How to change the ringtone on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 5 proven ways

Changing the standard ringtone to Xiaomi Redmi 9 is a challenge that every second smartphone owner faces. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not always offer a convenient interface for this operation, especially if it is about non-obvious ways in MIUI. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways, from basic settings to using a file manager and third-party applications.

The peculiarity of Redmi 9 (codename lancelot) is that its firmware can vary significantly depending on the region and version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14).Somewhere the option is hidden in the depth of the menu, and somewhere requires preloading the melody to a special folder.

1. Standard way through phone settings

The most obvious method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which is suitable for most users who don't want to go into technical details.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Slap on the call melody item.
4. Choose one of the suggested tunes or click Local tunes if you want to use yours.

If the list does not contain a suitable ringtone, the system will offer to download additional ones via the Mi Sound Store. note that this will require an active Internet connection. Also note that some tunes may be blocked due to regional restrictions (for example, in firmware for India or China).

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 Option Local tunes sometimes disappear after the update. If it's not available, go to the method. №3 using a file manager.

2. Use of the Music app to install the ringtone

Few people know, but the built-in Mi Music player allows you to assign tracks as ringtones, which is a convenient method if you want to use a snippet of a song from your library.

• 🎵 Open the Music app and find the track you want to make a ringtone.
• 📱 Slip along the track and select More (three dots in the upper right corner).
• 🔊 In the menu, click Set as a ringtone.
• ✅ Confirm the selection – the melody will automatically appear in the list of standard ringtones.

MIUI trims tracks longer than 30 seconds. If you want a particular snippet, pre-cut it in any audio editor (for example, MP3 Cutter from Google Play). Also note that not all formats are supported: the best option is.mp3 or.m4a with a bit rate of no more than 320 kbps.

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If the ringtone doesn't appear in the settings after you install it through Mi Music, reboot the phone.

3. Manual Rington Loading Through File System

For advanced users who want full control of the tunes, the method of placing files in system folders is suitable, this is especially true if you downloaded the ringtone from the Internet or created it yourself.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Connect Redmi 9 to your computer or use a file manager (such as Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ringtone, if you don't have one, create it manually.
3. Put your audio file (.mp3,.ogg or.m4a) there.
4. Reset the device.
5. Go to Settings → Sounds and Vibrations → Call Melody → Local Melodies – your file should appear in the list.

⚠️ Attention: If the folder /MIUI/ringtone It is not available, and it cannot be created due to restrictions of rights - use it. ADB (method №5). This often happens on firmware with enhanced protection (for example, MIUI EU).

Download or create an audio file|Check the format (.mp3 or.m4a)|Cut to the bottom. 30 seconds|Rename the file in Latin|Put it in a folder. /MIUI/ringtone-->

4. Installation of ringtones through third-party applications

If you don't like the built-in MIUI tools, you can use third-party utilities.

• 🎼 Zedge – a huge library of ringtones and notifications with the ability to pre-listen.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop tracks and set them as ringtones or alarm clocks.
• 📱 MP3 Cutter and Ringtone Maker – advanced editor with support for fades and sound normalization.

Example of installation via Zedge:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Find your favorite ringtone and click Download.
3. After downloading, tap Set as ringtone.
4. Select Phone ringtone (calling melody) or Notification sound (notification sound).

Third-party apps have the advantage of accessing millions of tunes and fine-tuning them, but beware: some programs ask for unnecessary permissions (such as access to contacts or SMS) before installing them, check reviews and ratings in the Play Market.

5. Advanced Method: Using ADB (for power users)

If none of the above methods worked (for example, due to custom firmware or MIUI limitations), you can resort to Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC and confirm debugging permission.
3. Download ADB Tools and unpack it into a separate folder.
4. Place your ringtone (for example, my_ringtone.mp3) into the platform-tools folder.
5. Open the command line in this folder and do: adb push my_ringtone.mp3 /sdcard/MIUI/ringtone/ adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MEDIA_SCANNER_SCAN_FILE -d file:///sdcard/MIUI/ringtone/my_ringtone.mp3
6. Reboot the phone.

This method is guaranteed to work even on locked firmware, where system folders are not available for writing through the file manager. However, it requires caution: the wrong ADB commands can cause system failures. If you are not sure about your actions, you better turn to other methods.

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Using ADB is the only way to install ringtone on firmware with disabled entry to system folders (for example, MIUI EU without root rights).

6 Problem Solving: Why doesn't the ringtone change?

Sometimes, even after all the manipulations, the ringtone remains the same, and let's look at the typical causes and ways to eliminate them:

• 🔄 Media Cash: Clear the Cache in Settings → Annexes → Music. → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 📁 Incorrect folder: Make sure the file is in the /MIUI/ringtone, not /Ringtones (This folder is ignored in MIUI).
• 🔊 Firmware limitations: On some versions MIUI (For example, Chinese ringtone change blocked, so the solution is to change the firmware region or use the ringtone. ADB.
• 📵 Application conflict: If third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher) are installed, they can intercept audio settings.

If the problem persists, check whether Do Not Disturb or No Sound is activated in the notification curtain, and make sure the ringtone file is not corrupted – try playing it in any player.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the ringtone to Redmi 9