How to download music on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions for all models

Introduction: Why Standard Methods Don't Always Work

Did you download your favorite album, but Xiaomi stubbornly doesn't see the tracks in the player? Or does the music interrupt after 5 seconds of playback, POCO And Mi -- despite the openness. MIUI, The system often “loses” audio files due to the peculiarities of working with memory and codecs. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer music to Xiaomi devices, including bypassing typical errors like “file is not supported” or “memory is filled".

Xiaomi is a hybrid file system where internal memory is divided into user and system zones. If you just copy tracks to the Music folder through a Explorer, they may not appear in the player due to lack of indexing. We will show you how to properly place files, configure access rights and even recover lost tracks after resetting. And for owners of Mi Band smartwatches or Mi Smart Speaker speakers, they have added separate instructions — these devices require a fundamentally different approach.

Method 1: Standard cable transfer USB (beginner)

The most obvious method is to connect Xiaomi to a computer and copy files like a regular flash drive, but there are pitfalls: the system may not recognize the device due to outdated drivers or settings. MTP (Media Transfer Protocol. Here's a step-by-step guide with all the nuances in mind:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC via the original cable (cheap analogues often don’t transmit data).
2. On the Xiaomi screen, select File Transfer Mode (MTP). If this window is not available, unlock the screen!
3. Open this computer – the device should appear as a removable disk (e.g. Redmi Note 12).
4. Go to the Internal Storage → Music folder. If you don't have one, create it manually.
5. Copy audio files (supported formats.mp3,.flac,.wav,.m4a).

⚠️ If your computer can’t see Xiaomi, try it:

• 🔌 Change cables – 70% of problems are caused by damaged wires.
• 🔄 Reboot both devices – sometimes resetting the connection helps.
• 🖥️ Install drivers from the site MIUI Download (Driver section).
• 📱 Enable debugging on USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times, then in Settings. → Additionally. → For developers.

Check the file format (MP3/FLAC/WAV)

Use the original USB cable

Unlock the smartphone screen

Select a mode. MTP Xiaomi

Create a Music folder manually if it is not available.-->

Once you copy, open the standard Mi Music player (or Google Play Music) and wait for indexing. If the tracks don't show up, restart your phone or manually update the library in the player settings. On models, reboot your phone. POCO X5 and may need to give permission to access files in Settings → Annexes → Mi Music → Rights.

Method 2: Wireless transmission via Mi Drop or LocalSend

If you don't have a cable and you need music urgently, use the local network. Xiaomi offers Mi Drop, but it only works between devices in the same ecosystem. For cross-platform transmission (for example, with an iPhone or MacBook), the open LocalSend app is better suited.

Instructions for Mi Drop:

1. Install Mi Drop from MIUI App Store (on both devices).
2. Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both smartphones.
3. In the app, click Send, select audio files and target device.
4. Confirm reception on the second phone.

Instructions for LocalSend (for PC)/Android/iOS):

1. Download LocalSend to both devices.
2. Connect them to a single Wi-Fi network.
3. On PC, select files, specify Xiaomi in the list of devices and send.
4. On your smartphone, confirm your reception and save files to the Music folder.

⚠️ Note: When transferring via Wi-Fi Direct (in Mi Drop), turn off mobile Internet on both devices - otherwise the speed will drop in the mobile phone. 3-4 Also check that Xiaomi has enabled Visibility for All in Wi-Fi Direct Settings.

Mi Drop (only for Xiaomi)|LocalSend (Universal)|Bluetooth|Another option|Not using.-->

Method 3: Cloud storage (Google Drive, Mi Cloud, Yandex Disk)

If you need to sync music between multiple devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T and POCO F5), Cloud services are the perfect solution, not only to store tracks, but also to stream them without downloading them to a device:

1. Google Drive (up to 15GB free):

• 📁 Download music to Drive from PC via web version.
• 📱 On Xiaomi, install Google Drive and download files to the Music folder.
• 🎵 For streaming, use a player. VLC Musicolet – They can play directly from the cloud.

2.Mi Cloud (5GB free):

• 🌐 Register on i.mi.com and upload files.
• 📲 On your smartphone, open Settings → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → Files and download music.
• ⚠️ Limitation: Mi Cloud does not support files >2 GB and some formats (.ape,.dts).

3. Yandex Disk (10GB free):

• 💾 Download tracks to Disk from your computer.
• 📱 Install Yandex Music app on Xiaomi and add files to My Collection".
• 🔄 Turn on Offline Mode for Listening Without Internet.

💡 Useful tip: To save space on Xiaomi, set up selective sync in cloud applications. For example, in Google Drive, you can only mark the folder with music for offline access, and store the rest of the files online.

Method 4: MicroSD Memory Card (for supported models)

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ or POCO M5), It's the most reliable way to store large music collections, but there are some important nuances:

1. Check compatibility: Not all Xiaomi models support microSD. See the official website for a list of compatible devices (Specifications for your model).
2. Formatting: It is better to format the map directly in the phone: Settings → Warehouse → Map. SD → Format as internal storage (this will allow you to install applications on the map).
3. Music transfer: Copy files into a folder /SDCard/Music. If there is no folder, create it.
4. Player settings: In Mi Music go to Settings → Folders to scan and add path to memory card.

⚠️ Warning: If you format a map as an internal storage, it won't be read on other devices without completely erasing the data! For universal use, choose the portable storage format, but then you won't be able to install apps on the map.

On Xiaomi models with a hybrid slot (for example, Redmi Note 11) you can not use two at the same time SIM-So, you give priority to the memory card -- if you put it in, the second one is the memory card. SIM stop working.

Method 5: Streaming services (Yandex Music, Spotify, Apple Music)

If you don’t want to upload music to your device, stream.This is true for Xiaomi owners with little memory (e.g. Redmi). A2 s 32 GB) or those who listen to online playlists. Consider the top-3 offline-supported:

1. Yandex Music:

• 🎧 Free tariff with advertising, paid - 169 ₽/month.
• 📥 Allows downloading tracks for offline listening (up to 10,000 songs).
• 🔄 Integration with Alice and Xiaomi smart speakers.

2. Spotify:

• 🌍 Largest library (80)+ million tracks).
• 💳 Paid offline mode (299) ₽/month for student, 499 ₽ — standard).
• 🎛️ There is an equalizer and crossfade for a smooth transition between tracks.

3. Apple Music:

• 🍎 Optimized for ALAC (lossless).
• 💰 169 ₽/month, family tariff for 6 people - 299 ₽.
• 🔊 Supports spatial sound on Xiaomi 13 Ultra and newer.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi with custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience), streaming apps may not work due to lack of Widevine certificates L1. Check the support DRM appendix DRM Info (available on Google Play).

💡

To save traffic in streaming services, enable the option “Wi-Fi Only” in the download settings. On Xiaomi, it is also useful to disable background data transfer for music applications in the Settings section → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data.

Problem Solving: Music is not played or interrupted

Even after successfully downloading music to Xiaomi, errors can occur, and here are the typical scenarios and ways to fix them:

1. Files are not displayed in the player:

• 🔍 Check the file extension – Xiaomi does not support.cda,.mid,.wma.
• 📁 Move the tracks to the Music folder (not nested folders!).
• 🔄 Restart your phone or update the library in the player (Settings) → Update).

2.The music is interrupted or inhibited:

• 🛑 Close the background apps (especially TikTok and Instagram – they aggressively take up RAM).
• 📵 Turn on Flight Mode for 10 seconds, then turn off – this will reset network conflicts.
• 🔊 Check the bitrate of files: if it is above 320 kbps, there may be lags on weak models (Redmi) 9A).

No sound in the headphones:

• 🎧 Connect your headphones before the player starts – some Xiaomi models don’t switch audio output automatically.
• 🔊 Check the sound settings: Settings → Sound. → Audio quality (select High Quality).
• 🔄 Reinstall the headphone driver: disable them, clear the Bluetooth app cache in the settings.

💡 Useful tip: If the music is playing with distortion, try to turn off MIUI-Sound optimization. Go to Settings for that. → Special facilities → Improve sound and deactivate all options.

Features for smart devices Xiaomi (watches, speakers, TV)

Smartphones aren’t the only Xiaomi devices you can download music to.

1. Smart watch Mi Band 7/8 Xiaomi Watch S3:

• 🎵 Music can only be downloaded through the Mi Fitness app (Music Management section).
• 📌 Only files are supported.mp3 up to 10 MB (about 1 minute audio).
• 🔊 You need a Bluetooth headphone to listen to – there is no speaker in the watch.

2.Mi Smart Speaker Smart Speaker:

• 🎶 Music can be streamed via Mi Home or voice commands (Alice, play the song...).
• 📱 For local playback, connect the flash drive to USB-port (if any) in the model).
• 🔌 The column supports Spotify Connect and Yandex Music in premium rates.

3. Mi TVs TV:

• 📺 Music can be played through Media Player or Google Play Music.

⚠️ Note: Mi Band and Xiaomi Watch can not download music directly through the file manager - only through proprietary software. ADB cause the device to be reset!

FAQ: Frequent questions about music on Xiaomi