How to change the call melody on Xiaomi Mi 9: 5 proven ways

Why are the standard ringtones on Xiaomi Mi 9 annoying users?

The Xiaomi Mi 9, released in 2019, is still popular with users thanks to its powerful hardware and current MIUI updates. However, even flagship devices are not without minor drawbacks - and standard call melodies among them. Many owners complain that the built-in ringtones are too quiet, monotonous or simply do not reflect personality. Fortunately, the Android 9 Pie system (and later Android 10/11 with updates) allows you to flexibly adjust the soundtrack.

In this article, we will discuss 5 ways to change the call melody to the Xiaomi Mi 9 – from basic settings to advanced tricks with the file system.

• 🔄 Use built-in tools MIUI without additional applications
• 🎵 Set your music or recording as a ringtone
• 📁 Work with system folders if standard methods don’t work
• 🛠️ Solve typical problems (for example, when a tune is reset after a reboot)

Before you start, make sure your Mi 9 has the latest firmware installed. The relevance of the software affects the location of menu items and the availability of features. Check the version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Method 1: Standard Replacement with Settings (without applications)

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which are suitable for those who do not want to install third-party software or dig into the file system.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Slip on Call Melody (or Notification Sound if you need to change the signal for SMS).
4. In the list that opens, select one of the suggested tunes. To listen, click on the track.
5. Confirm the choice with the OK button or tick in the upper right corner.

If there is no suitable option in the list, you can download additional ringtones directly from this menu:

• 🌐 Press the button More (three dots in the upper right corner).
• 🔍 Select Download - the system will redirect you to MIUI Themes, where free and paid audio packages are available.
• ⚠️ Note: Some topics require payment or subscription to Mi Account.

Advantages: No superuser rights (root), runs on any version of MIUI, does not take up additional memory space.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI your ringtone has dropped to standard, this is due to the policy of resetting user settings in major updates. To avoid the problem, save your favorite tune to the Ringtones folder (see Method 3).

Method 2: Install your music as a ringtone

If you want to play your favorite song or unique sound on a call? On the Xiaomi Mi 9, it takes 3 minutes to make the audio file properly. The system supports.mp3,.wav,.ogg and.m4a formats, but there are limitations:

• 🕒 Duration - no more than 30 seconds (otherwise it will be cut automatically).
• 🔊 Loudness – files with bitrates below 128 kbps may sound quieter than standard ringtones.
• 📂 Size - no more than 5 MB (for MIUI 12+ limit increased to 10 MB).

Installation instructions:

1. Download or prepare an audio file on your computer, and if necessary, cut it in Audacity or MP3Cut.
2. Connect Xiaomi Mi 9 to your PC over USB (select File Transfer mode in the notification curtain).
3. Copy the file into one of the system folders: 🎶 Ringtones - for call melodies; 🔔 Notifications – for notifications; 🎵 Alarms - for alarm clocks.

Settings → Sound and vibration → Call melody

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If Ringtones/Notifications folders are missing, create them manually in the root directory of internal memory.

If the file is not displayed, check:

• 🔍 The correct name of the folder (registrar is important! ringtones) ≠ Ringtones).
• 📌 File format (e.g.,.flac is not supported).
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes the system doesn’t update the tone list right away.

Method 3: Using a file manager (for power users)

If standard methods do not work, you can manually replace the system ringtones through a file manager with root or ADB rights. This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires caution.

Important: incorrect actions can lead to a system failure, we recommend that you back up the data before starting.

Instructions for users with root rights:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/media/audio/ringtones/.
3. Copy your audio file into this folder, assign it the name of an existing ringtone (e.g., a ringtone, Mi_tune.ogg), pre-backup of the original.
4. Change the file permission to 644 (read for all, write for owner only).
5. Reboot the phone.

For users without root, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge):

adb pull /system/media/audio/ringtones/Mi_tune.ogg C:\backup\


adb push C:\my_ringtone.mp3 /sdcard/Ringtones/




adb shell "su -c 'cp /sdcard/Ringtones/my_ringtone.mp3 /system/media/audio/ringtones/Mi_tune.ogg'"




adb shell "su -c 'chmod 644 /system/media/audio/ringtones/Mi_tune.ogg'"

⚠️ Note: Replace system files without rooting ADB Only available on an unlocked bootloader, the wrong commands can lead to a bootloop. If you're not sure, use Methods 1 or 2.

Method 4: Third-party applications for customizing sounds

If you need advanced features — for example, different ringtones for different contacts or dynamic change of tunes — third-party software will help. Google Play has dozens of apps for customizing sounds, but we recommend proven ones:

• 🎛️ Zedge is the largest database of ringtones, notifications and wallpapers. There is a Russian-language interface and categories by mood.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop songs and save them directly to system folders.
• 📱 MP3 Cutter and Ringtone Maker – Simple Editor with Pre-Earsay.

How to install ringtone through Zedge:

1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
2. Run Zedge and select the Ringtones section.
3. Find your favorite tune (you can use search or filters by genre).
4. Click on the track → Download → Set as a ringtone.
5. Confirm your choice in the system window.

Pros of the applications:

• 🌍 A huge selection of tunes (Zedge has more than 1 million tracks).
• 🎚️ Additional functions: editing, mixing, volume setting.
• 🔄 Automatic update of the ringtones database.

Cons:

• 📱 Some apps show ads.
• 🛡️ Access to storage and contacts (check permissions!).
• 🔋 Battery consumption during background work.

Method 5: Different Ringtones for Different SIM-maps and contacts

Xiaomi Mi 9 supports two of the two SIM-cards (Dual) SIM), And you can assign a different tune to each one, and you can also customize your ringtones for specific contacts, which is useful to distinguish between family, colleagues or spammers.

Adjustment for SIM-map:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose. SIM-map, SIM 1).
3. Slip on the Melody of the Call for SIM-map.
4. Please specify the track you want from the list or add your own (see Method 2).
5. Repeat for SIM 2 if you use the second card.

Contact settings:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Select the contact you want and click Edit (pencil icon).
3. Scroll down to Call Melody (or Notification Sound).
4. Specify the file from the phone memory or select from the standard ones.
5. Save the changes.

If the call melody option is not in the contact card:

• 🔄 Update the Contacts app via Google Play.
• 📌 Check if the option is hidden in the additional settings (three dots in the upper right corner).
• 🔧 Reset the settings of the Contacts app in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear the data.

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Individual contact ringtones only work if the number is saved in the phone book, and for unknown numbers, a standard melody will be used.

Typical problems and their solutions

When changing the ringtone to the Xiaomi Mi 9, users experience several common errors, and we have collected the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods helped, try resetting the sound settings to the factory:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Resetting.
2. Select Resetting Sound Settings.
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (And especially custom, there may be no audio reset function, and in this case, only a full reset to factory settings (Wipe Data in Recovery) will help, but this will delete all data from the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about ringtones on Xiaomi Mi 9