How to Cut Downloaded Music on Xiaomi: From Standard Tools to Professional Apps

You downloaded a favorite song on your Xiaomi, but you want to cut a verse out of it, remove a long intro, or create a ringtone? Cutting audio files on smartphones with MIUI is possible both with built-in tools and through third-party applications - the main thing is to know where to look for the desired features. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including hidden MIUI capabilities that work even without the Internet.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO have a proprietary app called Mi Music that can not only play tracks but also edit them. However, not everyone knows that the cropping feature is hidden in the ringtone menu. And if you want advanced tools (like overlaying effects or milliseconds of exact cropping), you'll have to use third-party software, and we tested all the methods on MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the results in the comparison table below.

Important: Back up the original file before you trim! Some applications save changes on top of the source, and it will be impossible to restore deleted fragments. Also note that the format of the output file may differ: for example, the built-in MIUI editor saves ringtones only in.m4a, and third-party programs support.mp3,.wav and others.

Pruning through the standard Music app (without installing programs)

The easiest way is to use the built-in Music app (com.miui.player), which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and supports basic cropping for creating ringtones.

To cut the track:

1. Open the Music app and find the desired audio file in the library.
2. Put three points on it (⋮) Next to the song title and select "Install as a ringtone".
3. In the editor window that opens, move the sliders of the beginning and end of the fragment. Use the button to fine-tune it. ⏱ (timer).
4. Click Save – the file will automatically appear in the Ringtones folder in internal memory.

⚠️ Note: If the Music app does not have a "Set as a ringtone" option, update it via Google Play or the App Store, POCO F5) This function is only available after updating to MIUI 14+.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 No need to install additional programs.
• 🔹 It's offline.
• 🔹 Save the file in a format compatible with system sounds.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Length limit (maximum 30 seconds).
• ❌ There is no way to export the file to an arbitrary folder.
• ❌ Sound quality is reduced due to compression.

2.Use of the application "Ringtones" (MIUI Ringmaker)

Xiaomi smartphones have a hidden app called "Ringtones" (com.android.soundrecorder) that can crop audio files up to 5 minutes long. It doesn't show up in the menu, but it can be run through a search or shortcut.

Instructions:

1. Swipe down the screen and search for “Ringtones” (or Ringmaker).
2. Select "Local Music" and find the file you want.
3. Click on the track and move the sliders to trim. Here is a pre-listening (button) available. ▶).
4. Save the file and it will appear in the MIUI/ringtone folder.

Important: The Ringtones app supports.mp3,.m4a,.wav formats, but does not work with protected files (for example, those purchased from iTunes).

Check the format (should be.mp3,.m4a or.wav)

Make a backup copy of the original

Make sure the file is not protected by DRM

Charge your phone (for long files)

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Trimming through Screen Recording with audio (non-standard method)

If you need to cut a clip from a video (e.g., pull the sound out of a clip), you can use Screen Recording with the microphone on, which is suitable for MIUI 12+ and allows you to save the audio tracks separately.

How to do this:

1. Enable the playback of the video or audio file.
2. Open the Control Panel and tap the Screen Record icon.
3. Turn on the "Record Sound" option and select the source: Media (for system sound) or Microphone (for external audio).
4. After recording, the file will be saved to Gallery → Screen recordings, from which it can be clipped with any video editor (e.g., CapCut).

⚠️ Warning: When recording system audio via Media, background noise may remain in the file. Use an external microphone or connect your phone to your PC for clean sound.

Third-party applications for professional pruning

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, install one of the specialized applications. We tested 5 popular programs -- the results in the table:

Recommendation: MP3 Cutter is suitable for simple trimming, and Lexis Audio Editor is suitable for professional processing (there is a free version with watermarks).

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If the file is not played after trimming in Lexis Audio Editor, check the codecs in the application settings. For MIUI, the optimal export format is MP3 320 kbps.

5.Pruning on PC followed by transfer to Xiaomi

For accurate cropping without loss of quality, it is better to use desktop programs, and then transfer the file to the phone.

• 🎵 Audacity (free, supports plugins).
• 🎵 Adobe Audition (Professional Editor).
• 🎵 OCenaudio (light and fast).

How to transfer a clipped file to Xiaomi:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Copy the audio file to the Music or Ringtones folder.
3. If the file is not displayed in the player, restart the phone or update the media library through Settings → Apps → Music → Storage → Clear the data.

⚠️ Note: When transferring files via Mi Drop or Xiaomi Cloud, there may be a loss of quality due to compression. FTP-server (e.g., via Solid Explorer").

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PC cropping is better quality, but it takes longer, optimal for processing long audio books or podcasts.

6. Automation of pruning with Tasker (for advanced)

If you need to crop files regularly in one template (like cutting the first 10 seconds from each track), you can automate the process with the Tasker app.This will require scripting skills, but save time in the long run.

Example of a trimming task:

Profile: New audio file in /Music folder


Task:




1. Variable: %file → Path to file




Plugin: AutoTools → Audio Cutter (beginning: 00:10, end: 00:30)




3. Move the file to /Ringtones




4. Notification: "File clipped!"

The work will require:

• 📱 Install Tasker and AutoTools plugin.
• 📱 Grant permissions to access files (Settings) → Annexes → Tasker → Permits).
• 📱 Set up a profile for a specific folder.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your goals:

• 🔹 Quick and simple. → Built-in Music or Ringtones app".
• 🔹 Precisely pruning without loss → Desktop programs (Audacity) + phone-link.
• 🔹 Regular processing → Tasker + plug-ins.
• 🔹 Additional effects → Lexis Audio Editor or WaveEditor.

For most Xiaomi users, the best option is a combination of an integrated editor for simple tasks and MP3 Cutter for more flexible customization. If you need to crop files longer than 5 minutes or apply effects (such as fading), you can not do without a PC.

FAQ: Frequent questions about clipping music on Xiaomi