How to reduce the volume of notifications on Xiaomi: all ways

The sound of notifications on Xiaomi can be annoying — especially if the smartphone is beeping every five minutes because of messages in messengers, alerts from apps or system alerts. There are several ways to make notifications quieter at MIUI, from basic volume control to fine-tuning each application. But not all users know that in addition to the standard volume slider, there are hidden features that allow you to completely turn off the sound for individual chats or set individual tunes at minimum volume.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods to reduce the sound of notifications on Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi smartphones, from simple to advanced. Some of them are not even written about in the official documentation, and we will also explain why settings are sometimes reset after the MIUI update and how to avoid this.

1. Basic setting of notification volume

The most obvious way is to use physical volume buttons on the smartphone body, but here's the caveat: Xiaomi's default is to adjust the volume of media (music, video) rather than notifications, to change the sound of alerts:

1. Press the volume button up/down on the sidebar.
2. In the window that appears, tap the arrow ↓ to the right of the slider.
3. Select Notification mode (bell icon).
4. Move the slider to the left to a comfortable level.

This method works on all versions of MIUI 12-14, but has a limitation: the volume of notifications and alarms is tied to a single regulator. If you need to turn the alerts quieter and leave the alarm loud, read the next section.

2. Separate setting of notifications and alarm clock

MIUI has a hidden feature that allows you to separate the volume of the notifications and the alarm clock.

1. Open the Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Slip on Volume (or Volume Control in older versions).
3. In the upper right corner, press three dots. ⋮ and select Separate Settings.
4. Activate the switch and set the sliders separately for: 🔔 Notifications (can be reduced to a minimum) ⏰ Alarm clock (keep at maximum) 🎵 Media (music, video)

Important: once you activate the separate settings, the volume buttons on the case will only control the media, not the notifications, and you will have to go to the audio menu to quickly change the volume of the alerts.

Separate settings included |Notification volume reduced |Alarm clock remained loud |Called on real alert-->

3. Do Not Disturb and Exceptions

If you need to completely turn off notifications for a certain period (e.g. at night or at work), use Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, which blocks all alerts, but allows you to set exceptions for important contacts or applications.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Do not disturb.
2. Activate the switch or set a schedule (for example, from 23:00 to 7:00).
3. In the Exclusions section add: 📞 Calls (can only be allowed for selected contacts) ⏰ Alarms (to avoid sleeping) 💬 Messages (select the messengers from which you want to receive notifications)

In DND mode, you can also resolve repetitive calls -- if someone calls twice in 3 minutes, the call will pass. This is useful for emergencies.

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MIUI 14 has introduced Concentration, an analogue of DND with advanced settings for work, sleep or driving, and find it in quick settings (swipe down from the top edge of the screen).

4. Individual settings for applications

Not all notifications are equally important, for example, you can leave the sound from WhatsApp, and you can remove the alerts from games or news applications.

1. Press the notification from the desired application (in the curtain) and select Notification Settings.
2. Turn off the Sound switch or turn down the volume in the Notification Sound section.
3. For instant messengers (for example, Telegram or Viber) you can configure individual sounds for: 💬 Personal communications 👥 Group chat rooms 🔔 Canals

In some apps (like Instagram or Facebook), the notification sound is only customized inside the app itself, not through system settings. Go to Settings → Notifications inside the app and turn off the sound there.

5. Hidden MIUI features for advanced users

If standard methods don’t help, use the hidden MIUI settings that few people know about:

• 🔇 Turning off sound for system notifications: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points (⋮) → System applications. Find system notifications and turn off the sound.
• 🎛️ Editor of sound profiles: in Settings → Sound and vibration → You can create your profile with minimum notification volume.
• 🔧 ADB-fine-tuning commands: If you have a PC, you can change the system volume parameters through the adb shell. notification_sound_volume 3 (where 3 — volume level 0 before 7).

Warning: Changes to system settings through ADB can cause crashes, and only do so if you are confident in your actions.

Alternative solutions: vibration and light signals

If you need to receive notifications but no sound, adjust the vibration or light indication:

• 📳 Vibration: In the sound settings, select Vibration at notifications and set the appropriate rhythm (e.g., Short instead of Long).
• 💡 Light signal: activate Pulse LED in Settings → Sound and vibration → Pulse backlighting only works when the screen is off.
• 🔄 Adaptive notifications: in MIUI 14 Adaptive Sounds feature appeared, which automatically reduces the volume in quiet rooms.

Some Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) have an infrared sensor that detects whether the phone is down and automatically turns off the notification sound. Check if this feature is enabled in Settings → Display → Autorotation and sensors.

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If the notifications are gone completely, check if the In-Pack mode is activated (Settings → Display → In-Pack mode) and it automatically turns off the sounds when the screen is locked.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Sometimes users find that the volume settings are not saved or notifications sound too quiet even at maximum.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The sound of notifications is quieter than usual, check if the settings of the uniform volume distribution have reset in the Settings → Special facilities → Improvement of sound.

• 🔊 There's a sound, but it's very quiet: Check if the speaker is covered with a cover or a finger. Wipe the speaker grille away from dust. If the problem persists, the notification speaker may be faulty (on some Xiaomi models, it's separate from the main speaker).
• 🔄 Settings reset after rebooting: This is a bug of some versions MIUI. Try resetting the sound settings to factory (Settings) → Sound and vibration → Resetting settings) and resetting.
• 🚫 No notifications at all: Make sure no No Sound mode is turned on (bell-crossing-in-curtain icon) and check if notifications for a particular application are disabled in Settings → Annexes → Application management.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions