How to download and install ringtone on Xiaomi for free: all working ways

Standard tunes on Xiaomi get boring quickly, and you don't always want to buy ringtones on Google Play or Mi Store. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to download and install any ringtone on your smartphone for free, from using built-in MIUI tools to downloading tunes from the Internet. The main thing is to know where to look for safe sources and how to correctly add a file to the system so that it appears in the call settings.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven methods, including hidden functions MIUI, You can create a ringtone from any song on your phone, and you can also learn why some tunes don't show up on your call list and how to fix them. POCO base MIUI 12/13/14 HyperOS.

Before you start, check the free space on your phone – it will take at least 50–100 MB to download and crop audio files. Also make sure you have the latest MIUI update installed: newer versions of the firmware make adding ringtones easier, but new restrictions have also appeared (for example, for files in.m4a format).

📊 How often do you change the ringtone on your smartphone?

Once a month

Six months

Only when buying a new phone

Never changed.

Xiaomi’s Standard Ringtones: Where to Find and How to Activate

Many users are unaware that MIUI already has dozens of hidden tunes that don't appear in the main list.

Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Call

Here, tap on Local Ringtones (or Default Melodies in older versions of MIUI) and list 20 to 30 standard sounds, including classic Mi Tune, Marimba, and others, that can't be removed or changed, but can be used without restrictions.

If standard options aren’t enough, try an alternative way to access hidden ringtones:

Open the File Manager app.
Go to the MIUI/ringtone folder.
All system tunes are stored in.ogg or.mp3 format.
Click on any file to listen to it and select “Install as a ringtone”.

Important! In some firmware, the MIUI/ringtone folder may be hidden. To see it, turn on the hidden files in the Files settings (three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Show hidden files).

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If you like a standard tune but it’s too short, download it to your PC via MIUI Fandom, cut it in an audio editor (like Audacity) and download it back to your phone.

2. How to download ringtone from the Internet: safe sources

The fastest way to get a unique tune is to download it from specialized services. However, not all sites are safe: some distribute files with viruses or require payment. We selected 3 reliable sources where you can download ringtones for Xiaomi for free:

🎵 Zedge (Google Play) is an app with millions of tunes and wallpapers, and there's a filter by genre and pre-listening.
🔊 MobCup (mobcup.net) – Russian site with ringtones in the format.mp3 and.m4r (It's for iPhone, but it's also for Xiaomi. There's sections on movies, games and hits.
📱 Ringtone Maker (Google Play) is not just a bootloader, it's also an editor. You can crop downloaded tracks right in the app.

To download the ringtone from these services:

Select your favorite tune and click “Download”.
The file will be saved to the Download or Ringtones folder (depending on the application).
Open the Files, find the downloaded file and tap it.
In the menu that appears, select “Install as a ringtone”.

⚠️ Attention! Don’t download ringtones from unknown sites, especially if they require you to disable antivirus or install additional programs. In 2023, hackers distributed spyware through such services, masking it as audio files.

How to check the downloaded ringtone for viruses?

Use the Malwarebytes app or the built-in scanner in Security (Settings → Security → Virus Scanner). You can also upload the file to VirusTotal for verification.

3.Creating a ringtone from your music: step-by-step instruction

If you have a favorite song on your phone, you can turn it into a ringtone without a computer, and MIUI has a built-in tool for that, but it's hidden in the Music menu. Here's how to use it:

Method 1: Through the Music App

Open the standard application "Music" (Mi Music).
Choose the track you want to make a ringtone.
Slip on three dots next to the song title and select "Set as a ringtone."
Cut the fragment (maximum 30 seconds) and save.

Method 2: Ringtone Maker (for advanced)

If the built-in tool is not satisfied, use the Ringtone Maker app:

🎛️ Upload the song to the app (you can choose from Device Memory or Google Drive).
📏 Cut the fragment by dragging sliders on the timeline.
🔊 Listen to the result and click "Save».
📱 Select "Install as a ringtone» → «Call».

In MIUI 14 and HyperOS, cropped ringtones are saved to the MIUI/ringtone/custom folder. If the melody does not appear in the call settings, reboot the phone.

Choose a track without words (or with minimal vocals)

Cut the fragment to 20-30 seconds

Make sure the file format is MP3 or M4A

Check the volume (ringtones should be heard in noisy environments)-->

4.Why is the downloaded ringtone not displayed in the settings?

Frequent problem: the file is downloaded, but it's not on the tone list.

Problem.	Reason.	Decision
File not visible in settings	Wrong folder.	Move the file to Ringtones or MIUI/ringtone
The melody plays, but it is not set.	Unsupported format	Convert to.mp3 or.ogg via Online-Convert
Rington is cut off when installed	MIUI length limitation	Use the fragment ≤30 seconds
The file disappears after rebooting	Clearing the cache	Save a copy in Internal Storage

If the ringtone still doesn't work, check its bitrate (optimally 128-192 kbps). Too heavy files (.flac,.wav) may not play, and make sure the file name doesn't contain special characters (e.g., #,?,!).

⚠️ Attention! MIUI 13+ There's a restriction: the ringtones from the Download folder don't show up in the settings. Make sure to move them to Ringtones or MIUI/ringtone.

5. How to install a ringtone via PC (for power users)

If you prefer to work on a computer, you can download the ringtone through Windows Explorer or ADB. This method is useful if you need to transfer many tunes at once.

Method 1: Through USB-cable

Connect Xiaomi to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
Open the phone folder in the conductor.
Copy ringtones (in.mp3 or.ogg format) into the Ringtones folder (if not, create it manually).
Turn off the phone and restart it.

Method 2: ADB (for system ringtones)

This method allows you to add a melody to the system ringtones so that it appears in the Local Ringtones section.

🖥️ Established ADB Tools.
🔌 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap → Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
📁 Rington in.ogg format (required!), renamed to custom_ringtone.ogg.

Next, run commands in Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux):

adb push custom_ringtone.ogg /sdcard/MIUI/ringtone/


adb shell chmod 644 /sdcard/MIUI/ringtone/custom_ringtone.ogg




adb reboot

After the reboot, the new tune will appear in the list of standard ringtones.

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Use ADB only if you are confident in your actions. Wrong commands can disrupt the system.

6. Alternative ways: Telegram-bots and cloud services

If you do not want to download applications or dig into the settings, try these non-standard methods:

🤖 Telegram-bot @RingtonesBot: Send the bot a song title or genre, and it will send ready-made ringtones in format.mp3. Just download the file and install it through the "Files».
☁️ Google Drive/Yandex Drive: upload the ringtone to the cloud, open it on your phone via the Drive app and select “Install as a ringtone».
🎧 Spotify/YouTube Music: Some tracks can be saved to "Your Music" and then cropped through Ringtone Maker.

The advantage of these methods is that you don't have to search for files on the Internet, for example, on Telegram you can find ringtones by hashtags (#minimalism, #movie, #retrovibs), and cloud services allow you to synchronize melodies between devices.

Tip: If you use YouTube Music, download the tracks in Offline Mode (quality 128 kbps) to then convert them to ringtone. MP3 Cutter.

7 How to Get Back a Standard Ringtony If Something Goes Wrong

If after experimenting with melodies, standard sounds have disappeared or the phone has stopped playing ringtones, reset the sound settings:

Settings → Sounds and vibration → Resetting sound settings

This will bring all parameters back to factory, including:

🔔 Standard ringtones and notifications.
📳 Loudness of bell and alarm clock.
🔕 Vibration modes.

If the reset didn't help, check:

Is the MIUI/ringtone folder removed (restore it from backup)?
Is the sound turned off in "Do not disturb" (Settings → Do not disturb).
Is there a third-party audio control app (like Volume Booster) that blocks ringtones?

⚠️ On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) After resetting the audio settings, a reboot may be required to make the changes take effect.

FAQ: Frequent questions about ringtones on Xiaomi

Can I install a ringtone longer than 30 seconds?

Technically, yes, but MIUI will crop it up to 30 seconds when installed.To get around the restriction, use third-party apps (like Ringtone Maker) and save the file to the Ringtones folder manually.

Why is the ringtone quiet, even though the volume is at its maximum?

Possible reasons: The file is recorded at low volume (raise it in the audio editor); Quiet Sound mode is enabled in the special features settings; Speaker problem (check in Equipment Test using ##4636##).

How to make different ringtones for different SIM-map?

V MIUI It is done as follows: Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks. SIM-You can use a map and tap "Call." Set a separate tune for each. SIM.

Can you use live sounds (such as voices) as a ringtone?

Yes, but keep in mind: The file should be.mp3 or.ogg. The desired duration is ≤20 seconds (otherwise it will be cropped). To record the voice, use Dictophone, then trim it in Ringtone Maker.

Why did all my ringtones disappear after the MIUI update?

This is a well-known MIUI 13→14 problem. The MIUI/ringtone folder resets to standard. Solution: Back up the ringtones (copy them on your PC). After the update, return the files to the MIUI/ringtone folder. Reboot the phone.