Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where a standard player suddenly stops displaying tracks even though the files are physically on the device.This is a common problem that can be caused by an operating system update, a change in Android security policy, or a banal failure of media file indexing. Understanding the root cause allows you to quickly return access to your favorite songs without installing third-party software.
Most often, it is the access rights that MIUI or HyperOS restrict by default to protect user data. The Music app simply does not have permission to scan certain memory areas, especially if it is external drives. It is also worth considering that the folder structure may have changed after the update, and the player continues to search for tracks on the old ways.
In this article, we will discuss all possible causes of missing tracks and offer step-by-step instructions for eliminating them, we will touch on the settings of hidden folders, working with dummy files and features of audio formats that may not be supported by a standard decoder.
Problems with permissions and access to memory
The main reason Xiaomi Music ignores your files is the lack of necessary permissions in the Android system. Since Android 11 and above, access to the file system has become more strict, and applications need to explicitly allow reading media. Without this, the system player simply “does not see” the contents of the storage, considering it closed.
To fix this, you need to manually check your access settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, search for Music and click on App Permissions. Make sure the switch opposite Music and Audio or Files and Media Content is activated.
⚠️ Warning: If the permissions are turned on, try restarting the device. The system must re-index the media files to reflect the new permissions.
Sometimes it helps to force an application to stop before changing settings: Go to the application properties, click Stop, then turn on the permissions you want and start the player again, which resets the cache of the current session and forces the program to reread the available resources.
- 🔍 Check if the background activity restriction is worth the Music app.
- 🔍 Make sure that access is allowed for the current user account.
- 🔍 If used SD-Check if it is mounted as a portable storage device or internal memory".
Displaying hidden folders and files
The default default Xiaomi player can ignore directories labeled as hidden or folders containing a special token file. If you downloaded music from certain sources or migrated data from other devices, the directory structure may have changed.
To solve the problem, you need to activate the display of hidden elements. In the interface of the Music application itself, go to the settings (usually the gear icon or three dots in the corner) and find the item "Hidden songs" or "Show hidden files." Activation of this parameter causes the media scanner to ignore the standard system restrictions on reading.
There is also a method using a.nomedia file. If a file with that name is in a music folder, Android considers that directory to be free of media and does not add it to the library. Deleting that file (via any file manager, such as Explorer) often solves the problem instantly.
How do I find a.nomedia file?
In some cases, it helps to create an empty.nomedia file in folders where the music should NOT be (such as in folders with a messenger cache) to clear the library of garbage, and then remove it from the folder with tracks so that they appear.
- 📂 Use the file manager to search for the.nomedia file at the root of the music folder.
- 📂 Check folder attributes – they should not be labeled as “Hidden” in properties.
- 📂 Make sure that the path to music does not contain special symbols that can block reading.
Indexing errors and media scanner cache
Android uses a special service called Media Scanner, which creates a database of all audio files on the device. If the database is damaged or the indexing process is interrupted (for example, due to battery discharge during file copying), the Music application will show a blank list, even if the files are intact.
The first step is to clear the app's cache. In the app menu, find Music, select Memory, and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with Clear Data, as this can reset your playlists. After cleaning the cache, launch the app and wait a few minutes for the re-scan.
⚠️ Attention: The re-indexing process can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes depending on the number of files.
If a simple cleanup didn't work, you can try a more radical method, which is to clean up the data from the Media Storage system service. Go to Settings → Apps → Show all applications → (three dots) → Show system processes. Find Media Storage, clean up its data and restart the phone. The system will scan all the memory from scratch.
☑️ Actions in case of indexation failure
It is worth noting that on newer versions of MIUI, the scanner can be more aggressive in order to save energy, and make sure that the Music application does not have a "No Limits" limit in the battery partition, otherwise the system may interrupt the background scan.
Problems with file formats and codecs
Not all audio formats are supported by the standard Xiaomi player. Although MP3, AAC and WAV play without problems, more specific codecs (such as high-bitrate FLAC, DSD or rare variations of OGG) can be ignored by the scanner if the system does not have a corresponding decoder.
Check for file extensions that don't show up. If you're using lossless formats, try converting one test file to a standard MP3 320 kbps. If the track appears on the list after conversion, then the problem is that the original format is not supported by built-in tools.
File integrity is also important. ID3-The tag can cause the scanner to skip the file, believing it to be incorrect. Using tag editors on a PC or specialized Android applications (such as Musicolet or PowerAmp) helps to correct metadata and make tracks visible.
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Install a third-party player like VLC or PowerAmp that has its own codecs. If the music is playing, then the files are intact, and the problem is with the standard Xiaomi app.
The table below shows the main formats and their support status with the standard player:
| Format | Expansion | Xiaomi support | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP3 | .mp3 | Complete. | De facto standard, works everywhere |
| FLAC | .flac | Partial | There may be problems with tags. |
| WAV | .wav | Complete. | No compression, big size. |
| AAC | .m4a | Complete. | Standard for iTunes and YouTube |
| OGG Vorbis | .ogg | Depends on the version. | Often requires a third-party player |
Features of working with SD-map
If your music is located on a memory card, visibility problems most often arise due to the file system or the physical state of the drive. Android requires external drives to be formatted in an exFAT or FAT32 file system for full compatibility. NTFS format can only be read as "read-only" or not read at all without special drivers.
Check if the map is correctly installed. SIM-tray, wipe the card contacts with a soft cloth and paste back before clicking. → Warehouse make sure the card is displayed and accessible. If the system suggests formatting the card, do so (pre-saving the data on the PC) to correct possible file table errors.
Important: on some Xiaomi models with Android 11+ application-access SD-You may need to manually allow the Music app to access the map when you first run it. If the pop-up doesn't appear, try deleting and re-add the map in the storage settings.
- 💾 Make sure your memory card is not full (less than 10 free%).
- 💾 Check the speed of writing cards – too slow cards may not have time to give data for indexing.
- 💾 Try transferring some of the music to your internal memory to test your hypothesis.
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File system SD-The card must be exFAT or FAT32. NTFS and ext4 Android is often not supported for media content.
Failures after the update MIUI or HyperOS
After a major firmware update (e.g., a move from MIUI 13 to 14 or HyperOS), the structure of system files may change, the old paths to music libraries become irrelevant, and the new privacy settings block access to legacy applications, which is the standard security behavior.
In such cases, it often helps to reset the Music app to factory settings: Go to the app properties, select About and click Delete Updates (if available), or simply clear the data, and then the app will return to the "out of the box" state and reclaim all the necessary rights.
If the problem appears immediately after the update, there may be a bug in the new firmware version. Check the GetApps store or Google Play store for updates for the Music app itself. Developers often release compatibility patches within a week of major system updates.
⚠️ Before resetting your app data, make sure your playlists are synced to Mi Cloud or Xiaomi Account, otherwise playlists may be lost.