SMS Sound Customization on Xiaomi Redmi: From Standard Melodies to Custom Ringtones

Get SMS-Notifications with a pleasant melody are a small thing that greatly improves the user experience. Xiaomi Redmi smartphones offer flexible sound settings, but not all users know how to configure them correctly. SMS: From standard options in the Settings menu to install custom tunes through the file system.

Feature of firmware MIUI (Even in the latest versions based on Android 14, it consists of splitting notification sounds for different types of messages. SMS It may be different from the audio for Messenger or WhatsApp, and we're going to focus on setting up the system. SMS-notifications that are managed through Google’s Messages app or the standard Xiaomi app.

If your Redmi doesn't make sounds when you receive an SMS, the problem may lie not only in the tune settings, but also in Do Not Disturb mode, application rights, or even hardware malfunctions of the speaker, and we'll look at these cases.

1. Standard SMS audio settings through the settings menu

The easiest way to change the notification melody is to use the built-in MIUI tools.This method works on all Redmi models, including the Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10C and older Android 11/12 devices.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Select the default notifications.
4. Slip on the Notification Sound and select one of the suggested tunes (e.g. Bamboo, Reflection or Prism).

Important: This method changes the sound for all notifications, including SMS, email, and other applications. To customize the tune exclusively for SMS, read the next section.

2. Individual audio setting for the Messages app

If you wish to SMS-The notifications sounded different than the other alerts, you need to adjust the sound directly in the Messages app. This is true for users who use the standard application from Xiaomi or Google Messages.

For the standard Xiaomi app:

• 📱 Open the Messages app.
• 🔧 Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
• 🔔 Select Notifications → The sound of the notification.
• 🎵 Scroll through the list and select the tune you want (like Harp or Piano).

For Google Messages:

• 📱 Open the application, tap on the profile avatar → Notification settings.
• 🔔 Select the Sound and set the desired melody.

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If you don't have a suitable tune on the list, try adding yours through the Ringtones folder to your internal drive. More on this in Section 4.

3.Why SMSes Come Without Sound: Diagnosing Problems

If your Redmi doesn’t make any noises when receiving an SMS, the reasons may be:

It's also worth checking if you've set up a customized sound setting for a specific contact, for example, if you've previously assigned a quiet notification to your mom, her voice is not a good idea. SMS They will come without a standard tune.

4. Installation of custom tunes for SMS

Standard MIUI sounds can get boring, and many users want to set their own tunes.

1. Download or create an audio file in.mp3,.wav or.ogg format (up to 30 seconds).
2. Place the file in one of the system folders: /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones for ringtones; /storage/emulated/0/Notifications for notifications; /storage/emulated/0/Alarms for alarm clocks.

Reboot your phone (sometimes required to update the sound list).

Select a new sound in the notification settings (see Section 2).

If you don't have Ringtones/Notifications folders, create them manually through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Total Commander) and make sure that the files don't have any special characters or spaces in the title.

File in format MP3/WAV|Duration no longer 30 seconds|File renamed in Latin|The file is copied to the Notifications folder|Phone rebooted-->

5. Set up vibration and light notifications for SMS

Sound is not the only way to alert you to new SMS messages. Xiaomi Redmi can be configured to:

• 📳 Vibration: Short, long, or custom pattern (e.g., · · · – – · · · · · · · for SOS).
• 💡 Light indicator: flashing LED-lamps (if any in the model).
• 📱 Screen flash: Screen flashing when receiving SMS (useful for hearing impaired).

To set the vibration:

1. Go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Vibration at Notifications.
2. Choose a vibrating style or create your own pattern.

For light notifications:

1. Open Settings → Screen → Flash notifications.
2. Turn on the option and select the flashing color (if supported).

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Redmi models without LED-indicator (e.g. Redmi) 12C) Light notifications are operated by the screen light ("Ambient Display").

6. Solve sound problems on different Redmi models

Some Xiaomi Redmi models have unique features when customizing SMS sounds:

On devices with MIUI 14 and later, you may not be able to change the sound of SMS via the standard menu.

• Use Google Messages (it offers more options).
• Install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) that allows you to flexibly configure notifications.

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If custom sounds are lost after the MIUI update, check if the Ringtones/Notifications folder permissions have been reset.

7. Alternative ways to control SMS sounds

If standard methods are not satisfied, consider the following options:

• 🎛️ Automation via MacroDroid: the application allows you to assign unique sounds to the user SMS from certain contacts.
• 🔊 Sound Packages: Google Play has programs like Zedge where you can download free tunes for notifications.
• 📲 ADB-commands (for advanced users): you can force system sounds to be changed through the adb shell, but this requires unlocking the bootloader.

Example ADB-commands to change the default notification sound:

adb shell settings put system notification_sound content://media/internal/audio/media/123

Where 123 is your audio file ID in the Android Media Base.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause system failures if you make a mistake with the command.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up SMS sounds on Xiaomi Redmi