How to change the sound of the Xiaomi Mi 9T: 5 ways + error solving

Xiaomi Mi 9T (also known as Redmi K20 in some regions) remains a popular device even years after its release, thanks to its balanced features and flexible MIUI firmware. However, many users have difficulty trying to change the standard sound of notifications for SMS. Unlike calls where the settings are intuitive, SMS settings are often “hidden” in the depth of the menu or completely absent in some versions of the shell.

In this article, you will find 5 proven ways to change the tune of SMS – from basic MIUI settings to using third-party apps and hidden Android features. We will also analyze common errors (for example, when changes are not applied) and give recommendations for choosing the optimal sounds for different scenarios. All instructions are relevant for Mi 9T on MIUI 12-14 and Android 10-13 versions.

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

The most obvious method is to use built-in shell tools, but in MIUI, the path to SMS settings is not always logical, especially if you're used to "pure" Android.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Select the default Notification (in some versions – Notification Sounds).
4. Scroll down to the Message (or SMS) block and tap it.
5. In the list that appears, select the desired melody from the standard options.

⚠️ Note: Some of the Mi's firmware 9T The message may not be available, because MIUI combines SMS and messenger settings into one section, in which case move on to the next method.

If you don't like the standard sounds, you can add your own.

1. In the upper right corner of the screen with a list of tunes, click on + Add.
2. Select a file from the device’s memory (Ringtones, Notifications, or Music folders).
3. Confirm the choice - the sound will appear in the list available.

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To be displayed in the list, the melody should be no more than 30 seconds long, and the format should be.mp3,.ogg or.wav. Files with a bitrate above 192 kbit / s may not be played.

2. Alternative path: through the settings of the application “Messages”

If there is no texting option in the general audio settings, try changing the tune in the Messages app (or Google Messages if you use it).This method works on 90% of MIUI firmware for the Mi 9T:

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Tap the three-point menu (⋮) top-right.
3. Select Settings → Notifications.
4. Activate the Sound switch (if it is switched off).
5. Click on the current tune and select a new one from the list.

Important: If you use Google’s Messages app, the path will be different: Settings → Notifications → Notifications Sound, in which case the changes will apply to all messenger notifications, not just SMS.

If none of these methods worked, the problem could be in the app's permissions, so check that Messages has access to storage and notifications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Messages and open its settings.
3. Select Permissions and enable Warehouse and Notifications.

3. Use of third-party applications

If the built-in methods are not satisfied, you can install specialized software. 9T:

• 🎵 Zedge is the largest database of ringtones and notification sounds with the ability to pre-listen. Supports downloading directly to the Notifications folder.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop any audio files for the desired duration and save them as notifications.
• 📲 Notification Sounds – a simple sound manager with mood categorization (calm, loud, funny).
• 🎶 MP3 Cutter – if you want to use a song as a text message.

Instructions for setting up through Zedge:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and go to Notification Sounds.
3. Choose the sound you like and click Download.
4. After downloading, tap Set as → Notification Sound.
5. In the window that appears, select Messages (or Messages).

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Truecaller) can intercept SMS audio settings. If the melody hasn't changed after the change, check the notification settings in such programs or turn them off during the test.

4 Manually Adding Sounds through File Manager

For advanced users, there is a way to add their sounds without third-party apps.

• File Manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer)
• Audio files in.mp3,.ogg or.wav format (maximum duration – 30 seconds).

Instructions:

1. Connect the Mi 9T to your PC or download the sounds directly to your phone.
2. Open the file manager and go to the Internal Storage folder.
3. Create a Notifications folder (if not) at the root of the storage.
4. Copy your audio files there.
5. Reboot your phone (required!).
6. New sounds will now be available in the notification settings.

If the sounds don’t appear on the list, check out:

• 📌 File format (only supported.mp3,.ogg,.wav).
• 📌 Duration (no more than 30 seconds).
• 📌 Extra characters in the file name (use only Latin and numerals).
• 📌 The folder should be located at the root of the storage, not in subfolders like Download or Music.

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Files in the Notifications folder are made available for all applications, not just SMS. To make the sound only used for messages, rename the folder to MIUI/Notifications (create the MIUI nested folder).

5 Problem Solving: Why the SMS Sound Doesn't Change

If after all the manipulations the melody remains the same, the reasons may be as follows:

Another common problem is conflicting with optimizer applications (such as Security or Xiaomi's Battery Saver), which can block background activity of Messages, which prevents sounds from being played back, to fix this:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
2. Find the Messages app and select the No Limits mode.
3. Restart the Messages app.

If nothing helps, try resetting your notification settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select Messages → Storage → Clear the data.
3. ⚠️ Warning: This will delete the entire history of SMS! pre-backup through Settings → System and device → Backup.

Additional settings: vibration, LED-indicator and priorities

In addition to sound, you can configure other notification options for SMS on the Mi 9T:

• 📳 Vibration: In the Messages app notification settings, select Vibration and set one of the suggested templates (or create your own).
• 🔦 LED-Indicator: Enable the option Blinking indicator in Settings → Screen. → Notification indicator: You can set a unique color for SMS (e.g. green).
• 🔔 Priority of notifications: Android 12+ You can set the importance level for text messages (from "quiet" to "maximum"). This affects the sound and pop-ups.
• 🕒 Quiet schedule mode: In Settings → Sound and vibration → Don’t worry about setting exceptions for SMS.

For maximum customization, we recommend using the MacroDroid application, which can create automatic rules, for example:

• 🎵 Change the sound of SMS depending on the time of day (quiet at night, loud during the day).
• 🔕 Disconnect SMS sound from unknown numbers.
• 🔄 Change the melody depending on the contact (for example, a unique sound for messages from loved ones).

Example of settings in MacroDroid:

1. Create a new macro (Add Macro).
2. Select Notification Received → SMS as a trigger.
3. Add Notification Sound and specify the path to the file.
4. Save and activate the macro.

Video instructions and screenshots

For clarity, we have prepared a selection of screenshots and videos demonstrating the process of changing the sound of SMS on Xiaomi Mi 9T:

• 📺 Video: The standard way (MIUI 14) — step-by-step demonstration with voice comments.
• 📸 Screenshot Gallery – location of all necessary menu items.
• 🎥 Video: Setting up through Zedge - how to download and apply custom sound.

⚠️ Note: On different versions MIUI The appearance of the menu may be different, but the logic remains the same. 9T There is no item, try updating your firmware to the latest version or use alternative methods from this article.

Also note regional features of firmware. For example, the global version of MIUI for Mi 9T (model M1903F10I) may have different settings than the Chinese version (M1903F10C). To find out your version, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

FAQ: Frequent questions