indexing and sorting audio and video content, and if its database has accumulated garbage or erroneous metadata, the order of playback can be confused.
To fix this problem, you need to clear the system application data. Go to the smartphone settings menu, select "Applications" and click "All Apps." In the list, find "Media Service" or "Media Storage." If it's difficult to find, search by settings.
Settings → Applications → All applications → Media service → StorageIn the storage menu that opens, click on the "Clear" or "Reset" button. Don't worry, this action won't delete your music files or photos, it will only clear the indexing database, and then the system will automatically restart the scanning of media files, which can take a few minutes.
⚠️ Note: After a media service is reset in a gallery or music player, album covers may temporarily disappear and will recover automatically once the file re-indexing is completed.
The same procedure is recommended for the player application you use most often. The accumulated cache may contain temporary files that conflict with the current version of the operating system. Clearing the cache often solves problems with "jamming" the interface and chaotic switching.
☑️ Checklist for cleaning up media data
Impact of MIUI Updates and System Bugs
The MIUI shell that is installed on Redmi smartphones receives regular updates that sometimes change the logic of the multimedia system. Users often report that after updating the firmware, standard applications, including the player, begin to “glue”; this may be due to the introduction of new recommendation algorithms.
Xiaomi is committed to making the device more “smart” by introducing features that analyze user habits, but in practice this leads to the phone changing the order of tracks, believing that it will be more convenient. Unfortunately, it is impossible to disable some aspects of this “intelligent” system through a standard interface.
| MIUI version | Type of problem | Recommended solution |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 / 12.5 | Aggressive stirring in the background | Disable "Acceleration" in the music settings |
| MIUI 13 | Folder sorting failure | Resetting media service settings |
| MIUI 14 | Imposing recommendations | Disable personalization in your Mi Account |
| HyperOS | Conflict with widgets | Remove and add the widget again |
If the problem occurs immediately after the system update, it makes sense to wait for the patch to come out or try to roll back on the previous firmware version if possible, and check out the Xiaomi community forum, where users often discuss such bugs of specific versions of the software.
In some cases, disabling the Receive References feature in your Mi Account helps, go to your account settings, find the Privacy section, and limit your collection of preferences, which can reduce the intrusiveness of the algorithms that affect playback.
Hidden Developer Settings
Problems with Bluetooth devices and headsets
The situation where music starts playing randomly often occurs when external devices are connected via Bluetooth.Car radios, wireless speakers and headsets can send their control commands to the smartphone that conflict with the phone's settings.
Some car systems have their own "Shuffle" feature, which is more important than the phone's settings. If you notice that the problem only manifests itself in the car, check the headset settings. It's also worth trying "Forget the device" in the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone and stashing the gadgets back.
- 🚗 Check the equalizer and playback settings on the Bluetooth column itself.
- 🎧 Make sure the headset doesn’t have a track control button clamped, which can cause chaotic switching.
- 📡 Try to disable the high-resolution codec (LDAC, aptX HD) In the developer settings, if there are failures.
Another reason could be an unstable connection: If the Bluetooth signal is interrupted, the player may perceive this as a command (stop) and when you restore communication, start the tracks again or jump over, make sure that the phone and receiver are at close range without physical obstacles.
In rare cases, the data protocol itself is the culprit. Try using the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → 7 times click on MIUI → Settings → For Developers) to find the “Bluetooth Audio Codec” section and change the codec to SBC to check for stability.
Alternative solutions and installation of other players
If regular means to remove random order fails, or the built-in player is not working correctly, the most effective solution will be to install a specialized application from the Google Play store. There are many free and powerful alternatives that completely ignore the system glitches Xiaomi.
One of the best options is PowerAmp or its free version of PowerAmp Trial, which has its own decoding engine and is independent of Android system libraries, and can be customized in detail to queue behavior, hotkeys and response to external commands.
⚠️ Note: When installing a new player, the system may ask which application to use as default to open audio files. Select Always to open files immediately in the new application.
Other worthy candidates include Musicolet (completely free and ad-free), AIMP (classic interface) and Oxygen Audio Player.These apps allow you to create your own playlists in which the order of tracks is fixed rigidly and does not change without the user's knowledge.
Using a third-party player also offers the advantage of a better equalizer and support for all audio file formats without the need to install additional codecs.
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Installing a dedicated player like PowerAmp or Musicolet is the most reliable solution if the MIUI system settings are not working properly.