How to divide the volume of a call and notifications on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Are you tired of a loud alarm clock waking up the whole family and important notifications from messengers getting lost in silence? Or vice versa — the calls are too quiet and the sounds of messages are annoying with their intrusiveness? In Xiaomi smartphones there is a hidden opportunity to set separate volume levels for calls, notifications and media — but not all users know how to activate it.

By default, MIUI (and the new HyperOS) combines call volume and notifications into a single slider, which creates a lot of inconvenience. Fortunately, the manufacturer has left a loophole for manual adjustments — and we’ll tell you how to use it on models from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra. In this article, you’ll find 3 working methods, including hidden developer settings, as well as a compatibility table with different versions of firmware.

Why Xiaomi combines the volume of calls and notifications

This is explained by MIUI’s philosophy: developers want to simplify the interface for beginners, sacrificing the flexibility of settings. In most cases, a single regulator is enough for all system sounds, but this creates problems:

• 🔔 The alarm goes off too loud if you turn up the volume for notifications.
• 📞 Calls become inaudible when the sounds of messages are muted.
• 🎵 Media audio automatically decreases when adjusting notifications (and vice versa).

Interestingly, in the early versions of MIUI (up to 10th), separate settings were available by default, but after the interface was redesigned in 2019, the option disappeared from the main settings, now it needs to be activated manually, and we will show you how to do it in 2 minutes.

Method 1: Volume separation through sound settings (MIUI 12-14)

This is the easiest way to do it, and works on most modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12-14 firmware. You don’t need root rights or technical knowledge – just a few taps on the screen.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Slip on Volume (or Volume Levels on some models).
4. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Settings.
5. Activate the switch Separate volume controls (or Divide the volume of the call and notifications).

After that, three independent sliders will appear in the volume menu:

• 📞 Call – the volume of incoming calls.
• 🔔 Notifications – the sounds of messages, reminders, system alerts.
• 🎵 Media - music, video, games.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) item Separate regulators may not be available in the standard settings, in which case move to Method 2 using the developer mode.

Method 2: Developer menu activation (for all versions of MIUI/HyperOS)

If the first method didn't work, don't despair! The hidden Developer Menu allows for separate adjustments even on devices where this option is locked by default. The instruction is universal for all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi 10C, Xiaomi 13T and POCO F5.

Step 1: Enable the Developer Mode

If the Developer Menu is not activated yet, do the following:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI Version (or HyperOS Version) string and tap it 7 times in a row.
3. After the notification appears, you become a developer! return to the main settings menu.

Step 2: Set up separate regulators

Now go to the section Additional → For developers (the HyperOS path may be different: System → Advanced settings → Developers).

• 🔧 Separate volume controls – turn on this switch.
• 🔊 Absolute volume level – turn off if you want precise adjustment.

Important: Some firmware uses Force separate volume controls, so don't worry, that's what it is. Once activated, restart your phone so that the changes take effect.

Method 3: Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If none of the previous methods worked (for example, on custom firmware or very old models like the Redmi 4X), you can use third-party utilities. We tested several applications and selected the most reliable ones:

We recommend starting with Volume Control, which does not require superuser rights and works consistently on most devices. Install the app from Google Play, grant permissions to change system settings and infollowing these steps:

1. Open the app and select Volume Profiles.
2. Create a new profile with separate levels for Ringtone (call), Notification (notification) and Media.
3. Save the profile and activate it.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Precision Volume) may cause conflicts with system sounds on HyperOS. Before using, back up your settings through Settings → System system → Backup.

How to adjust the volume for individual applications?

Not only can you separate calls and notifications, but you can also customize the volume for each instant messenger or game, a feature that is available in standard MIUI settings, but many users are unaware of it.

Here's how it works:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application (such as WhatsApp or Telegram).
3. Slip on the Notification item.
4. Turn on the Sound switch and set up an individual volume level for its notifications.

This method is especially useful if you want to:

• 📢 Enhance Viber notification sounds but keep Facebook alerts quiet.
• 🎮 To mute the sounds in games without affecting the volume of calls.
• 🔔 Disable sounds for unnecessary applications (e.g. system updates).

💡

If you use headphones frequently, set up a separate volume profile for them. In Settings → Sound → Volume, select the output device (earphones/speakers) and adjust the levels independently.

Compatibility table by models and firmware

Not all Xiaomi devices support separate volume control out of the box. We tested more than 20 models and compiled a compatibility table:

If your model isn’t in the table, try Method 2 (Developer Mode) — it works on 90% of devices. For very old smartphones (like the Redmi 5 Plus), you may need to run a customized recavator firmware and install a modified version of MIUI.

💡

On HyperOS (Xiaomi's new firmware), separate volume control is available by default in the audio settings. There's no need to use developer modes or third-party apps.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successfully configuring separate regulators, users are faced with the following:

Problem 1: Volume sliders reset after rebooting

Reason: Conflict with battery optimizer or system applications.

Decision:

• Add the Settings app to the optimization exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All applications.
• Turn off Adaptive Volume in Settings → Sound.

Problem 2: Separate regulators disappear after update

Reason: Reset settings when updating firmware.

Solution: Repeat Method 2 (Developer Mode) or reset the sound settings to factory:

Settings → System → Resetting settings → Resetting sound settings →

Problem 3: Call volumes don't change

Reason: Do not disturb or profile meeting is activated.

Solution: Check:

• Is not disable to disturb in the notification panel.
• Is the In-pocket mode activated (Settings → Lock screen → Additional).
• Is the volume limit set in Settings → Special. capabilities → Sound amplification?

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi Mi) A3, POCO M3) When the regulators separate, the vibration may disappear when the calls are called. → Sound. → Vibration when calling and select the desired pattern.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions