How to Set a Call on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Changing the standard tune is the first step to personalizing your Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone.Standard ringtones often seem boring and users want to hear unique sounds when incoming.The installation process can seem confusing due to the features of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS.

In this article, we’ll look at all the available methods, from simple methods through settings to advanced options using file managers. You’ll learn how to avoid common mistakes when music isn’t displayed on the list, and how to customize individual sounds for different subscribers.

Before you start downloading files, make sure you have access to the Internet or already stored audio files in memory. Xiaomi-based Android has its own security limitations that can block access to system folders. Understanding these nuances will save you time and nerves.

Audio file preparation and formats

The first step is to find or create the right audio file. Xiaomi smartphones support most popular formats, but for stable operation it is better to use proven standards. MP3 remains the most versatile format, which is played on any device without conversion.

Sound quality also plays a role, but do not download files with a bitrate above 320 kbit / s, as the smartphone speaker may not reveal their potential. The optimal choice will be tracks with a bitrate of 128-192 kbit / s. They take up less space and are processed faster by the system when a call arrives.

If you plan to use a song, make sure it's not too long. The optimal call time is 15 to 30 seconds. Longer songs may be cropped by the system or playback incorrectly on repeated calls.

• 🎵 MP3 — The most popular and compatible format for all versions MIUI.
• 🎼 M4R — The format used in the Apple ecosystem, but often supported by Android.
• 🔊 WAV — format without compression, provides high quality, but takes up a lot of space.
• 📁 OGG — Open format, often used by Android system sounds.

⚠️ Attention: Files from DRM-protection (e.g., purchased from iTunes or taken from paid subscription streaming services) cannot be installed as a ringtone without removing the protection.

Installation of ringtones through standard settings

The easiest way to change a tune is to use the built-in settings menu, which is suitable if you want to choose a track from already available in the system or from the cloud storage of Xiaomi Cloud. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell.

To start, open the main menu and find the Settings section. Scroll down to Sounds and Vibration. Here you will see the Call Melody option. Click on it and you will be taken to the Select menu where you can listen to standard songs.

To add your file, click the + button or select Select a local ringtone at the top of the screen. The system will prompt you to select a file search application, usually Explorer or Music. Find the desired track and confirm the selection.

Once selected, the file is automatically copied to the system call folder and made available for installation. If you don't see the add button, you may have an outdated version of the theme installed, which is recommended to be changed to the standard one.

Use of the built-in "Themes" application

Xiaomi's ecosystem is dominated by the Theme app, which allows you to download not only wallpaper and icons, but also whole packages of sounds, and is a convenient way to find quality, already cropped and optimized tunes.

Open the Themes app on your desktop. In the bottom navigation bar, select the Ringtones tab, and here is a huge catalog of free and paid songs, sorted by genre and popularity.

When you find the right track, click the download button, and then you download it, you get the Apply button, and the system automatically sets that sound to the incoming call, and the advantage of this method is that you don't have to search for files on the Internet and worry about viruses.

It's worth noting that the theme store requires a Mi Account, and if you don't have one, it will prompt you to sign up, which is a requirement for you to access the manufacturer's cloud services.

Manual installation through Explorer (File Manager)

The most flexible method is manual file copying, which allows you to use any audio files downloaded from your browser or received through messengers, and for this we will need a standard Explorer application.

First, download the audio file you want. Then open Explorer and go to the Download folder. Find your file, click on it, and hold your finger to highlight. In the menu that appears, select Copy or Move.

Now you go to the root directory of internal memory, find the MIUI folder, and inside it, sound. That's where the system expects user tunes to arrive. Inside the sound folder, create or select the ringtone subfolder.

Once you put the file in the correct directory, it should appear in the list of available calls in the settings. If this does not happen immediately, try rebooting the device. This will update the Android media library.

Set up an individual call for contact

Often, it is necessary to know who is calling without taking the phone out of your pocket. Xiaomi allows you to assign a unique tune to a particular subscriber from the phone book.

Open the Contacts or Phone app and go to the Contacts tab. Find the right person and open their card. At the top of the screen or in the menu (three dots), find the Sound or Call Melody item.

Click on this item. The standard ringtone selection menu will open, similar to the one in the general settings. Select a track from the list or add a new one through +. Once confirmed, the selected track will play when that person calls.

⚠️ Note: If you change your phone number to a contact or sync it to a Google account on another device, your individual call settings may reset.

This feature is especially useful for highlighting calls from close relatives or important work contacts, and you will always know the priority of the call, even if the phone is down.

Creating your own ringtone from a song

If you have a favorite song, but you want to use only a snippet of it, you'll need an audio editor. On Xiaomi, you can use built-in features or third-party apps.

Xiaomi Music often has a ringtone creation feature in its Music app. Open the track, click on three dots on the menu, and select Create a ringtone. You can sliders to highlight the desired section of the track and save it.

Alternatively, online services or applications like Ringdroid or MP3 Cutter can be used to edit audio more accurately, add fade-in/fade-out effects, and save the result in the desired format.

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Add the effect of smooth attenuation at the end of the clipped fragment.A sharp break of music sounds unpleasant and can be annoying with frequent calls.

After creating the snippet, save it.The file will automatically go to the music editor folder.Be sure to move it to the MIUI/sound/ringtone folder if the application didn't do it automatically to see the track in the call settings.

Problem Solving: Why a Call is Not Called

Users often experience a file that is not visible or installed, and one of the common reasons is that the file is not properly located, and as mentioned earlier, the MIUI folder is key.

Another reason is the file format. If you download a file with a.m4a or.flac extension, the system may ignore it in the ringtones list, even though it will play in the player. Convert the file to MP3 using online converters.

In the newer versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14), file system access is restricted, and make sure that Explorer or Music is allowed to access the device’s memory in the privacy settings.

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If the file doesn't appear in the list, check its extension and path to the folder. 90% of the time, the problem is solved by moving the file to the MIUI/sound/ringtone root folder.

In rare cases, cleaning the cache of the Themes or Sounds app helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the system sound app and click Clear cache. This won't delete your files, but will update the media database.