How to save music on Xiaomi: all the ways 2026

Save music on Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that both beginners and experienced users face. Despite the abundance of streaming services, many prefer to store tracks locally, to save traffic, offline listening on the subway or traveling where there is no stable Internet. MIUI (Xiaomi’s proprietary shell has its own features of working with audio files, and restrictions on access to folders and application permissions often put users at a dead end.

In this article, we will discuss 7 Proven ways to save music on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices POCO β€” standard-tool MIUI We'll focus on the nuances of Android, and we'll focus on the third-party apps and the tricks of cloud services. 13/14 And the latest firmware versions, where the rules for working with files have been tightened. VK Music, YouTube Music or transfer the collection from your computer – here you will find step-by-step instructions with pictures and warnings about possible errors.

1.Save music through the standard application "Music" in MIUI

The branded Music app (or Mi Music in older versions) is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, and supports not only playback, but also basic download of tracks. However, the functionality is limited: you can’t download music directly from the Internet, just import files already downloaded or sync to the cloud.

To add tracks to the app:

  • πŸ“ Move the audio files (formats.mp3,.flac,.wav) to the Music folder on the internal drive or SD-Path: Internal memory. β†’ Music.
  • πŸ”„ Open the Music app, tap three dots in the top right corner, and select Update Library. The system scans folders and adds new tracks.
  • ☁️ To sync with Mi Cloud, go to Settings β†’ Cloud and enable music backup (not available on all models).

⚠️ Attention: Appendix Music in MIUI 14+ It does not support downloading tracks from the network. This will require third-party services (see sections below).

If you don’t have a Music folder, create it manually through any file manager (e.g., Google Files or standard Explorer in the file manager). MIUI). Important: Some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) hide system folders - to display them, turn on the mode Show hidden files in the Explorer settings.

πŸ“Š What app do you use to listen to music?
Standard "Music" in MIUI
Google Play Music
VK Music
Spotify
Other

2. Download music through Google Play Music (YouTube Music)

Google Play Music is officially closed, but its functionality has moved to YouTube Music, which allows you to save tracks for offline listening, but with restrictions: free users can not download music, and subscribers (YouTube Premium) can download up to 100,000 tracks (currently for 2026).

Instructions for YouTube Music:

  1. Install the app from Google Play (if removed) or upgrade to the latest version.
  2. Sign in to your Google account with an active Premium subscription.
  3. Find an album or playlist, tap three dots next to the title and select Download.
  4. Downloads will appear in the Library section β†’ Downloads.

Where are the downloaded tracks stored? The files are encrypted and inaccessible through the conductor. They can only be heard in the application itself.mp3, Workarounds will be required (see section on third-party programs).

⚠️ Note: If you cancel your YouTube Premium subscription, all downloaded tracks will become unavailable. Xiaomi with Android 13 can block background play due to battery optimization - add YouTube Music to the exceptions in the Battery settings β†’ Optimization.

β˜‘οΈ Preparation for downloading in YouTube Music

Done: 0 / 4

3.Move music from your computer to Xiaomi

The classic way is to copy audio files from PC to smartphone via USB-Type C cable. MIUI there are nuances: by default Charging mode is enabled, and to transfer files you need to select File Transfer (MTP).

Step-by-step:

  1. Connect your smartphone to your computer via cable (preferably original – cheap cables may not support data transmission).
  2. Xiaomi will have a notification on the screen USB To charge - tap on it and select File Transfer.
  3. The PC will open a conductor window with the folders of the smartphone. Go to internal memory. β†’ Music (or create a folder manually).
  4. Copy audio files from your computer into this folder.

If the computer does not see the device:

  • πŸ”Œ Try another cable or port. USB.
  • πŸ”„ Reboot both devices.
  • πŸ› οΈ Install Mi drivers PC Suite (official synchronization software from Xiaomi).
  • πŸ”’ On your smartphone, check if the antivirus or data protection in Settings is blocking access β†’ Confidentiality.
Problem.Reason.Decision
The computer can't see XiaomiNot selected MTP modeHit the notice. USB charger
The Music folder is not displayedHidden by the systemCreate manually or enable the display of hidden files
Files are copied slowlyCable USB 2.0 or damagedUse the cable USB 3.0 or Type-C with fast transfer support
Music doesn't appear in the player.The library is not updatedIn the Music app, select Update Library

πŸ’‘

If file transfer is permanently interrupted, try disabling Debugging by USB in the developer settings (Settings) β†’ The phone. β†’ Version. MIUI β€” Tap 7 times to activate).

4.Use of cloud services (Mi Cloud, Google Drive, Yandex Disk)

Cloud storage is convenient for backing up and syncing music between devices. Xiaomi offers its own Mi Cloud service, but it is limited to 5GB of free space. Alternatives are Google Drive (15GB), Yandex Disk (10GB) or Mega (20GB).

Method 1: Mi Cloud

  • ☁️ Download music to Mi Cloud via the web version (i.mi.com) or mobile app.
  • πŸ“± On your smartphone, open Settings β†’ Mi Cloud β†’ Music and turn on synchronization.
  • πŸ”„ The tracks will appear in the standard Music app in the Cloud section.

Method 2: Google Drive / Yandex Disk

  1. Upload audio files to the cloud from your computer.
  2. On your smartphone, install the official application (Google Drive or Yandex Disk).
  3. Download files to the device: highlight tracks β†’ Download.
  4. Transfer the downloaded files to the Music folder through the file manager.

⚠️ Attention: When downloading via mobile Internet, traffic is consumed. Configure the download only over Wi-Fi in the settings of the cloud application. Also, some services (for example, Google Drive) can compress audio files when downloading, which degrades the quality of the audio file.

How to get around the download limit in Google Drive?
If a file weighs more than 100 MB, Google Drive can block downloads through the mobile app. Solution: Open the file in the browser (Chrome), tap three dots and select Download.

5. Download music from social media (VK, Telegram, YouTube)

Social media and video hosting are popular sources of music, but downloading from there often violates copyright.We do not recommend distributing pirated content, but if you want to keep your audio recordings (for example, from the Internet). VK Telegram, here are the legal ways:

Isa VK Music:

  • 🎡 If the track is available for download (icon) ⬇️ Next to the name, tap on it - the file will be saved in Downloads.
  • πŸ”— For playlists, use the web version VK On the computer: open the playlist β†’ More. β†’ Save audio.

From Telegram:

  • πŸ“Ž If the audio is sent as a file (not a voice message), click on it. β†’ Save it to the gallery.
  • πŸ” Use a bot to search for music @MusicDownBot (Type the track name, the bot will send the file for download).

From YouTube:

Direct audio downloads from YouTube are prohibited by the service's rules, but you can use legal services to convert videos to YouTube.mp3:

  • 🌐 ytmp3.cc β€” Insert a link to the video, select quality and download.
  • πŸ“± The Snaptube app (available on the official website) allows you to download audio directly to your smartphone.

πŸ’‘

Downloading music from YouTube through third-party services may violate the terms of use. For legal offline listening, use YouTube Premium (see section 2).

6. Third-party music download applications

If the standard methods don't work, we'll have specialized programs to help, and we've tested 5 popular Xiaomi apps and ranked them for reliability and functionality:

AnnexFunctionsPlusesCons
Deezerstreaming + offline mode for subscribersHigh quality (320 kbps), large libraryTracks protected. DRM, file cannot be removed
SoundCloudDownload tracks (if author allowed)Lots of free content, support for independent artistsNot all tracks are available for download
AIMPLocal Player with Support for Cloud ServicesNo Internet, it works with folders.No built-in download from the network
StarmusSearch and download music from VK, YouTubeConvenient interface, playlist supportAdvertising, possible blocking of accounts
FildoSearch and download mp3 open-sourceQuick search, no need for an accountThe quality of the tracks may be low.

How do you install these apps?

  1. For Deezer, SoundCloud and AIMP Use Google Play.
  2. For Starmus and Fildo, download.apk from official sites (check sources carefully!).
  3. Before installing.apk, allow installation from unknown sources: Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ Special rights β†’ Installation of unknown applications.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Starmus or Fildo may contain ads or collect data. 4PDA and permissions in settings β†’ Annexes.

7. Alternative methods: Bluetooth, OTG and local area network

If you don’t have cable or internet, music can be streamed to Xiaomi in alternative ways:

Through Bluetooth:

  • πŸ“± Turn on Bluetooth on both devices.
  • πŸ”— Put them together in pairs (on Xiaomi: Settings) β†’ Bluetooth).
  • πŸ“ On the sending device, select files and send via Bluetooth.
  • πŸ’Ύ On Xiaomi, accept files – they will be saved in Downloads or Bluetooth.

Through OTG-cable:

If you have USB-flash-drive:

  • πŸ”Œ Connect the flash drive to the smartphone through OTG-Adapter (check the compatibility of the model).
  • πŸ“‚ Open the file manager, find the flash drive and copy the music to internal memory.

Through the local area network (FTP or SMB):

For advanced users:

  • 🌐 Run it on your computer. FTP-server (for example, through FileZilla).
  • πŸ“± Install it on Xiaomi. FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer.
  • πŸ”— Connect to the server on the local network and download files.

πŸ’‘

For the transfer of large collections (10)+ GB is better to use cable or OTG β€” Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct are slow and can break the connection.

FAQ: Frequent questions about saving music on Xiaomi

πŸ” Why the downloaded music is not displayed in the player?
Probable reasons: The music folder is not scanned. Update the library in the Music app. The files have a non-standard extension (for example, the file file is not scanned,.m4a instead.mp3). Rename them. Player doesn't support format. Try it. VLC poweramp.
πŸ“΅ Can you download music on Xiaomi without the Internet?
Yes, if the files are already on another device. Use: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. Connect via OTG-cable (flash drive, external drive) Local area network (e.g. via FTP-PC-server).
πŸ”’ How to get around restrictions MIUI file-write?
V MIUI 12+ There are strict rules for accessing storage: For applications: Allow access to files in Settings β†’ Confidentiality β†’ Permissions. For manual copying: Use a file manager with root rights (like Root Explorer), but this requires unlocking the bootloader. Alternative: save music to the Download folder or to the Download folder. SD-card (if supported).
🎧 Which app is best for listening to music on Xiaomi?
The choice depends on the tasks: For local files: Poweramp (paid, but with better sound) or AIMP (For streaming: Spotify or YouTube Music (subscription) For offline listening: Deezer or SoundCloud (if you have permission to download).
πŸ—ƒοΈ Where is the music downloaded through YouTube Music stored?
Files are encrypted and stored along the way: /Android/data/com.google.android.apps.youtube.music/files/offline/ Access to them is only possible through YouTube Music, and extraction will require root access or specialized programs (for example, YMusic is an informal client).