How to set your music to the phone on Xiaomi: all working ways

The default set melody on Xiaomi quickly gets bored, and the standard set of ringtones in the MIUI You want to put your favorite song on a call, but the system doesn't let you choose. MP3-This problem is familiar to many Redmi owners, POCO And the other smartphones of the brand. MIUI Artificially blocks the installation of custom tunes through standard settings – but bypass this restriction in several ways.

In this article, you will find 5 proven methods, including hidden MIUI 14/15 features, file manager use and third-party applications. We will also discuss why some formats do not work, how to crop a track to 30 seconds (maximum ringtone duration), and what to do if the melody is not saved after the reboot. All instructions are relevant for models 2020-2026 (Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13T, POCO X5, etc.).

Before you start, check:

• 📱 Version. MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. The methods may differ for MIUI 12 and newer.
• 🎵 File format: only supported.mp3,.m4a,.ogg (max. 5 MB).
• ⏱️ Duration: optimally - up to 30 seconds (long tracks will be cut automatically).

⚠️ Note: If you use a theme from the theme, it may overwrite your ringtones. Return the standard theme before setting up or disable automatic application of sounds.

Method 1: Using standard MIUI settings (for new versions)

In MIUI 14/15, developers have made the process somewhat simpler, but many users are still unaware of the hidden menu, which works without root rights and third-party applications, but requires proper file preparation.

Steps:

1. Put your audio file (e.g. song.mp3) in the Internal Storage → Ringtones folder. If it doesn't, create it manually.
2. Open Settings → Sounds and vibration → Call melody.
3. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Local Melodies.
4. Your file will appear in the list – select it and save the changes.

Why can't you see the file? Make sure that:

• 📁 The folder is called Ringtones (registration is important!).
• 🎼 The file does not contain any special characters in the name (for example, #,?).
• 🔄 You have updated the list of tunes with a swipe down (sometimes the cache does not update automatically).

Method 2: Use a file manager (for MIUI 12–13)

Older versions of MIUI may not have Local Melodies, and the built-in Explorer (or Files by Google) will help, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, including Redmi 9, POCO X3, and others.

Instructions:

1. Download the audio file to your phone (for example, via Telegram or Browser).
2. Open Explorer (the folder icon on the desktop).
3. Find your file, hold your finger on it → select More → Set as → Call melody.
4. Confirm the choice in the window that opens.

If you don't have an "Install as" item, your version of MIUI hides it. Try updating the software or use Method 3.

Method 3: Applications for installing ringtones

If the standard methods didn't work, third-party utilities would come to the rescue, and we tested 5 popular apps and selected the two most reliable ones:

How to use Ringtone Maker:

• 🎵 Select a track from memory or write a new one.
• ✂️ Cut the fragment (optimally - 20-30 seconds).
• 📱 Press Set as → Ringtone.
• 🔄 If the melody does not apply, restart the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, MP3 Cutter) save ringtones to its folder, which MIUI After you've trimmed, manually move the file to Internal Storage. → Ringtones.

Method 4: Through PC (for advanced users)

If your phone can’t see files or you want to install a tune on Xiaomi without unnecessary apps, connect the device to your computer. This method is guaranteed to work even on blocked firmware.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. On your computer, open the phone folder and go to Internal Storage.
3. Create a media folder, and inside it, audio. Inside audio, create folders: ringtones for ringtones for ringtones; notifications for notifications; alarms for alarms.

.mp3

ringtones

Turn off the phone and restart it.

Settings → Sounds → Melody of the call → Local

Why is this more reliable? The media/audio folder is the standard storage for ringtones in Android, and MIUI will scan it, and even after resetting the tunes will remain in place.

Method 5: For root users (full control)

If you have root rights (like Magisk), you can replace the system ringtones or install the melody directly into the database, a method that is suitable for enthusiasts willing to risk the stability of the system.

Instructions:

1. Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer with root support.
2. Go to /system/media/audio/ringtones.
3. Copy your file into this folder (pre-rename it, for example, to miui_ringtone.mp3).
4. Change the file permission to 644 (rw-r-----).
5. Reboot the phone.

Now your tune will appear in the standard MIUI ringtones list as a system tune.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly changing system files can lead to bootloop ( looped boot). TWRP Or OrangeFox.

💡

If the melody plays with distortions after installation, convert the file to MP3 with a bitrate of 128-192 kbit / s. For this, use Audacity or online converters.

Problem Solving: The melody is not set or reset

Even after successfully installing the ringtone, you may encounter bugs, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

If nothing helps, try resetting the sound settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Settings (app) → Storage → Clear the data.
3. Repeat the setup of the melody.