Where to download music on Xiaomi: all ways with pros and cons

Have you downloaded a new album by your favorite artist or podcast, but don’t know where to save music on Xiaomi so that it doesn’t take up space on the system disk and plays without failure? The problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 or Mi 11 smartphones – especially when internal memory is crammed to the end, and tracks begin to “slow down” when playing. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to store music on Xiaomi devices: from classical downloading to internal memory to cloud services and streaming.

It's important to understand that where you choose music depends on three factors: the amount of memory available, the ease of access, and the quality of playback, SD-The card is suitable for collections for 100+ GB, but it can slow down when reading high-bitrate files, and cloud services save space but require a stable Internet. We tested each method on different Xiaomi models (including the budget Redmi). A2 and flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra) and collected unique data on the speed of reading files from different media – these numbers will help you choose the best option for your device.

1.Inner memory of a smartphone: fast but limited

The most obvious way is to save music directly to Xiaomi’s internal memory, which is convenient if you have a model with 128 GB or more (for example, the POCO F5 Pro or Xiaomi 12T), but becomes a problem for budget devices with 32-64 GB, where every gigabyte counts, the main advantage of the method is instant access to tracks without depending on the Internet or the speed of reading a memory card.

To upload music to your internal memory:

• 📲 Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
• 🎵 Open the Internal Storage folder → Music (If it is not available, create it manually).
• 📁 Transfer files with extensions.mp3,.flac.m4a into this folder.
• 🔄 After copying, update the media library in the player (in Mi Music, click Update in the menu).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Music folder is hidden by default. To see it, turn on the display of hidden files in the file manager (Settings) → Also avoid saving music to the root directory - this can lead to scanning errors of media files.

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If the tracks don’t appear in the player after copying, reboot your smartphone or use a third-party app (like Poweramp) that scans files manually.

MicroSD card: a cheap solution for large collections

If internal memory is scarce, a microSD card will be a lifesaver – especially for models with up to 1TB expansion support (e.g., a microSD card, POCO X4 GT Or the Redmi Note 11 Pro.+). However, there are nuances: cheap Class 10 cards can “slow down” when playing files with a bitrate above 320 kbit / s, and some applications (for example, Spotify) do not know how to work with the data. SD-accumulator.

How to transfer music to a memory card:

1. Insert the microSD into the slot (on hybrid models, Xiaomi will have to choose between a second SIM or a card).
2. Format it as a portable storage (not as internal memory!), otherwise the system may restrict access to files.
3. Copy the tracks to the SD Card → Music folder (create it if it is not available).
4. In the player settings (Mi Music or Google Play Music) specify the path to the folder on SD.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ formatting SD As internal memory activates encryption, which can lead to data loss when you retrieve the card. Always back up before formatting!

3. Cloud Storage: Access from Any Device

If you listen to music on several gadgets (smartphone, tablet, PC), cloud services will be the perfect solution. Xiaomi is closely integrated with the Mi Cloud, but its free tariff is limited to 5 GB – this is only enough for 1000 tracks in MP3 128 kbit / s. Alternatives – Google Drive, Yandex Drive or specialized services like SoundCloud Go+.

How to upload music to the cloud and listen to it offline:

• 🌥️ Upload files to Mi Cloud via the web version (cloud.xiaomi.com) or the app.
• 📱 In the Mi Cloud mobile app, find the downloaded tracks and click Save offline.
• 🎧 Open the player (Mi Music or the player) VLC) and select the Mi Cloud folder → Offline files.

For Google Drive or Yandex Drive, use a file manager (like Solid Explorer) to mount the cloud as a local folder. The main disadvantage of the method is that tracks take up cache space even if you haven't downloaded them explicitly. Clear the cache once a month in the cloud app settings.

4 Streaming services: no download, but with a subscription

If you don't really have files, streaming platforms like Spotify, Yandex Music or Apple Music will eliminate the need to store music on your device. On Xiaomi, these services work steadily, but there are nuances:

• 🎧 Spotify allows you to download tracks for offline listening (up to 10,000 songs per device), but the files are stored in encrypted form and are not available outside the application.
• 🎵 Yandex Music is integrated with Alice and supports voice control on Xiaomi (for example, you can say: “Alice, turn on the playlist for training»).
• 🍎 Apple Music is better optimized for MIUI, iTunes, but requires iCloud to sync playlists.

To save traffic:

1. In the application settings, turn on Wi-Fi only to download tracks.
2. Choose Normal (96–128 kbps) over High (320 kbps).
3. Clear the cache of offline tracks once every 2-3 months (Settings → Storage).

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI Streaming services 13 and below may conflict with the system optimizer, causing music to be interrupted when the screen is locked. Solution: add the app to Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → No restrictions.

5. FTP-server NAS: for advanced users

If you have a router at home USB-port-storage (NAS), You can set up a personal music server that Xiaomi can connect to over a local network. FLAC or DSD, They're tens of gigabytes, like the Xiaomi router. AX3600 Supports external connection HDD And give it away.

How to set up access:

1. Connect the hard drive to the router and turn it on FTP-server.
2. On Xiaomi, install a file manager with FTP support (such as FX File Explorer).
3. Add a new one. FTP-Connecting to the router address (for example, ftp://192.168.0.1) and entry data.
4. mount the music folder as a network disk and open it in the player.

For NAS (for example, Synology or QNAP) Use the official app of the manufacturer, and the advantage of this method is that you can access music from any device on your network, including Mi TVs. TV. Minus - initial costs for equipment (from 5 000) ₽ router USB 20,000 ₽ post NAS).

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FTP/NAS is suitable for audiophiles with collections in lossless formats, but requires a stable local network. Outside the home, access is only possible through a VPN or port port port transfer (not secure).

6. Outside SSD/HDD: for extremely large libraries

If your music collection is over 500GB (like DSD256 recordings or multi-channel soundtracks), an external drive will be the only sensible solution. Xiaomi supports USB-C OTG connectivity (starting with MIUI 12), but there are limitations:

• 🔌 Models with USB 2.0 (e.g. Redmi) 8A) It will be limited to 480 Mbps, which is enough for you. FLAC, not DSD.
• ⚡ Devices with USB 3.1 (POCO F4 GT, Xiaomi 12S Ultra) will provide speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
• 🔋 Connected HDD/SSD It will drain the battery faster (on the 15–20% one hour in active reading).

How to connect an external disk:

1. Use an OTG cable (for USB-C or Micro-USB, depending on the model).
2. Connect the drive - the system will prompt you to open it in the file manager.
3. Copy music to a folder on a disk or play it directly (some players, such as USB Audio Player PRO, support this).

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ External discs are formatted in exFAT by default, but some players don't know how to work with it. If tracks don't play, format the disc into a format. FAT32 (the maximum file size is 4 GB; or NTFS (requires root rights to record).

Comparison of all methods: what to choose?

The choice of method depends on your priorities:

• 🚀 Speed and simplicity → internal memory or microSD.
• 🌍 Availability on all devices → cloud-stream.
• 🎧 Sound quality → FTP/NAS external SSD.

FAQ: Frequent questions about music on Xiaomi