How to customize different tunes for different SIMs in Xiaomi Mi 9

Modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 9 are often used in two active SIM mode, which makes it necessary to clearly separate incoming calls. Imagine the situation: you are in an important meeting, and the phone rings, but you do not know whether the call was personal or work. Standard settings make it easy to change the overall ringtone, but personalization for each SIM card requires a deeper immersion in the menu of the MIUI system.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can customize the sound for your first and second SIM card, not only to learn basic system settings, but also to learn advanced methods through a phone book and create user groups, which will allow you to instantly identify the caller before you even look at the screen of your smartphone.

And we'll also talk about volume and vibration control, because these are very much about how you're feeling about an incoming call, and the right audio profile configuration will help you avoid awkward quiet situations or missing important calls in a noisy place, so let's start setting up your smartphone.

Basic setting of ringtones through the system menu

The most direct way to change the tunes is through the main menu of the operating system settings. Xiaomi Mi 9 owners need to open the Settings app and find the section responsible for the sounds. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell, this item can be called "Sound and vibration" or simply "Sound." This is where the global audio settings are located.

After you go to the desired section, scroll down to the Calls block. The system will prompt you to choose which SIM card you want to change the tune for. You will see two separate items: SIM card 1 and SIM card 2. By clicking on any of these, you will be placed in the list of available tracks, where you can select a standard tune or download your file from the device memory.

It is important to note that the choice of melody is instant. However, if you use third-party themes, some system sounds may be replaced or hidden, in which case it is recommended to temporarily switch to the standard Classic theme for settings to make sure that all functions work correctly.

⚠️ Note: If after selecting a new melody, it does not play when an incoming call is made, check if a personal ringtone is installed for contact, which takes precedence over the system settings of the SIM card.

For those who prefer silence but are afraid to miss the call, the system offers flexible vibration settings. You can customize the vibration pattern separately for each SIM card, which will be an additional tactile signal. This is especially useful when the phone is lying down screen or in the bag where the sound is heard worse.

Individual settings for specific contacts

System settings on a SIM card are just the tip of the iceberg, and a much more powerful personalization tool is in the Contacts or Phone app, which allows you to assign a unique tune to a specific person, not just a number, no matter what SIM card they're calling, and the priority for setting up a contact is always higher than the SIM card settings.

To customize your tune, open a contact list and select the subscriber you want. In the contact card, find Melody or Rington. By clicking on it, you can select a track from the list or download a new one. If the contact is tied to a specific SIM card (which is often the case when you import from Google or SIM), the system will take this into account when you call.

Special attention should be paid to contacts that can call from different numbers. In Xiaomi Mi 9 you can combine duplicate contacts, but the melody will still be common to the entire card. If you need to distinguish calls from one person from different numbers, you will have to create separate entries in the phone book with notes, for example, "Ivan (Work)" and "Ivan (Mobile)".

• 📱 Open the Contacts app and select a subscriber.
• 🎵 Click on the Melody item in the editing menu.
• 💾 Select a track from memory or offer to download a new one.
• ✅ Save the changes with the “Done” button or tick.

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Use short and recognizable snippets of songs for important contacts – this will make it easier to respond to a call without even looking at the screen.

Remember that when synced with a Google or Mi Cloud account, ringtone settings may or may not be saved for some types of contacts, and in such cases, it is recommended to store music files locally in the phone’s memory, rather than in the cloud, so that the system has constant access to them without delay.

Use of contact groups for mass use

If you need to assign the same tune to a whole group of people, like colleagues or family members, it's most convenient to use contact groups. The standard MIUI app has preset groups like Friends, Family, Work, and the ability to create your own.

The way it works is that you create a group, you set it a ringtone, you add the contacts you want, and when you get a call from someone in that group and they don't have their own ringtone set, the band melody plays, and it's a great way to segment the incoming call stream without manually adjusting each number.

To create a group, go to Groups in the contact app. Press add button, give the group a name, and select the color of the tag. Then find the sound setting in the group properties. You can also set a special type of vibration to tactilely distinguish calls from group members.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure contacts are actually added to the group, not just having similar names.The band's melody won't work if the contact is only listed in the shared list.

It's worth considering the hierarchy of sound priorities: a personal ringtone of a contact interrupts the ringtone of a group, and a ringtone of a group interrupts the overall ringtone of a SIM card, and understanding this logic will help you build the perfect alert system, where each call will sound exactly as you intended.

Install your own audio files as a call

The standard set of tunes in the Xiaomi Mi 9 may seem limited, so many users prefer to install their tracks.To do this, the audio file must be downloaded to the device's memory. The system supports MP3, M4A, WAV and some other common formats.

Once you download a file, open Explorer or Music. Find the track you want, click three dots in the file management menu, and select Set as a ringtone. The system automatically prompts you to choose which SIM card or contact the file will be used for. This is the fastest way to add a new sound.

If the file doesn't appear in the list of available ringtones, it may be in the wrong folder. To ensure that the audio file is displayed, place it in the Ringtones root folder or create a MIUI folder inside it. The path should look something like this: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ringtone.

Using your own files gives you complete freedom of creativity, but you need to keep track lengths, the optimal ringtone duration is 15 to 30 seconds, and too long compositions can be cut off by the system or sound incorrect when you repeat a call.

Volume setting and sound profiles

Separating melodies is only half the success. Volume control remains the most important aspect. In the Xiaomi Mi 9, the volume control of the call is performed separately for each SIM card, which is a unique feature of the shell. Once you enter the sound settings, you can sliders set a comfortable level for Sim 1 and Sim 2 independently.

In addition, the system offers various audio profiles: General, No Sound, Vibration and Quiet, you can switch between them through the notification panel or the side control panel. The Quiet profile is especially interesting: it allows you to leave alarms on, but turns off interface sounds and, if you want, calls.

For night time or meetings, it's convenient to use the Do Not Disturb feature, which allows you to create a schedule to automatically switch to silent mode, but there's an important option called Repeat Calls: if the same number rings twice in 3 minutes, the second call will pass with sound, so you don't miss an emergency.

• 🔊 Adjust the volume with buttons on the body during the call.
• 🌙 Use Do Not Disturb Mode with Exceptions for Favourites.
• 📳 Set up vibration enhancement in the special features menu.
• 🎚️ Check the volume level of the multimedia if you use music.

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Independent volume control for each SIM card allows you to keep the workline quieter than the personal one, without missing important work calls.

The Xiaomi Mi 9 has a stereo speaker, and the sound may vary depending on how you hold the phone. Check if the bottom speaker is covered with a hand or a case, as it is often responsible for low ringtone frequencies.

Troubleshooting and troubleshooting

Despite the system's cleverness, users sometimes run into problems when settings are not saved or tunes are not played. One of the common reasons is the operation of energy-saving MIUI algorithms. The system can kill the processes responsible for sound reproduction if it considers them inactive. Add the Themes or Music app to the battery exception list.

Another issue is access rights. If you download a tune from the Internet, make sure the application you install it through has permission to access files. Without that right, the track list will be empty or the choice won't apply. You can check permissions in the Settings menu → Apps → All Apps → [Application needed] → Permissions.

⚠️ Warning: After the operating system updates, the sound settings may be reset to factory. Always check the ringtones configuration after a major update MIUI.

If the sound is wheezing or interrupted, the problem may be hardware or file format-related. Try playing the file through a standard player. If the sound is clear and there is interference when you call, the speakers may have become contaminated or damaged, in which case a gentle cleaning of the speaker grid with a soft brush will help.

Resolving minor software glitches, such as a crowded phone app cache, also helps to return sound system to stable operation.Cache cleaning won't delete your contacts, but will update the system files responsible for handling incoming calls.