Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the built-in music player stops displaying album covers correctly, does not see new tracks, or simply gives an error when launching a file. This can be due to both an outdated version of the application and changes in the file system structure after updating the MIUI or HyperOS operating system. Users often look for a way to “update music”, meaning either reinstall the player or update the audio codecs of the system.
Modern mobile devices require up-to-date software to properly decode high-resolution formats like FLAC or ALAC. If your phone stopped “understanding” music that it played without problems yesterday, there was likely a malfunction in the media server cache or a conflict of versions of system components. It is important to understand that updating music is not a single magic click, but a set of measures that includes working with files, setting up an equalizer and managing applications.
In this article, we will discuss all aspects of working with the audio system of Xiaomi smartphones, you will learn how to properly update the system codecs, whether to install third-party players from Google Play, and how to make the regular Mi Music work steadily. We will also touch on the topic of updating the multimedia database, which is often the key to solving problems with the disappearance of tracks.
Diagnostics of problems with audio reproduction
Before we start taking drastic measures, we need to pinpoint the source of the problem. Often users assume that the problem lies in the file itself, when in fact the failure occurred in the system decoder. Audio codec is a program that compresses and unpacks audio data. If the codec library is damaged or outdated, the phone will not physically be able to read the file, even if it is functional.
Note the file format that is challenging. Xiaomi's regular players work great with MP3 and AAC, but may require an upgrade to support Hi-Res Audio. If you're trying to run a DSD track or an uncompressed high-bitrate WAV, the standard app can just be silent or give a message about the unsupported format.
⚠️ Warning: If you try to play music, the phone goes into a reboot or emits a characteristic crack in the speaker, immediately stop trying to start this file.
It's also worth checking if the power saving mode is on, which aggressively limits the background work of apps.The MIUI system is known for its strict resource management, and it can "kill" the playback process if it considers it not a priority. Check the battery settings for your music app and make sure there's a "No Limits" limitation worth limit.
Updating system audio components and codecs
The most reliable way to upgrade your music at the system level is to update the components responsible for processing sound. In the Android ecosystem, on which HyperOS runs, this is often the responsibility of Google system services and proprietary Xiaomi drivers. The first thing you need to make sure that all system applications are updated to the latest version through the GetApps store or Google Play.
Special attention should be paid to the application MI Sound or Sound. This component is responsible for equalizing, virtualizing and selecting the speaker profile. If you have updated the phone's firmware but have not updated the associated system applications, you may experience a desynchronization, leading to audio glitches. Go to the system settings and check for updates for all preinstalled services.
For advanced users, it is possible to update audio drivers manually if they are supplied separately as part of security patches. However, in most cases, it is enough to simply check for OS updates. → The phone. → Version. MIUI/HyperOS and click the update check button. New firmware versions often contain patches for Bluetooth codecs aptX and LDAC.
☑️ Audio system check
If you can't update components with standard methods, you can try to clean up the system plugin of the media framework. This is a secure operation that will reset the sound processing settings to factory ones, but can solve the problem with incorrect decoding. To do this, go to Settings → Applications → All applications → Show system processes and find Media Storage or Audio Effects.
Working with Mi Music and its analogues
The Mi Music (or simply Music) is the main tool for listening to tracks on Xiaomi devices, but its functionality is highly dependent on the regional version of the firmware. ROM) The app can be stripped down or replaced with Google Music (which is also closed), so users often have to search for relevant content. APK-player-file.
To update the player, open the GetApps app store (Mi Store). Search for "Music" and check if the update is available for the installed player. If you use the Chinese version of the firmware, there may be a version with the integration of QQ Music or NetEase services, which require separate login to the account and updates of their internal libraries.
| Parameter | Staff Mi Music | Google Play Music (Legacy) | Third-party players (PowerAmp, etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support for formats | MP3, AAC, FLAC (basic) | MP3, AAC, OGG | Everything (DSD, WAV, AIFF) |
| equalizer | Basic + Mi Sound | Basic | Professional (10+ lanes) |
| Integration with the system | Full (alarm clock, bells) | Limited. | Depends on the settings. |
| Frequency of updates | Firmware. | Not updated. | Weekly/monthly |
If the regular app doesn’t work properly, the best alternative is to install a dedicated player from Google Play. Apps like Poweramp or Musicolet have their own built-in codecs, which completely eliminates dependence on Xiaomi system libraries, which is the perfect way to “upgrade” the playback capabilities without flashing the phone.
Why can't Mi Music see the files?
Scanning and indexing of media files
One of the most common reasons music is lost or not updated in the playlist is Media Scanner, a background process that scans a device’s memory and creates a database of available files, and once a firmware update or large amounts of data are transferred, this process can freeze or perform incorrectly.
To force a music database update, you can use a hidden test menu or just restart the media storage service, and the easiest method is to temporarily switch the phone to flight mode, wait 10 seconds and turn it off, which encourages the system to recheck the changes to the file system.
A deeper method involves clearing the cache of the media storage service. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Show system processes → Media Storage. Click Cache and Clear Data. Fear not, your files won’t be deleted, only the index database will reset automatically within minutes of rebooting.
⚠️ Warning: After cleaning the media storage data, the phone can get very hot and discharge faster than usual during the course of the day. 15-20 It's a normal process of actively indexing all files in memory.
If you use a microSD card, the problems with updating music can be due to a file system error. Android often loses access to external drives after improper extraction. Try to copy the music to internal memory and check if it appears in the player. If so, the card needs to be formatted.
Set up sound profiles and Mi Sound
Mi Sound (or Sound Effects) is a unique feature of Xiaomi smartphones, which allows you to select the profile of speakers (for example, Standard, Dynamic, Clear) and the type of headphones. After a major system update, the settings of this module can fly, which will lead to a quiet or distorted sound.
To work properly, you need to recalibrate your profile. Go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Sound Effects. Here make sure that the Mi Sound switch is activated. If you use wired headphones, the system will suggest you choose the type of headphones. For Bluetooth headsets, it is important to choose the right codec from the developer menu if the standard version sounds unsatisfactory.
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Use the Dynamic profile in the Mi Sound settings for pop and electronics, and the Clear profile for classical music and podcasts to hear speech better.
It's also worth checking the Dolby Atmos settings if your smartphone model supports this technology. Sometimes, after a firmware update, Dolby mode can be turned off by default. Its activation can dramatically change the scene and volume of playback, creating a surround sound effect.
Don't forget the system equalizer. In some versions of MIUI, it's placed on a separate menu or hidden inside the settings of a particular application. Make sure that the sliders are not twisted to extreme positions, which can cause clipping at high frequencies.
Solving problems with Bluetooth audio codecs
If the music problem is with wireless headphones, it’s about updating or choosing the right Bluetooth codec. Xiaomi smartphones support a wide range of codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC. Sound quality and connection stability directly depend on which codec is selected at the moment.
By default, the system selects the codec automatically based on the capabilities of the headphones. However, if you upgraded the phone and the headphones remained old, or vice versa, there may have been a conflict. To check and change the settings, you need to activate the developer menu. Press 7 times on the MIUI version in the About Phone section, then go to Advanced Settings → For developers.
In the developer menu, find the Bluetooth Audio Codec section. You can force the codec to choose from here. For example, for Sony headphones, LDAC is best, and for JBL or Sennheiser, aptX Adaptive is often optimal. If the sound is interrupted, try switching to a simpler AAC or SBC.
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The stability of the Bluetooth connection is more important than the maximum bitrate, and if the music stutters on the LDAC, switching to AAC will solve the problem, even the sound quality will theoretically decrease.