How to Put Your Melody on a Call in Xiaomi Redmi: 5 Working Ways

Setting a customized ringtone on a Xiaomi Redmi smartphone is a challenge that every second owner of the device faces. MIUI Often hides the necessary settings behind several menu layers, and system limitations do not allow you to download any MP3-This is especially true for Redmi Note models. 12/13, Redmi 10C/11 and other devices on MIUI 14, where the logic of working with ringtones has changed compared to earlier versions.

Many users mistakenly believe that to change the melody, you just need to copy the file to the Ringtones folder — but this does not always work. The fact is that MIUI actively caches system sounds, and without the right reboot or clearing the cache, new files may simply not appear in the list of available ones. In addition, after firmware updates, the paths to the ringtones folders sometimes change, which confuses even experienced users. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from standard settings to bypassing restrictions through the file manager and third-party applications.

If you want to change the tune, you want to customize your ringtones for different contacts, or even use snippets from Spotify/YouTube Music, you can find a solution here, too. And for those who have a "File is not supported" error, we have a separate section that analyzes the format and bitrate of audio that MIUI accepts without complaint.

1. Standard method: selection from preset melodies

To start with, changing the ringtone through system settings works on all Xiaomi Redmi models regardless of the MIUI version, but only selects the tunes that are already loaded into the device’s memory.

Open the Settings app (cog icon) and go to the section:

Sound and vibration → The ringing melody

Here you will see a list of available ringtones, broken down into categories: Standard, Downloaded (if any) and MIUI (branded tunes from Xiaomi). To listen to the tune, just tap on its name.

Note that some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 for the global version) may not display the list correctly – instead of the melodies names, random characters will be shown. This is a system bug that is eliminated by rebooting the device or resetting the settings of the Settings app (but not the entire smartphone!).

• 🔄 How to Reset Settings App Settings: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three dots (menu) → Show them system. Find the Settings app, open its card, and click Warehouse. → Clear the data.
• 🎵 Where to look for signature tunes MIUI: In a file. /system/media/audio/ringtones — But without root rights, you can't edit or delete them.
• 📱 Why Not All Melodies Play: Some Ringtones MIUI specific regions (e.g., melodies for India or China may not be available in global firmware).

⚠️ Warning: If the sound of the call has not changed after selecting the melody, check if the Do Not Disturb exception for calls is not set to a minimum in the Do Not Disturb mode settings. MIUI Media and Call Regulators Separated!

2.Add your melody through the Ringtones folder

If you don't like standard ringtones, you can upload your own audio files, and you have to put them in a folder that MIUI scans when you download them.

First, prepare the audio file:

• ✅ Format: MP3, M4A, OGG, WAV (But not all codecs are supported!).
• ⏱️ Duration: optimally up to 30 seconds (long tracks will be cut).
• 🔊 Bitrate: no higher than 192 kbit / s – otherwise the file may not be determined.

Now, transfer the file to the correct folder. There are two options:

Download or create an audio file in a supported format

Cut the track up to 30 seconds (you can use the MP3 Cutter app)

Rename the file in Latin without spaces (for example, my_ringtone.mp3)

Place the file in the Ringtones folder

-->

1. Through MIUI File Manager: Open the Files app, go to internal memory, and find the Ringtones folder. If it's not there, create it manually. Copy your file there.
2. Through PC: Connect Redmi to your computer in file transfer mode (MTP). In the root directory of internal memory, create a Ringtones folder (if not), and move the audio file there.

After that, reboot the device — this is a must-do step, as MIUI caches the list of ringtones at launch. After the reboot, your tune will appear in the Settings list → Sound and vibration → Call melody → Downloaded.

⚠️ Note: On some models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro with the MIUI 12.5) The Ringtones folder may be ignored by the system, in which case use an alternative method through the Music app (see next section).

3.Use of the Music app to create a ringtone

If the Ringtones folder doesn't work, you can go around the standard Music app, which is a method that works for MIUI 13/14, and allows you to crop the track right on your phone.

Open the Music app (note icon) and find the track you want to use as a ringtone. Slip on it, then tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Set as a ringtone. The system will automatically crop the track up to 30 seconds and save it in a hidden folder.

If this option is not available:

1. Update the Music app via Google Play.
2. Check if permissions for the application are disabled in Settings → Apps → Music → Permissions.
3. Install an alternative player, such as VLC or Poweramp, which supports export to ringtones.

💡

If you want to use a snippet of a song from Spotify or YouTube Music, first download the track through a third-party app (like Snaptube or Deezer), then crop it in any audio editor (like MP3 Cutter) and save it to the Ringtones folder.

Important: In MIUI 14, the Music app may not show the “Install as a ringtone” option for tracks downloaded from cloud services (Google Drive, Telegram, etc.), in which case, first download the file to the device.

4. Installation of ringtones through third-party applications

If the system methods don't work, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, and we tested several applications and selected the most reliable ones for Xiaomi Redmi.

Top.-3 ringtone-shifter:

• 🎶 Zedge is the largest database of ringtones and notifications, and once you set up a melody, the app automatically transfers it to the system folder.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker - allows you to crop any audio file and save it as a ringtone, alarm or notification. Supports formats MP3, WAV, AAC.
• 📱 MP3 Cutter and Ringtone Maker is a simple pre-hearsal editor, and you can cut a piece of track to within a millisecond.

Instructions for Zedge:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Find your favorite tune and click Set as ringtone.
3. Confirm the permissions to access the storage.
4. Select Phone ringtone from the list of options.

If the melody is not applied after installation:

• Check if MIUI Optimized Settings blocks the application (in the developer settings, disable MIUI Optimization).
• Clear the Settings app cache (see Section 1).
• Reset the device.

5. Set up individual ringtones for contacts

In MIUI, you can assign a unique tune to each contact in the phone book, which is convenient if you want to know who is calling you without looking at the screen.

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app and select the contact you want.
2. Click Edit (pencil icon).
3. Slip on the field of the ring melody (or Ringtone in English firmware).
4. Select a tune from the list or click Add to upload your file.
5. Save the changes.

If the call melody option is missing:

• Make sure the contact is saved to the phone book of the device, not to your Google account or SIM-map.
• Check if the synchronization of contacts in Settings → Accounts and synchronization is disabled.
• Update the Contacts app via Google Play.

MIUI limitations:

• 🚫 You cannot assign an individual tune to contact groups (only for individuals).
• 🔕 If the contact has two tunes (for example, for a call and a video call), the priority will be the one set for a regular call.
• 📵 On some firmware, individual ringtones are reset after an update MIUI.

6. Problem Solving: Why the Melody Is Not Set

If you follow the instructions, but the ringtone does not appear in the list or does not play, let’s analyze the typical causes and ways to eliminate them.

Frequent mistakes and decisions:

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the sound settings:

Settings → System → Resetting settings → Resetting sound settings →

This option will return all audio settings to factory settings, but will not affect your files or applications.

💡

On devices with MIUI 14 and later, it sometimes helps to disable the Adaptive Sound feature in the audio settings, which automatically adjusts the volume and can conflict with custom ringtones.

7. Alternative methods for advanced users

If you’re willing to go for more drastic measures, here are two ways for power users to take action.

Method 1: Replacement of system ringtones through ADB

This method requires connecting your smartphone to your PC and using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to replace standard MIUI tunes with your files without root rights.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your PC (download Google’s Platform Tools).
2. Turn on USB debugging on Redmi: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb push your file.mp3 /sdcard/Ringtones/
4. Reset the device.

Method 2: Magisk and the Ringtone Changer

If your Redmi has an unlocked bootloader and Magisk installed, you can use the Ringtone Changer module, which allows you to:

• Set ringtones longer than 30 seconds.
• Use the FLAC and ALAC formats.
• Assign different tunes for SIM1 and SIM2 (on two-symbol models).

For installation:

1. Download the Ringtone Changer module from the XDA Developers forum.
2. Install it through Magisk Manager.
3. Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB or Magisk can cause a warranty reset (if the bootloader is unlocked) or unstable system operation. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

FAQ: Frequent questions about ringtones on Xiaomi Redmi