How to bring back a standard tune to Xiaomi: all the ways to MIUI 12-14

Factory tunes on Xiaomi smartphones are often lost after MIUI updates, resets or manual removal by the user. Returning them is not as easy as it may seem: unlike other manufacturers, MIUI does not offer a “Restore by default” button in the sound menu, while standard ringtones (such as the classic MIUI Ring or Marimba) are stored in system files and can be activated manually.

Complicating the problem, the paths to these files changed in different versions of the firmware. For example, in MIUI 12, the tunes were in the /system/media/audio/ringtones folder, and in MIUI 14 of the sounds were transferred to /product/media/audio. In addition, after updating through OTA, some users are faced with the fact that system sounds disappear from the selection list, although they physically remain on the device. In this article, we will analyze all the working ways to return standard tunes, from simple to technically complex.

If you don't want to dig into system files, start with the first section, which describes root-free methods. For power users, at the end of this article, there are instructions using ADB and MT Manager that allow you to recover even deleted sounds.

1. Standard method: search in MIUI settings

Before you resort to radical measures, check if the factory tunes are hidden in the depths of the menu. In recent versions of MIUI, the algorithm for displaying sounds depends on the region of the firmware and the model of the smartphone. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 with global firmware, the list of ringtones may differ from what is seen on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with the Chinese MIUI.

Here’s how to find standard tunes through the interface:

1. Open the Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Select the Call Melody (or the Notification Sound if you need to return the SMS signal).
3. Scroll down the list and click Local Melodies or System Sounds (the name depends on the MIUI version).
4. If you see a MIUI or Default folder, there should be factory ringtones inside.

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO F4) If you don't have any tunes, try turning off and on your smartphone, then check the list again.

If this method doesn't work, move to the next section, and your firmware probably hides system files from the user, and you'll need additional steps.

2. Recovery through file manager (no root)

Xiaomi's standard tunes are stored in secure system folders, but they can be found and copied to public storage. This will require any file manager with access to root directories (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).

Step instructions:

1. Install a root-enabled file manager (even if you don’t have superuser rights, some apps show system files).
2. Go to /system/media/audio/ringtones/ or (for MIUI 13+) /product/media/audio/ringtones/
3. Select the files you need (usually.ogg or.ogg.mp3 name-like miui_ring.ogg, over_the_horizon.ogg).
4. Copy them into the Ringtones folder on the internal storage (create it if it doesn’t exist).

After copying, restart your phone and check the tune list in the settings. Now, standard sounds should be displayed in the Local Melodies section.

folder `Ringtones` root-storage

Files are copied, not moved

File extension — `.ogg` or `.mp3`

The phone is rebooted after copying-->

⚠️ Attention: If in the folder /system/media/audio/ No files, so your firmware uses a different path: try searching for ringtone keywords or notification in system directories. 12T) sounds may lie in /vendor/overlay/.

3.Use of ADB to Recover Sounds

If the file manager doesn't show the system folders, you can extract the tunes through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which works without root permissions, but requires you to connect the phone to your computer.

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Run the following commands in the terminal (command line) after connecting the phone:

adb shell


su -c "cp -r /system/media/audio/ringtones/ /sdcard/Ringtones/"

If the first command issues a permission denied error, try an alternative path:

adb pull /product/media/audio/ringtones/ C:\Xiaomi_Ringtones\

(substitute C:\Xiaomi_Ringtones\ any folder on your PC).

Once copied, move files from your computer back to your phone to the Ringtones folder, a method that works on MIUI 12-14 but may not work on HyperOS due to changes in file system structure.

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If ADB doesn’t see the device, try switching USB connectivity mode to File Transfer (MTP) in the phone’s notification curtain.

4. Installation of standard tunes through third-party applications

If the system sounds are lost irrevocably (for example, after a failed update), they can be downloaded from official sources. Xiaomi does not distribute ringtones separately, but enthusiasts have posted archives of factory tunes for different versions of MIUI. Here are reliable ways:

Method 1: Annex "MIUI Ringtones"

• 📱 Install the app MIUI Ringtones from Google Play.
• 🔍 It contains all the standard sounds for Redmi, POCO Xiaomi, including rare tunes like Mi Mix or Black Shark.
• 🎵 Click on your favorite ringtone. → Set as a ringtone.

Method 2: Manual downloading of archives

The 4PDA and XDA Developers forums have collections of system sounds, including:

• 🔗 Archives MIUI 14 Ringtones (contains.ogg files for all models).
• 📁 After downloading, unpack ZIP-archive and place files in the Ringtones folder on your phone.

⚠️ Note: Download sounds only from verified sources. Some archives may contain viruses or incompatible formats (e.g., download sounds from verified sources,.m4a, which MIUI unrecognisable).

5. Problem Solving: Why Standard Melodies Don't Show

If you have copied files to the Ringtones folder but they don’t appear in the settings, check out the following:

If none of these methods worked, your firmware may have kernel-level customization (e.g., some Chinese versions of MIUI block access to system sounds), in which case only flashing to a global version or installing a custom recavator (TWRP) will help.

6. Alternative methods for advanced users

If you’re willing to go for drastic measures, here are two ways to bring back standard tunes with full control:

Method 1: Editing with MT Manager (requires root)

• 📱 Install. MT Manager from Uptodown.
• 🔍 Move to the /system/media/audio/ringtones/ Export the required files.
• 📝 If there are no files, you can take them from the stock firmware of your model (download it from the official Xiaomi website and extract it). system.img Payload Dumper).

Method 2: Change of access rights (for experienced)

Sometimes there are systemic sounds, but MIUI It's not shown because of the wrong permissions. ADB:

adb shell


su




chmod 644 /system/media/audio/ringtones/*




chown system:system /system/media/audio/ringtones/*

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly changing the rights to system files can lead to bootloop ( looped boot). TWRP before experimentation.

7. Features for different Xiaomi models

The process of recovering standard tunes may vary depending on the series of devices.

Redmi smartphones (Note 10/11/12, K50, etc.)

Xiaomi flagships (12/13/14 series, Mix)

POCO devices (F3/F4/F5, X3/X4)

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On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 14) The path to system sounds may be different. `/my_product/media/audio/` or `/system/system_ext/media/audio/`.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi standard tunes