How to add a song to the Music app on Xiaomi: all working ways

The standard Music app on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often raises questions among users about why it doesn’t see downloaded tracks, how to add songs or playlists to it, and whether it is possible to sync music from a computer. The reason for the confusion lies in the features of MIUI, a proprietary shell that processes media files differently depending on their location and how they are downloaded.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 proven ways to add music to an app, including manual downloading through a file manager, sync with the Mi Cloud, importing from a PC, and even workarounds for cases where tracks “don’t want” to be displayed. Let’s look at some common mistakes (for example, why.m4a.flac may not be recognized and we will give recommendations for optimizing the library.

If you've just moved from an iPhone or another Android smartphone where music is automatically added to a player, MIUI may seem counterintuitive. There's no single media storage -- the Music app only scans certain folders, and some formats require additional actions, but once set up, the system works steadily, supporting even offline listening and background playback.

1. Method: Add music through file manager

The most direct method is to place audio files in the correct folder that the Music app scans. The default directory is /storage/emulated/0/Music/ (or /sdcard/Music/ on some models), and if the folder is not, you can create it manually.

Step instructions:

1. Open the Files app (folder icon).
2. Go to the Internal Storage section (or sdcard if you use a memory card).
3. Find the Music folder (or create it by clicking “Create” → “Folder”).
4. Copy or move your audio files to it (supports.mp3,.wav,.ogg,.aac,.flac formats).
5. Restart the Music app – tracks should appear in the library.

⚠️ Note: If files are not displayed, check:

• 🔍 The folder name – it should be exactly Music (with capital letters, no spaces or symbols).
• 🎵 File format — MIUI can ignore rare codecs (e.g..ape or.wma).
• 🔄 App cache - try to clean it in Settings → Annexes → Music. → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

2. Method: Import music from a computer (via USB)

If tracks are stored on PC, they can be transferred to Xiaomi via USB-This method is suitable for large collections (for example, albums or podcasts), because it allows you to move files in bundles.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer using the original USB Type-C cable (or Micro-USB for older models).
2. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. On a PC, open the Explorer (Win + E) and find your Xiaomi in the “This Computer” section.
4. Go to the Internal Storage → Music folder (or create it).
5. Copy audio files from your computer into this folder.
6. Securely remove the device and restart the Music app.

💡 Useful advice: If you are moving a large library (e.g. 10)+ GB), use a memory card (if your smartphone supports it), which will save space in your internal memory and speed up the copying process.

💡

To speed up the transfer of large files, turn off the option “Optimize transfer over USB” in the developer settings (if it is enabled).

3. Method: Synchronization through Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that allows you to download music to the library without connecting to a PC. This method has pros (access from any device) and cons (volume limit - 5 GB at a free tariff).

How to add music through the cloud:

1. Open the Mi Cloud app on your phone (or go to i.mi.com from your PC).
2. Sign in with the same Mi Account as you do on your smartphone.
3. Upload audio files to the Files section (on the site) or via the mobile app.
4. On the phone, open "Music" → "Cloud" (cloud icon in the upper right corner).
5. Select the downloaded tracks and click “Download” to appear in the local library.

⚠️ Note: Cloud music will only be available when you connect to the Internet, unless you download it to your device. Also note that Mi Cloud can compress audio files when downloaded, which will affect the quality of your device.

4. Method: Use of third-party applications (e.g., VLC)

If the standard Music app stubbornly doesn’t see your files, you can use alternative players that scan all folders on your device, such as VLC, Poweramp or Musicolet that are not tied to specific directories and support more formats.

How it works:

• 📥 Install the player from Google Play (for example, VLC).
• 🔍 Run the media library scan in the application settings (usually the option is called Scan Device»).
• 🎶 All audio files, including those that "Music" ignores, will appear in the player's library.

🔹 Advantages of the method:

Support for rare formats (.opus,.m4a,.dsd).

- The ability to adjust the equalizer and timbre.

- No binding to the Music folder.

🔸 Deficiencies:

Not synced with Mi Account (no cloud backup).

Some players show ads in the free version.

5. Method: Add music via Google Drive or other clouds

If you don't have access to a PC, but you have music on Google Drive, Yandex Disk, or Dropbox, you can download it directly to your phone and then move it to the Music folder, which is convenient for rarely listened tracks that you don't want to keep on your device all the time.

Instructions for Google Drive:

1. Open the Google Drive app on your phone.
2. Find the audio file and click on the three dots next to it.
3. Select “Download” (the file will be saved to the Download folder).
4. Open Files, find the downloaded track and move it to Music.
5. Update the library in the Music app.

⚠️ Note: Some cloud services (e.g. Yandex Disk) may block downloads without a Wi-Fi connection if they weigh more than 50MB.

Table: Comparison of ways to add music

Typical problems and their solutions

Even after adding music correctly, Xiaomi users are plagued with bugs, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

🔴 Problem 1: Tracks are in the Music folder, but not displayed in the app.

🔹 Decision:

• 📁 Check if files are hidden (in Files, enable the display of hidden folders).
• 🔄 Clear the cache of the Music app in the settings.
• 📱 Reboot the phone.

🔴 Problem 2: The Music app crashes when playing.

🔹 Decision:

• 🎵 Check if the audio file is damaged (try to play it on PC).
• 🔄 Update the Music app via Google Play.
• 📲 Install an alternative player (e.g. Poweramp).

🔴 Problem 3:.flac files are not being played back or.m4a.

🔹 Solution: Some Xiaomi models (especially those with MediaTek processors) lack codecs for high-quality formats.Install a player with support FLAC, For example, Neutron Music Player.

💡

If none of these methods worked, check if the Music app has been disabled from the storage settings in the permissions (Settings → Apps → Music → Permissions → Storage).

FAQ: Frequent questions about music on Xiaomi