How to set up a microphone in a Xiaomi smartphone: a complete guide with solutions to typical problems

The microphone in Xiaomi is not just a tool for calling, but a key element for recording voice messages, streams, video calls and working with voice assistants. However, many users face problems: the interlocutor does not hear well, the recording turns out with noise, or the microphone does not work at all after the MIUI update. In this article, we will analyze all the ways to set up the microphone on Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), and solve typical problems without contacting the service center.

It’s important to understand that microphone settings are not only hardware-specific (like having a dual microphone for noise reduction in the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), but also firmware version. We’ll focus on current versions of MIUI 14/15, but we’ll point out differences for older versions where it’s critical. If your smartphone runs on Android 13/14 with HyperOS, some of the items will also remain relevant.

Before you start settings, check if the problem is hardware, for example, if the microphone stopped working after a phone drop or moisture hit, it will likely need repairs, and otherwise, software adjustments, from basic parameters to hidden functions of the engineering menu, will help.

1. Basic microphone settings in MIUI

Let's start with the standard settings that are available in the settings menu, and they'll be good for most things like improving call quality, recording voice messages or video calls on WhatsApp/Telegram.

To open the main settings of the microphone:

1. Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Select Sound Quality (in some versions of MIUI, it may be called Sound Improvement).
3. Activate Voice Improvement – this will enable built-in noise cancellation.

For dual-mic models (such as the Xiaomi 12T Pro or POCO F5 Pro), there may also be a microphone direction option.

• 🎤 Omnidirectional – captures sound from all sides (suitable for group recording).
• 🎙️ Directed – Focuses on the sound source in the front (optimum for calls).
• 🔇 Noise suppression – suppresses background noise (useful for streaming or recording in noisy places).

Note that if there is no voice enhancement option, your model does not support software sound processing, in which case only an external microphone or settings in a particular application (for example, in Zoom or Discord) will help improve the quality.

2.Configuring the microphone for calls

If the person is not hearing well during a conversation, the problem may lie in the settings of the phone application, and MIUI has separate options to improve the quality of voice during calls.

Follow the instructions:

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to the Sound and Vibration section during the call.
4. Activate options: 🔊 Voice amplification – increases the volume of your voice to the interlocutor. 🎧 Noise reduction – reduces background noise (does not work on all models). 📞 HD-voice – improves sound clarity (requires operator support).

If the quality has not improved after turning on these options, check if the microphone is blocked by a cover or protective film. For example, in the Redmi Note 11 Pro, the bottom microphone is located next to the USB-C connector, and it can be closed by a thick bumper.

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If you hear echoes or interference during the call, try turning off Bluetooth headphones – they may conflict with the main microphone.

3. Checking the microphone through the engineering menu

If standard settings don’t work, the cause of the malfunction can be diagnosed through an engineering menu (also known as ##4636##) that is a hidden section that allows you to test hardware components, including the microphone.

Instructions for verification:

1. Open the Phone app and type the combination: ##4636## Some models (e.g. POCO X5 Pro) may require a combination of #36446337##.
2. In the menu that opens, select Audio (or Sound).
3. In the Microphone section, check the signal levels for each microphone (usually 2-3: primary, secondary and noise reduction).
4. Speak to the microphone – if the sound level band does not respond, the microphone is faulty or is software-disabled.

You can also adjust the sensitivity of the microphone in the engineering menu, but this requires caution. For example, the Mic Gain setting is better not to increase above 6 dB, otherwise there will be noise. The optimal value for most models is 0-3 dB.

4.Mic settings for recording videos and streams

When recording videos or streaming via TikTok, YouTube or Twitch, the sound quality often suffers because of the camera's automatic settings, and MIUI has separate settings to improve sound when shooting.

How to set up:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Go to Settings (cog in the top corner).
3. Find the Sound or Microphone section and activate it: 🎥 Stereo sound – for recording spatial sound (available on flagships like Xiaomi 14 Ultra). 🔇 Wind filter – suppresses wind noise when shooting outside. 🔊 Normalization of sound – equalizes the volume of the voice.

For streams, it is better to use an external microphone connected via USB-C or Bluetooth. For example, the Xiaomi Mi Compact Bluetooth Microphone is well compatible with devices on MIUI and supports noise cancellation at the AI level.

5. Solving microphone problems

If the microphone doesn't work at all or if it's out of order, the causes can range from software failures to physical damage, and let's look at the most common cases and how to fix them.

The microphone is not working during calls:

• ⚡ Check if the mode is activated on the plane or Do not disturb.
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes resetting the temporary data of the communication module helps.
• 📱 Update the firmware: in older versions MIUI There were bugs with a microphone (for example, in the MIUI 12.5 for Redmi 9).
• 🛠️ Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

The microphone is working, but the person hears an echo or interference:

• 🎧 Turn off Bluetooth devices – they can create a feedback loop.
• 🔇 Enable noise reduction in call settings (see Section 2).
• 📵 Check if the phone is on a hard surface – vibrations can create echoes.

The microphone does not work in a specific application (WhatsApp, Discord, etc.):

• 🔄 Reinstall the application – temporary files may be damaged.
• 📋 Check the permissions: Settings → Annexes → [Title of the annex] → Permits → Microphone.
• 🔊 In the application settings, find the Audio section and select the correct sound source.

Engineering menu checked for microphone response |

Updated firmware to the latest version|

Network settings reset |

Microphone tested in another application (e.g. Dictaphone) |

Physical damage (moisture, falls) checked)-->

⚠️ Note: If the microphone stops working after the update MIUI, Try to revert to the previous version via Fastboot. in some cases (for example, after upgrading to the previous version). MIUI 15 on Redmi Note 10 Pro) helps reset to factory settings with data saving.

6 Advanced settings through ADB

For advanced users who want to fine-tune the microphone settings, there is the option to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to change hidden settings that are not available in the standard interface.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer and enable USB Debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command to check the connection: adb devices
3. To increase the sensitivity of the microphone, use: adb shell settings put global mic_gain 3 (significance 3 — moderately amplified, maximum — 6).
4. To disable the sound processing (if it interferes): adb shell settings put global voice_processing 0

In models with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (for example, Xiaomi) 13 or POCO X6 Pro) parameters can be further configured audio_effects.conf, But this requires root rights and can lead to unstable system operation.

⚠️ Attention: Wrong commands ADB Before experimenting, back up your audio system with adb backup or Mi Cloud.

7. Alternative ways to improve sound

If the built-in settings do not give the desired result, consider the following options:

External microphones:

• 🎤 Xiaomi Mi AI Bluetooth Microphone – compact microphone with noise cancellation, suitable for streaming.
• 🎧 Headphones with microphone (for example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro) – improve voice quality due to proximity to the mouth.
• 📱 Adapters USB-C → 3.5 mm for professional microphones (not all models).

Sound processing applications:

• 🎛️ Voice Changer – allows you to configure the equalizer of the microphone.
• 🔇 Krisp — AI-noise-canceling.
• 🎙️ Wo Mic turns a smartphone into a wireless microphone for PC.

Settings in messengers:

Many applications have their own microphone settings, such as Discord.

1. Open the user settings → Voice and video.
2. In the Input Device section, select the phone microphone.
3. Activate Krisp Noise Reduction or Echo Reduction.
4. Adjust the sensitivity of the microphone with a slider.

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For professional voice recording (podcasts, voice acting), it is better to use an external microphone and specialized applications like Ferrite or Anchor.>. Xiaomi’s built-in microphone is only suitable for basic tasks.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the microphone in Xiaomi