How to change the sound of a message on Xiaomi: 5 ways to all models

Why Xiaomi’s Standard Sounds Are Irritating and How to Fix It

Have you ever shuddered from a ding-dong incoming message to MIUI? Or lost important notifications because the standard signal merged with the noise on the street? The default sounds on Xiaomi smartphones are like jeans from the store: fit everyone, but few like it. Fortunately, the system allows you to replace them with something more personal, from calm tunes to voiceover laughter from your favorite series.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to change notifications, from basic MIUI settings to hidden features and third-party apps. You’ll learn how to set a tune longer than 30 seconds without cropping, why some sounds don’t appear on the selection list, and how to return standard signals if the experiment fails. And why the Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5 have a different sound-shifting algorithm than the Xiaomi 13 Pro.

We warn you right away that some methods require superuser rights (root), but we separately highlighted the safe options for beginners, starting with the simplest and gradually getting to advanced life hacks.

Method 1: Replace sound with standard MIUI settings

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones running MIUI 12-14, and it doesn't require any additional apps to be installed and takes less than a minute.

1. Open Settings and go to the Sounds and Vibrations section.
2. Slip on the item Sound notifications (on some models – Sound messages).
3. In the list of available tunes, select your favorite. To listen, click on the play icon on the right.
4. Confirm the choice with the OK button.

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

• 📁 Place the audio file (format.mp3,.ogg or.wav in a folder MIUI/ringtone internal.
• 🔄 Restart the phone (required! otherwise the file won't show up).
• 🎵 Return to the sound settings – your tune will appear in the list.

File format - MP3/OGG/WAV| Length not exceeding 30 seconds (otherwise it will be cut) | File placed in the folder MIUI/ringtone| Phone rebooted after adding file-->

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Maximum sound length – 30 seconds (the system automatically cuts long files).
• ❌ Not all formats are supported (e.g,.m4a or.flac won't show up).
• ❌ On some firmware (MIUI Global vs MIUI China) the path to the folder may be different.

💡

If your sound doesn't appear on the list, check its bitrate. The optimal value is 128-192 kbps. Too "heavy" files the system can ignore.

Method 2: Separately adjusting sounds for applications

Have you ever wanted WhatsApp to beep like a microwave and Telegram like an old phone bell? In MIUI, it's possible! It allows you to assign unique sounds to each messenger or social network.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (for example, Viber).
3. Tap notifications, then the sound of notifications.
4. Choose a tune from the list or add your own (similar to the first method).

Important nuances:

• 🔔 Not all apps support custom sounds (for example, Instagram ignores settings). MIUI).
• 📱 Nana POCO F5 The new Redmi path may look like a Settings → Notifications → App sounds.
• 🔕 If the sound doesn’t change, check if notifications for the app are disabled in its own settings.

Standard (from MIUI) | Custom melody | Silence (vibration) | Different sounds for each application-->

Method 3: Using a file manager for hidden sounds

Did you know that MIUI has dozens of sounds hidden in its firmware that are not on the standard list, remnants from previous versions of the system, test signals, and even tunes from other regions, and you can access them through the file manager, without root rights!

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with access to system folders (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /system/media/audio/notifications.
3. Copy your favorite files (usually in.ogg format) into the MIUI/ringtone folder on the internal drive.
4. Restart your phone and select a new sound in the settings.

Warning:

⚠️ NOTE: Do not delete or rename files in the folder /system/! This can cause notifications to crash. Just copy.

Among the hidden sounds can be found:

• 🎶 Unique tunes for Xiaomi Mi Mix and Mi Note (even if you have a different model).
• 🔔 Sounds from MIUI 8-10 that have been removed in new versions.
• 🎵 Test signals with unusual frequencies (e.g. tethys.ogg).

Method 4: Applications for Advanced Customization of Sounds

If standard MIUI capabilities are not enough, third-party apps will come to the rescue.

• 🎧 Set sounds longer than 30 seconds.
• 🔊 Assign different tunes to SMS, call and notification.
• 🎛 Create sound profiles (e.g., “Work”, “Home”, “Night»).

Top.-3 tested applications:

How to set the sound through Zedge:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. In Ringtones & Notification Sounds, select a category (e.g. Movies).
3. Click on the sound you like. → Set as notification.
4. Select MIUI Notification Sound from the list of options.

⚠️ WARNING: Some apps (such as Ringtone Maker) request access to contacts and SMS. Refuse if the functionality does not require these permissions.

Method 5: Advanced sound substitution via ADB (no root)

If you're ready to experiment, you can replace system sounds with ADB (Android Debug Bridge) without getting root rights, a technique that works for MIUI 13-14 and can even replace alarm or charging sounds.

What you need:

• 🖥 Computer with ADB-tools installed.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times; then additionally → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🎵 Prepared audio files in.ogg format (can be converted via Audacity).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and execute the command:


adb devices




(Your device should be displayed)





2. Copy the sound file on the phone:




adb push your sound.ogg /sdcard/





3. Replace the system sound (example for notifications):




adb shell




su




mount -o rw,remount /system




cp /sdcard/your sound.ogg /system/media/audio/notifications/




chmod 644 /system/media/audio/notifications/your sound.ogg




exit




exit





4. Reboot the phone.

Important:

• 🔧 File names must match the original ones (e.g. Pulse.ogg for standard notification sound).
• 🔄 After updating MIUI sound will be dropped to standard.
• 🛠 If something goes wrong, you can always return the original files from the backup.

💡

ADB-The method is the only way to replace the charging and alarm sounds without root rights, but it requires care: error in commands can cause a system to crash.

Problem Solving: Why the sound doesn't change or disappear

Sometimes when the notifications change, nothing works, and here are the most common reasons and solutions.

Specific MIUI bugs:

• 🐞 Xiaomi. 12T redmi K50 The sounds may not apply to WhatsApp – check the notification settings inside the app.
• 🐞 V MIUI 14 Sometimes folder rights are reset MIUI/ringtone. Solution: Reboot the phone.
• 🐞 If the sound works in the settings, but does not play when notified - turn off the Do Not Disturb mode (Settings) → Sounds. → Don't disturb).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi sound