Smartphone personalization is not just a fashion homage, but a necessity to instantly identify incoming notifications without looking at the screen. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often wonder how to change the standard alert sound to make it different from the factory. Setting up a tune for SMS messages on Xiaomi may seem like a trivial task, but in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS, this process has its own nuances, depending on the Android version and the firmware region.
The standard system sound "Cicada" or "Bubble" is familiar to millions of users around the world, but it can merge with messenger notifications or simply dislike the owner. A well-chosen melody on SMS helps you not miss important codes from banks or messages from loved ones in a noisy place. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to replace the sound, from using embedded themes to installing your own audio files from the device's memory.
Note that the algorithms for working with notifications in modern versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14) have undergone changes. Now sound management has become more detailed, allowing you to assign different tracks to different versions of Android. SIM-We will look at both classic methods through the settings menu and advanced options for those who want complete control over the acoustic profile of their gadget.
Use of built-in themes and sounds in MIUI and HyperOS
The easiest and safest way to change the notification sound is to use resources that have already been optimized by the system developers. MIUI and HyperOS shells have a huge library of multimedia content available through the Themes system application, which ensures that the selected sound is correctly played, does not cause conflicts in the system and has the right volume.
To access this functionality, you need to open the Themes app (an icon with a brush or package). At the bottom of the screen, find the Sound tab or search for SMS. There are thousands of options here, from short digital signals to full-fledged music clips. System sounds are often categorized into categories: Nature, Electronics, Classics, which makes it easier to find the right option.
After selecting your favorite track, click Download (down arrow) and then Apply. The system automatically assigns this sound to all default notifications, including SMS. If you want to use the sound only for messages, not for all notifications, after download, do not press Apply globally, but go to the audio settings manually, which will be discussed below.
⚠️ Note: Some themes in the Mi Store may be paid or require you to view ads to activate. Carefully check the terms of use before downloading content from third-party sources within the app.
The uniqueness of the built-in theme store is that you can pre-listen to any track and hear how it will sound in the speaker before you set it up, which is especially important for SMS, where the duration of the sound should not be too long to interrupt every call or video you receive.
Customization of sound through the system menu settings
If you don't want to look for new themes, you can use the standard audio settings, which allow you to choose from the options preinstalled in your phone's memory. This method works on all firmware versions without exception. First, go to the main menu and select Settings, then look for the Sound and Vibration section.
In the menu that opens, scroll down to the "Additional Settings" block or immediately look for "Notification Sound." When you click on it, you'll see a list of available tunes. Often, these are the very classic Xiaomi sounds that many people are looking for. Choose the one you want and confirm the action.
However, modern smartphones often support the work with two SIM-In this case, the Sound and Vibration menu may have a split into "SIM 1" and "SIM 2.” This allows you to assign different tunes for messages from different numbers, which is very convenient for separating personal and work correspondence.
☑️ Algorithm of sound tuning
It's important to note that in some versions of HyperOS, the path may be slightly different, so if you don't find a point right away, search by settings (a magnifier at the top of the screen) and type in the "notification" request, the system will redirect you to the desired partition, and you can set the vibration separately from the sound, creating a unique alert pattern.
How to set your melody to SMS from your phone memory
The most interesting thing for users is the ability to put their own track, which can be a song extract, voice recording or any other audio file in MP3, OGG or WAV format. To implement this method, the file must first be stored in the memory of the smartphone.
The installation process is as follows: go to "Settings" → "Sound and vibration" → "Notifications sound. At the top of the screen, click the plus icon "+" or the Add button, which opens the file manager to find the folder with your music (usually the folder "Music", "Downloads" or "Audio").
Once you select a file, it will automatically add to the list of available tunes and be set by default. If you use third-party audio management apps or launchers, the process may be different, but the standard MIUI interface works like this. The file should not be too long, optimally up to 30 seconds.
⚠️ Note: If the melody file has DRM-protection (for example, downloaded from a streaming service with a restriction of playback), the system will not allow you to install it as a ringtone.
For more advanced users, you can create your own profiles, and you can download ringtones that allow you to cut the desired snippet of a song to millisecond accuracy, add fading effects, and save the result in the right format for installation.
What to do if the + button is not active?
Individual sounds for different contacts
One of the most useful features is the ability to assign a unique tune to messages from a specific person, which allows you to know who wrote the message without taking the phone out of your pocket, and you can do this through the standard Mi Messaging app or through contacts.
Let's look at the option through the Messages app. Open the conversation with the right subscriber, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and select "Details" or "Chat settings." In the menu that opens, look for "Notification Sound," and you can select a separate track for that particular dialog.
The alternative is through a phone book: Open a contact, press "Change" (pencil), scroll down to "Default Melody" or "Notification Sound." This works globally: if a person writes to you from different numbers, but they're all recorded in the same contact, the sound will be the same.
| Method of setting up | Where applicable | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| General system settings | All incoming SMS | Low (baseline) |
| Settings in the Messages app | Specific dialogue | High-pitched |
| Contact card | All messages from contact | Highest |
It's important to keep priorities in mind. If you set the sound in the contact card, it will override the system setting, and if the Messages for Dialogue app has its own sound, it will override the contact setting, and the logic is that the more specific the setting, the higher the priority.
Reproduction problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the melody is set, but the phone is silent or squeaks standard. Most often the problem lies in the notification channels of Android. Since the version of Android 8, each application has its own channels that can be controlled separately.
Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Find Messages (or the app you use for SMS) in the list. Go to Notifications. Here you will see a list of categories: Incoming Messages, Sends, Errors. Click on Incoming Messages and make sure you select the right sound, not No Sound.
Another common reason is Do Not Disturb mode. Check if it's activated by accident. It's also worth checking the media volume and the notification volume separately, as in MIUI they are regulated by different sliders. Press volume buttons and select settings for all sliders.
💡
Tip: If the sound of an SMS is interrupted when you start a video or game, check the settings of Dolby Atmos. Sometimes surround sound algorithms can conflict with short system signals, cropping their start.
In rare cases, the problem may be in file format. If you downloaded a tune from the Internet, it may be in M4A or FLAC format, which the system does not always correctly process as system sound. Convert the file to an MP3 with a bit rate of 128 or 320 kbps for maximum compatibility.
Third-party applications for sound management
If standard features aren't enough, there are plenty of apps in the Play Market that extend functionality, and popular utilities like Zedge or Ringtone Maker offer huge sound databases and convenient tools for editing them right on your phone.
Automation apps like MacroDroid or Tasker allow you to create complex scenarios, for example, you can set your phone to have text messages from certain contacts at night with loud melodies and quiet squeaks during the day, which takes time to set up, but gives you complete control.
When using third-party software, it is important to pay attention to the permissions requested. The ringtone installation app does not need access to your contacts or geolocation. Be selective in granting rights to keep data secure.
⚠️ Note: When installing applications from unverified sources (APK-You risk infecting your device with a virus. Use only the official Google Play store or GetApps from Xiaomi.
Some apps may require special permissions through ADB for full integration with the system, especially on newer versions of Android.However, standard rights that are requested at first run are usually enough to simply replace the tune with SMS.
💡
Third-party applications are justified if you need complex playback scenarios or you don't find the right sound in the built-in libraries. For most users, regular MIUI tools are enough.