Changing the standard ringtone is the first thing a new smartphone owner does to personalize the device and highlight incoming calls amidst the overall noise. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices are faced with a unique MIUI shell (or new HyperOS) that has its own features in managing media. Many users are used to the standard Android algorithm, but here the audio settings menu can be hidden or renamed, which raises questions for beginners.
The process of installing audio depends on what you want to change: a general call for all incoming, a personal melody for a particular person or a sound for a second SIM card. In this article, we will discuss all possible scenarios in detail, including working with files in MP3, AAC and WAV format, as well as solving common problems when the file simply does not appear in the list of available ones.
Before you start setting up, make sure that the desired audio file is already downloaded into the memory of your gadget, this can be a track from the Internet, a recorder or a file thrown from a computer, the system will not allow you to select a file that is not physically available for the built-in player or file manager.
Where to store audio files for calls
The first step in customizing sounds is to properly place files in the device’s memory.The Android system that runs the MIUI shell has a strict file structure, and uploading music to an arbitrary folder can result in tracks not being displayed in the ringtone selection menu.
Open Explorer or Files on your smartphone, you need to go to the device's internal memory, and you should find a folder called Ringtones (for calls) or Notifications (for notifications), and if you put the audio file right here, it will automatically appear in the system's tone list without the need for additional settings.
In some cases, especially on older versions of firmware, folders can be called differently or hidden. If you don't find them, you can create a new folder called Media at the root of the internal memory, and you can create an Audio folder inside of it, and you can put Ringtones inside of it.
Why are some tracks not on the list?
It's worth noting that memory capacity also plays a role: If internal storage is overcrowded, the system may not index new media files correctly, and free up some space if your smartphone is slow.
Installation of the common ringtone through settings
The most standard and reliable way to change the tune for all incoming calls is to use the system settings menu. This method works equally stable on all models, whether it is a budget Redmi Note or a flagship Xiaomi 14. Here you control the global parameters of the device's sound.
To start, go to the main menu and select Settings, find the Sound and Vibration section, and the list that opens will ask you for a Phone Call (or just a Call), and click on it and you will see a list of preset tunes, as well as a file selection button from memory.
If you want to use your track, click on the + icon or select a tune from memory (the name may vary depending on the version of HyperOS). The file manager will open where you want to find the previously downloaded audio file.
☑️ Algorithm of setting a call
It's important to understand the difference between the settings for the first and second SIM card. The Sound and Vibration menu often has separate SIM card 1 and SIM card 2. You can assign different tunes to different numbers so you can immediately know which line the call is coming to without taking the phone out of your pocket.
How to Put a Rington in a Specific Contact
Personalizing calls for loved ones or important colleagues is a useful feature that allows you to recognize the caller without even looking at the screen. Unlike setting up a shared ringtone, here you can set up directly through the Contacts app or Phone.
Open the Contacts app and find the subscriber in the list. Click on their name to open their contact card. At the bottom of the screen or in the top corner (depending on the interface version), find the More button (three dots) or the Call/Call melody item.
In the menu that opens, select either the default or the current tune you have installed. The system will suggest a list of available tracks. Select the desired file from the device memory. After saving the changes, a musical note icon may appear next to the contact name, signaling individual settings.
- 🎵 Loudness: Make sure that the volume of media and the call is not kept to a minimum, otherwise you won’t hear the difference.
- 📞 Duplicates: If the contact is maintained several times (e.g., on the SIM In Google, the setting can only apply to one entry.
- 📁 Format: For contacts, it is better to use short tracks so that they have time to play before the answer.
There's a nuance to syncing: If you change the ringtone for a contact that's stored in your Google account, the setting can sync with other devices, but not always. Local contacts stored only in your phone's memory are guaranteed to keep the tune settings only on that device.
Customization of tunes for SIM-map
For users with two active SIM cards, it is critical to distinguish which number is called to. The MIUI shell allows you to flexibly customize the sound for each line independently from each other.
In the Settings section → Sound and vibration scroll down to the Additional settings block or find a separate Melody item for SIM-So here you'll see two independent lists, and if you click on the first one, you select the track for the main SIM, and then you click on the second one for the extra one.
This feature is especially useful if you're sharing personal and work interactions, for example, for a working SIM card, you can set a strict, short signal, and for a personal one, your favorite music, which helps you instantly switch to the desired mode of communication.
| Parameter | SIM-map | SIM-map |
|---|---|---|
| Operator. | MTS/Beeline | Megaphone / Tele2 |
| Type of melody | Systemic | Customized |
| Loudness | Maximum | Medium |
| Vibration. | On. | Off. |
Remember that when you change your priority SIM card for calls in your network settings, the audio profiles do not change automatically; they are tied to the physical slot or the logical number of the SIM card in the system.
Using a theme to change sounds
One of the unique features of Xiaomi's ecosystem is the Theme app, which allows you to change not only icons and wallpaper, but also the system sounds as a whole, and it's a comprehensive approach to changing the interface that also affects the audio.
Start the Themes app on your desktop. At the bottom, select the Melody (or Sounds) tab. Here's a huge catalog of audio files, categorized as popular, classic, nature sounds, effects. You can listen to any track before downloading.
After you download a tune you like, click Apply. The system will tell you to choose whether to apply the sound to a call, a notification, an alarm clock, or all at once, a convenient way to quickly refresh your smartphone without looking for files on the Internet.
💡
The Themes app often hosts promotions where paid tunes are free. Check the "Shares" or "Free" section daily.
If you don’t find the right section, try changing the region in your phone settings (for example, India or Indonesia), where the content directory is often wider, but be aware of possible ads.
Creating a ringtone from any track (Pruning)
Often, your favorite song is too long, and you don't want to wait 2 minutes before answering a call. In such cases, you need to crop the audio file. Xiaomi smartphones have built-in tools or you can use third-party apps.
Download any audio editor from Google Play, like MP3 Cutter or Ringdroid. Upload the track you want to use. Sliders highlight the snippet you want to hear when you call. The optimal duration is 15 to 30 seconds.
After pruning, save the file. Many editors immediately offer the option to Set as a ringtone. If there is no such button, just save the file to the Ringtones folder, as described at the beginning of the article, and select it through the sound settings.
⚠️ Attention: When trimming files, watch for the smoothness of the attenuation (fade-out). A sharp break of music on a high note can sound unpleasant and sharp. Good editors allow you to add a smooth attenuation at the end of the excerpt.
There are also online music clipping services that don't require you to install apps, so you just go from browser to site, upload a file, select a region, and download the result, which is convenient if you don't want to clog your phone's memory with unnecessary software.
The solution: Why the ringtone doesn't work
Sometimes people are faced with a situation where it seems to be done correctly, but the phone is silent or plays a standard tune, and most often the problem is access rights or sound profile. Let's look at the underlying reasons.
The first thing to check is Do Not Disturb. If it's activated, the phone can make no noise, only vibrate. Check the side curtain of the notifications and make sure that this mode is turned off. Also check the sound profile: it should not be in No Sound or Vibration mode.
The second common case is that the Topic app or system player doesn't have permission to read memory. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Themes (or Sounds) → Permissions. Make sure that access to Memory or Files is allowed.
- 🔊 Volume: Check the call volume slider by pressing volume buttons and selecting the appropriate speaker icon.
- 📂 Make sure the file is in the internal memory, not the SD-card (if any) because access to the card is sometimes blocked by the security system.
- 🎵 Codec: The file format must be supported. Standard MP3 and M4A They always work, but rare codecs may not be reproduced.
💡
If the phone is silent, 90% of the time the problem is solved by checking the sound profile and Do Not Disturb mode, rather than reinstalling the file.
If nothing works, try a banal reboot of the device, which will update the media indexer of the system, and the new ringtone should be correctly defined.