How to change the sound of notifications on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways

Audio notifications on Xiaomi are the first to signal new messages, calls or system events. But standard MIUI tunes may get boring or just don't fit your style. Fortunately, the manufacturer provides several ways to change them, from built-in settings to customized sounds through the file manager.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of changing the sound of notifications on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices running MIUI 12, 13 and 14. You will learn how to use standard tunes, download your files, and solve typical problems - from no sound to resetting after an update.

Important: Some features may vary depending on the regional firmware (Global, China, EEA) and MIUI version. If your smartphone is running HyperOS (the new shell from Xiaomi), some of the instructions will remain relevant, but the location of menu items may change.

Method 1: Change the sound through standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in system tools, which is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration (on some firmware - Sound).
3. Select the default notification or notification sound.
4. In the list of available tunes, tap on your favorite to listen to. To confirm, click OK.

MIUI 14 adds the option of pre-listening without saving — just hold your finger on the name of the tune, and you can adjust the vibration at notifications (the switch at the top of the screen).

Free space in memory (minimum 50 MB)

Active Internet connection (to download new sounds)

Do Not Disturb mode is off.

Updated firmware to the latest version-->

Note that some regional firmware (e.g. China Stable) may shorten the standard tunes list, which may help install a global version of MIUI or use alternative methods from the following sections.

Method 2: Installation of custom notification sounds

If you don't like the built-in tunes, you can upload your files. MIUI supports.mp3,.wav and.ogg formats for up to 30 seconds.

1. Download the audio file to the device (for example, through a browser or messenger).We recommend using files with a bit rate of 128-192 kbit / s for better quality.
2. Move the file to the Ringtones or Notifications folder on the internal storage, and create it manually if it's missing.
3. Go to Settings → Sounds and Vibrations → Default Notifications.
4. At the top of the screen, tap on + Add (or Other sounds in older versions of MIUI).
5. Select your file from the list. If it doesn't show up, reboot the device.

For convenience, you can use the Mi File Manager file manager or third-party applications like Solid Explorer. If the sound does not appear in the list, check:

• 📁 The correct folder name (registration is important: Notifications, not notifications).
• 🎵 File format (only supported.mp3,.wav,.ogg).
• 🔊 Track duration (maximum 30 seconds).
• 📱 Permissions for the file manager (c Settings) → Annexes → Permits).

💡

If you want to use a snippet of a song, cut it in advance with apps like MP3 Cutter or Ringtone Maker. MIUI doesn’t support cropping sounds on the fly.

On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), the process is similar, but the folder for custom sounds may be called Media/Audio/Notifications. If the file never appears after the reboot, try moving it to the root folder of the storage and repeat the steps.

Method 3: Change sounds for individual applications

MIUI allows you to assign unique tunes to different messengers and social networks, which is convenient if you want to distinguish notifications from WhatsApp and Telegram by sound.

1. Open the Settings → Applications.
2. Select the app you want (like Viber or Instagram).
3. Please click on the Notices (or Alerts in older versions).
4. Turn on the Sound switch and select the melody from the list.

For some applications (such as Gmail or Outlook), the audio settings may be hidden in their own settings.

• 📧 Open the app itself (such as Gmail).
• 🔧 Go to its settings (usually through the icon) ⚙️ top-corner).
• 🔔 Find the Notifications section and change the sound there.

On the POCO F4 GT and other POCO Launcher devices, the path may be different: Settings → Notifications and Status Bar → Notification Management. You can also turn off the sound for specific applications, leaving only vibration.

Standard MIUI tunes

Castomy MP3-file

No sound (vibration only)

Different sounds for each application-->

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

If the built-in MIUI tools seem limited, you can use third-party utilities.

• 🎶 Zedge – the largest database of ringtones and notification sounds with the ability to pre-listen.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop tracks and assign them for notifications or calls.
• 📱 Notification Sounds – a specialized application for customizing alert sounds.

Example of working with Zedge:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select the Notification Sounds category.
3. Find the sound you like and click Set as notification.
4. Confirm your choice in the MIUI system window.

Warning: Some applications (e.g. Ringtone Maker) require permission to modify system settings. On devices with MIUI 13+, this may trigger an "unsafe action" warning to avoid problems:

⚠️ Note: Do not give third-party apps access to Android Accessibility or Device Admin settings unless they are from a trusted developer.

On Xiaomi 13 Ultra and other flagships with the latest version of MIUI, some audio customization apps may not work properly due to security policy limitations. In this case, use the method of manually placing files in the Notifications folder (described in Method 2).

Problem Solving: The notification sound is not changing or is gone

Sometimes, after a change of tune, the notifications are left without sound or the old melody is played, and let's consider the typical causes and ways to eliminate them:

If the problem persists after all the manipulations, try resetting the sound settings to the standard:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Resetting.
2. Select Resetting Sound Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and restart the device.

Features for different MIUI versions and models

The interface and available features can vary depending on the firmware version and device model.

• 📱 MIUI 12 and below: folder for custom sounds — /storage/emulated/0/media/audio/notifications/. No pre-listening in the selection menu.
• 🆕 MIUI 13–14: Added pre-listening support, improved integration with Google Sound Picker (on devices with Google services).
• 🔄 HyperOS (Xiaomi 14, 13T And newer: Changed path to sound settings: Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound circuits: Support for dynamic sound themes.
• 🎵 POCO-devices: B POCO Launcher may not have the "Sound Circuits" section. Use the standard path through Settings → Sounds and vibrations.

On the Xiaomi Pad 6 and other tablets, the interface is adapted to the large screen, but the logic of changing sounds remains the same. For devices with dual speakers (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro), the notification sound will play stereo if this supports the file format.

Important for Xiaomi owners with China Stable firmware: this version has the default option to set custom sounds. To unlock the feature, you need to switch to global firmware or use it. ADB-team:

adb shell settings put global notification_sound_custom_enabled 1

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On devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS, audio settings can sync with your Xiaomi account. If you use multiple devices (such as a smartphone and tablet), the changes will apply to all gadgets associated with the same account.

Additional settings: vibration, LED-indicator and priorities

In addition to sound, you can configure the associated notification parameters in MIUI:

• 📳 Vibration: B Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Vibration at notifications can be selected or turned off by the vibration pattern.
• 💡 LED-indicator: On devices with LED (For example, Redmi Note 10 Pro) flash color is configured in Settings → Notifications and status bar → Notification indicator.
• 🔝 Priorities: B Settings → Annexes → Notification management can be assigned to applications as “Important”, “Normal” or “Low Priority” statuses, which affects sound and vibration.

For devices with Always-On Display (such as Xiaomi 13), audio notifications can be duplicated visually – the application icon and message text will be displayed on the lock screen.

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select Always-On Display and Lock screen.
3. Turn off the option to show notifications on the lock screen.

Nana POCO X5 Pro and other devices with AMOLED-screen LED-The indicator can be programmatic (blinking part of the screen). In this case, its settings are in Settings → Display. → Blinking notification indicator.

FAQ: Frequent questions about notification sounds on Xiaomi