How to put your tune on your alarm clock on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Waking up to your favorite music makes the morning feel better, but the standard alarm melodies on Xiaomi quickly get bored. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not add the obvious feature of choosing an arbitrary audio file to MIUI - instead, users are offered a limited set of system sounds.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods to set your tune on an alarm in Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones (relevant to MIUI 12, 13 and 14). You will learn how to use the built-in tools of the system, what audio formats are supported, and what to do if the alarm clock does not play the added file. We will also look at the nuances for different models – from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 13.

Important: Some methods require permission to access files or install additional programs. If you prefer to do without third-party software, focus on the first two methods.

1. Method: Using the folder "Alarms" (official method for MIUI)

The easiest and safest way is to put an audio file in a special system folder, MIUI automatically scans it and adds the content to the list of available alarm melodies, the method works on all Xiaomi devices without root rights.

Here's how to do it:

• 📁 Connect your phone to your computer or use a file manager (e.g., Mi File Explorer).
• 🔍 Go to the root directory of internal memory and find the folder. MIUI → media → audio → If it's not, create it manually.
• 🎵 Copy the audio file into this folder (formats are supported.mp3,.m4a,.ogg,.wav).
• 🔄 Restart the device (required!).

After rebooting, open the Watch → Alarm → tap on an existing alarm clock or create a new one. In the Signal Melody section, your file will appear in the Local Melodies list.

⚠️ Note: If the file is not displayed, check the name of the file – it should not contain special characters (e.g. #, %, *). Also make sure that the track is less than 5 minutes long (long files may not play back).

Rename the file to Latin (e.g., "morning.mp3")| Check the format (supported MP3, M4A, OGG, WAV)| Make sure the track duration is ≤ 5 minutes | Copy the file to the folder MIUI/media/audio/alarms |Reboot the phone-->

2. Method: Configure through "Music" (for MIUI 13/14)

The latest versions of MIUI 13 and 14 have a half-hidden function to select the alarm melody directly from the Music app, which requires no reboot and works without transferring files to system folders.

Instructions:

1. Open the Music app (standard Mi Music player).
2. Find the track you want to use as an alarm clock and open it.
3. Press three points (⋮) top-right → Choose Set as a Melody → Alarm clock.
4. Confirm your choice. This track will now be available in the alarm settings.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Works only with files added to the Mi Music library (not streaming tracks).
• 🔊 Not all formats are supported (for example,.flac may not appear in the list).
• 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F4) This menu item is missing.

💡

If your Music app doesn't have the "Install as a Melody" option, update it via Google Play or the App Store. Often, this feature appears after an update.

Method: Third-party applications for alarm clock

If the built-in techniques don't work, third-party programs will come to the rescue, not only allowing you to choose any tune, but also offering additional features: smooth volume increase, math problems to turn off the alarm clock, and even integration with Google Assistant.

The best apps for Xiaomi:

How to set up:

1. Install one of the applications (e.g. Alarmy).
2. Open it and create a new alarm clock.
3. In the sound settings, select Select File and specify the path to your melody.
4. Save the changes and check the alarm clock.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. Sleep as Android) require permission to autostart and run in the background. Without these permissions, the alarm may not work after the phone restarts. → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start.

Standard Xiaomi Watches|Sleep as Android|Alarmy|Timely|Other-->

4. Method: Using a file manager with root rights (for advanced ones)

If your Xiaomi has root access, you can manually replace the alarm clock’s system tunes, a method that is suitable for users who are willing to risk system stability for customization.

Step-by-step:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/media/audio/alarms/.
3. Copy your audio file into this folder (for example, my_alarm.mp3).
4. Change the file access permissions to 644 (read for all, write for owner only).
5. Reset the device.

Now your file will be available in the standard alarm clock melodies list, and the advantage of this method is that the melody will not reset after the MIUI update, since the files are stored in the system partition.

⚠️ Note: Incorrectly changing files in /system Before editing, back up the alarms folder and make sure your file has a supported format (.ogg works best).

5. Method: Bypassing restrictions through ADB (without root)

For users who don’t want to root, but are willing to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there’s an alternative method that allows you to embed your audio file into a system tone list without physically transferring it to secure folders.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-tool.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Click on version 7 times, then return to Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🎵 Audio file in.ogg format (recommended for compatibility).

Instructions:

adb push your file.ogg /sdcard/MIUI/media/audio/alarms/


adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MEDIA_SCANNER_SCAN_FILE -d file:///sdcard/MIUI/media/audio/alarms/ your file.ogg




adb reboot

Once you reboot your file will appear in the tone list, which mimics the official method (Section 1), but allows you to automate the process through the command line.

💡

ADB-commands do not require root rights, but to perform them, you need to include debugging USB. After use ADB Turn off this option in the developer’s security settings.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after setting up correctly, Xiaomi users face common mistakes, and let’s look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: The file does not appear in the list of tunes.

• 🔄 Check the path to the file (should be) /MIUI/media/audio/alarms/).
• 📌 Make sure the file has a supported format (.mp3,.m4a,.ogg).
• 🔄 Restart your phone - sometimes MIUI Does not update the list of tunes immediately.

Problem 2: The alarm goes off, but without a sound.

• 🔊 Check the volume of the alarm clock (adjusted separately from the total volume).
• 🚫 Make sure the phone is not in Do Not Disturb or No Sound mode.
• 🔧 Reset the settings of the Watch app (see spoiler in section 4).

Problem 3: The melody stops in a few seconds.

This is because MIUI limits the duration of playback.

• ✂️ Cut the file to 30 to 60 seconds (you can use Audacity or online services).
• 🔄 Use a third-party app (Section 3) where there are no time limits.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions