How to change the notification sound on Xiaomi: 5 ways with settings and life hacks

Notification sounds on Xiaomi smartphones are not just signals about new messages, but part of daily interaction with the device. Standard tunes are quickly boring, and in noisy environments they can not be heard. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to personalize the audio, from simple change of system tones to the installation of custom audio files.

In this article, we will discuss all available methods for changing notification sounds on any Xiaomi models (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark), regardless of the MIUI version.

• 🔍 Find hidden system sounds that aren’t on the main list
• 🎵 Install your melody from files on your phone
• 🔧 Set up different sounds for different applications
• 🛠️ Solve typical problems (sound does not change, resets, etc.)

We will focus on the non-obvious tricks of the MIUI file system, which allows you to bypass the limitations of the standard interface, all instructions tested on current versions of the firmware (2023-2026) and adapted for users with any level of training.

1. Standard method: selection from system sounds

The easiest method is to use embedded tunes, which is suitable for most tasks and does not require additional manipulation of files.

1. Open the Settings. → Sounds and vibrations.
2. Go to the Notification Sound section (some models may call it the default Sound).
3. Scroll through the list of available tunes and select your favorite. To listen, click on the title.

Nana MIUI 14 and newer interface has changed a little: now sounds are grouped into categories (e.g., "Classic", "Natural", "Electronic"). To see all the options, tap the arrow. ↗ top-right corner of the screen.

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If there is no suitable tune on the list, try to select No Sound and then go back to the menu again - sometimes this resets the cache and loads up additional options.

Notice the system and alarm sounds, which are different categories, for example, the Morning Flower melody may be available on the alarm clock but not on the notification list, to see all the system audio files:

/system/media/audio/notifications/


/system/media/audio/alarms/




/system/media/audio/ringtones/

2. How to set the custom notification sound

If standard tunes don't work, you can download your audio file. MIUI supports.mp3,.wav,.ogg and.m4a formats, but there are limitations:

• 🎵 The file duration is no more than 30 seconds (long ones will be cut automatically)
• 📁 File size up to 5 MB (otherwise the system will not see it)
• 🔊 Bitrate – 128-192 kbps recommended for clear sound

Installation instructions:

1. Place the audio file in the Ringtones or Notifications folder on the internal storage (create them manually if not). path: /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones/ /storage/emulated/0/Notifications/
2. Go to Settings → Sounds and vibration → Notifications sound.
3. At the top of the screen, select the Locals tab (or My Sounds on older versions of MIUI).
4. Your file will appear in the list – select it and save the changes.

Cut to 30 seconds | Convert to MP3 (128 kbit/s) |Rename in Latin (no spaces) |Put in the Notifications |Reboot the phone after adding-->

If the file is not displayed, check:

• 🔄 The correct folder name (registration is important: Notifications, not notifications)
• 📂 Folder Reading Permits (should be open to all applications)
• 🔄 Cache system (sometimes helps to reboot or clean the data of the application Settings)

3. Different sounds for different applications

You can assign unique notification sounds to each messenger or social network on MIUI, which is handy if you want to distinguish between WhatsApp signals and Telegram or work emails from personal ones.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (for example, Viber).
3. Slip on the Notifications. → Categories of notifications.
4. For each category (e.g., "Messages", "Groups"), click Sound and select a tune.

On some models (POCO F5, Redmi Note 12), the path may be different: Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management.

An important nuance: some apps (like Instagram or Facebook) ignore the system settings and use their own sounds.

1. Open the app itself.
2. Go to its settings (usually in the profile or menu"⚙️").
3. Find the Notifications section and disable the Use App Sounds option.

4. Hidden system sounds: how to access

MIUI hides some of the audio files from the user, but they can be activated manually, and these sounds are usually more diverse and include tunes from older versions of the firmware.

Method 1: Through a File Manager

1. Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer (root permissions are not required!).
2. Go to /system/media/audio/ui/ This is where the sounds of system events (unlock, errors, etc.) are stored.
3. Copy the files you like (for example, effect_tick.ogg) Notifications folder on internal storage.

Method 2: ADB (for advanced users)

adb shell


su




cp /system/media/audio/notifications/* /sdcard/Notifications/

This command will copy all the system notification sounds to your user folder.

Standard (from) MIUI)|Custom (their files)|Different for each application|Turning off all sounds.|Other-->

Careful: Do not delete or rename files in /system/, which can cause system failures, preferably copy them to a safe place, and then experiment.

5 Problem Solving: The sound is not changed or reset

Sometimes, after the notifications change, it keeps playing the old one or resets after the reboot, and here are the typical reasons and ways to fix them:

If the problem persists, check:

• 🔇 Is not activated mode Do not disturb (Settings) → Sounds and vibrations → Don't disturb)
• 🔊 Notifications for a specific application are disabled (Settings) → Notifications → Management of notifications)
• 📱 Are there any third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher) that can block system sounds?

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If the notification sound is gone after the MIUI update, try resetting the audio settings through Settings → System → Resetting → Resetting the audio settings. This will return all tone signals to factory values.

Alternative methods: applications and automatic sound change

For those who want more flexibility, there are third-party solutions that allow you to:

• 🔄 Automatically change sounds on a schedule (such as quiet at night)
• 🎶 Use dynamic sounds (based on weather, time of day)
• 🔧 To adjust the vibration along with the sound

Top.-3 apps:

1. Zedge is a huge library of free sounds and wallpaper. Once installed, select the sound in the app, then apply it through system settings.
2. Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop and edit audio files right on your phone before installation.
3. Notification History – captures all notifications and allows them to assign unique sounds retroactively.

For automation, we recommend Tasker or MacroDroid, for example, you can configure the rule:

If [Time between 22:00 and 08:00] →




Set the notification sound = "Silent signal.mp3"




Otherwise →




Set the sound of notifications = "Loud signal.mp3"

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Before using third-party audio apps, check their permissions. Some people ask for notifications, which may not be secure.

7. Features on different Xiaomi models

Despite the common MIUI platform, some models have unique nuances:

Nana MIUI Global and MIUI China interfaces can be different. For example, in the Chinese version, the path to sounds looks like this: → →.

FAQ: Frequent questions about notification sounds on Xiaomi