How to Add Sound to Xiaomi Phone: From Simple Settings to Hidden Features

You pick up your Xiaomi, but instead of the ringtone, it's silent, and the video is played without sound? Or after the update, the audio signal is gone in the speakers? The problem with the sound on Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones is more common than it seems, and hardware failure is not always to blame. In 80% of cases, the culprit is a software failure, improperly connected headphones or disconnected system sound.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes of Xiaomi’s lack of sound, from basic checks to hidden engineering menu features, learn how to return audio through Android settings, reset media settings, test speakers, and even restore sound after a failed MIUI update. And if the problem lies deeper, we’ll give you a checklist to diagnose hardware malfunctions.

Spoiler: 9 out of 10 times, you can get the sound back without going to the service center.

Basic checks: what to do first

Before digging into settings or resetting your phone, make sure the problem isn't on the surface.Here are 4 steps to follow right away:

• 🔊 Check the physical sound switch. on some Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro or the Redmi Note 10 Pro). POCO X3) There is a separate volume button - it can be accidentally translated to the "No sound" position".
• 🎧 Turn off your headphones or Bluetooth devices. Android sometimes forgets to switch back to speakers. Connect and turn off your headphones a few times or restart your phone.
• 📱 Make sure you don't activate Do Not Disturb mode. Swipe down from the top of the screen and check the cross-over bell icon.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone. It's trivial, but it works: press the power button and select "Reboot." This will reset the temporary disruptions of audio drivers.

If you don't have a sound after this manipulation, move on to the next section, and if you've recently dropped your phone or urinated it, don't waste your time on software methods: the problem is almost certainly hardware (the speaker's plume has detached or the contacts have oxidized).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with a connector USB-C (Like Redmi. K50 Mi 11, or Mi, is a bug that often occurs when the system thinks the headphones are connected when they're not, and cleaning the connector with compressed air or restarting it will help.

2. audio setting via the MIUI system menu

MIUI offers flexible audio settings, but sometimes settings get lost after updating or installing third-party apps. Here's how to return sound through standard menus:

Step 1. Check the volume level

Open Settings → Sound and vibration. Make sure the Media, Call and Alarm Sliders are not at zero. If they are locked, uncheck the Quiet Mode option.

Step 2. Reset the sound settings

In the same menu (Sound and Vibration), scroll down and select Additional Settings → Reset audio settings. This will return all audio parameters to factory values, including equalizer and effects.

Step 3: Set up sound profiles

MIUI allows you to create separate profiles for different situations (for example, "Work", "Home", "On the street"). Check if the profile is activated with the sound turned off: Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound profiles.

If the audio is only lost in a particular app (like YouTube or TikTok), the problem may lie in the settings of the app itself, go to its settings and check the permissions to access the microphone and speakers.

3. Engineering menu: hidden test speakers

If the standard settings didn't work, it's time to look at the engineering menu, the hidden Android section where you can test hardware components, including speakers. Careful: the wrong actions here could disrupt your phone!

How to open the engineering menu on Xiaomi:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. Select the Hardware Testing option → Audio.

In this menu you will see a list of audio devices:

• Speaker – the main speaker (for music and calls)
• Earpiece – a conversational speaker (for phone calls)
• Headset, headphones.

If you tap each item in turn, you'll hear the test signal. If there's sound in Headset, but there's no sound in Speaker, it's the main speaker problem (possibly a physical breakdown). If there's no sound anywhere, the audio driver will fail.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) In this case, use the alternative code: ##36446337## (for equipment testing).

4. Resetting to factory settings: when necessary

If the sound is gone after a MIUI update or custom firmware installation, resetting can help, and this method will return all system parameters to their original state, including audio drivers.

How to reset your settings to Xiaomi without losing data:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Network, Sound and Display Reset (this won’t affect your files and applications).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

If that doesn't work, you'll have to do a complete reset (with deletion of data), and it's important to save photos, contacts, and other important files to your Mi Cloud or computer.

Instructions for complete discharge:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Delete all data.
2. Enter the password from your Mi Account (if requested).
3. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

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A full reset is a last resort, and before that, try upgrading MIUI to the latest version or rolling back the firmware if the sound is gone after the update.

5 Problems After Update: How to Get Sound Back to MIUI

MIUI updates sometimes bring not only new features, but also sound bugs, and if a problem occurs after installing a fresh firmware, here's what you can do:

Method 1: Cleaning the system cache

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show System Processes. Find Android System and MIUI System, then clear the cache for both.

Method 2. Recoil from the update

If the sound is gone immediately after the update, try to go back to the previous version of MIUI:

1. Download the old firmware for your model from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root folder of the phone.
3. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update, click on three dots and select Select a firmware file.

Method 3: Manual update of audio drivers

On the 4PDA and XDA Developers forums, they often post corrected versions of drivers for popular Xiaomi models. For example, for the Redmi Note 8 Pro, there is a patch to fix a bug with a quiet sound in the speaker. Note that installing unofficial drivers requires an unlocked bootloader and may be unwarranted.

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Before rolling back the firmware, check if Xiaomi is blocking the downgrade for your model. On some devices (for example, POCO F4), after rollback, Anti-Rollback protection may work, and the phone will turn into a brick.

6. Hardware malfunctions: when without service can not do

If none of the software methods worked, the problem is probably hardware. Here are 4 signs that it's time to bring the phone to service:

• 🔇 The sound disappears only in the dynamics, but there are in the headphones - perhaps the plume has gone away or the amplifier has failed.
• 💦 The phone fell into the water or was exposed to moisture – oxidation of contacts speaker.
• 🔊 There is a sound, but very quiet or with wheezing - damaged membrane speaker.
• 📱 After the fall, the sound disappeared and cracks appeared on the body - mechanical damage.

The cost of repairing the speaker on Xiaomi varies from 800 to 2500 rubles depending on the model. For example, replacing the main speaker with the Redmi Note 11 will cost ~ 1200 rubles, and on the Mi 12 Pro - up to 2000 rubles. If the phone is warranty, contact the official service center Xiaomi - the repair will be free (provided that the breakdown is not your fault).

How to check the speaker yourself:

1. Hold the phone to your ear while ringing – if there is sound in the conversational speaker and mostly not, the problem is with the underlying speaker.
2. Call your phone from another device and turn on speakerphone, and if the person you're talking to hear you doesn't hear you, the microphone or audio track is defective.
3. Connect the headphones – if there is sound in them, the problem is in the phone’s speakers.

⚠️ Attention: Don't try to disassemble the phone yourself if you don't have experience! On Xiaomi models, the plumes of the speakers are extremely fragile, and damage to them will lead to an increase in the cost of repair. POCO X3 Pro replacement of the plume together with the speaker costs 1.5-2 times more expensive than just replacing the speaker.

7. Frequent questions about sound on Xiaomi