How to change the melody of a call on Xiaomi: from standard tones to custom tunes

Changing the ringtone on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — until you encounter the features of the MIUI shell. Unlike “pure” Android, the path to the audio settings here can vary depending on the firmware version, device model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 13 Lite) and even regional build. Some option is hidden in the menu “Themes”, and somewhere requires the installation of additional applications.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to change a tune, from standard tones to downloading your own tracks, and pay special attention to the typical problems: why new tunes do not appear in the list, how to circumvent the restrictions. MIUI The duration of the sound file and what to do if after updating the system lost user ringtones. MIUI 12–14 (including global and Chinese versions).

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

The most obvious method is to use built-in shell tools, which is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models released after 2018, the main advantage of which is that it does not require the installation of third-party applications and works even on devices with a locked bootloader.

To change the ringtone:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration (on some models – Sound).
3. Select the Melody of a Call (or the Sound of a Call in older versions of MIUI).
4. In the list that opens, tap the right tone. To listen, click the play button on the right.
5. Confirm the choice with the OK or Ready button.

If the list doesn’t have the right tunes, try updating the system sounds:

• 🔄 Update themes: Go to Settings → Topics, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Update. Sometimes new tones appear after the theme pack updates.
• 🎵 Check the download folder: MIUI automatically scans the folder /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones for user tunes (more on this in the next section).
• 📱 Reboot the device: After changing the tune, some models (such as Redmi 10) apply the settings only after the reboot.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global Stable (e.g., Global Stable, POCO X3 Pro after upgrading to Android 13+ The Call Melody section may disappear in the sound settings, in which case use the method through the Themes app (described below).

2. Adding your own tunes: where to store files

Xiaomi allows custom ringtones to be installed, but with nuances, the system automatically scans only certain folders, and the files must meet technical requirements.

• 📁 Permitted folders: /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones — ring-melodies; /storage/emulated/0/Notifications — notice-in; /storage/emulated/0/Alarms — alarm-box.
• 🎼 File requirements: Format:.mp3,.m4a,.ogg,.wav; Duration: up to 30 seconds (otherwise the system will crop the file); Size: no more than 5 MB (for MIUI 14 Restriction removed, but older versions may not support large files).

How to add your tune:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Google Files).
2. Create a Ringtones folder at the root of your internal memory (if you don’t have one).
3. Put an audio file with a melody (for example) there, my_ringtone.mp3).
4. Restart the device or execute a command in ADB: adb shell media scan This will force the media library to be updated.
5. Now your melody should appear in the Settings → Sounds → Call melody list.

3. Change of melody through the app "Themes"

If the standard method doesn’t work (for example, on MIUI China ROM), try changing the tune through the Themes app. This method also allows you to download additional audio packages from the official Xiaomi store.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush and palette).
2. Go to the Sounds tab (or Ringtones in English versions).
3. Select the category of the ringtone.
4. Listen to the available options and click Apply for the selected tone.
5. To download new tunes, tap the cloud icon in the upper right corner and select your favorite package.

Advantages of this method:

• 🎶 Exclusive tunes from Xiaomi that are not in the standard settings are available;

adb shell pm grant com.mi.android.themes android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI EU ROM (for example, POCO F1) Themes app may not be available due to European build limitations, in which case use third-party apps (section 4).

4 Third-party applications: Zedge, Ringdroid and others

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, use specialized applications that offer more options: editing tunes, downloading from cloud libraries, and even creating ringtones from music tracks.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📱 Zedge: Over 1 million free tunes; Automatic track trimming to requirements MIUI; Integration with Sound Settings (melodies appear in the system list).
• ✂️ Ringdroid: Editor for cropping MP3-Files; Export directly to Ringtones folder; Support for format FLAC (It is useful for Mi 13 Ultra).
• 🎵 Ringtone Maker: Creating melodies from video (extracting audio track); Faders for smooth start/end; Dark theme support (relevant to the game) MIUI 14).

How to set a tune through Zedge:

On Android 13+ devices (such as Xiaomi 13T), apps like Zedge require additional permission to change system settings.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Special Access.
2. Select Change System Settings.
3. Find Zedge in the list and turn on the switch.

5 Problems and Solutions: Why the Melody Doesn't Change

Even after all the instructions are followed, the melody may not change, and let's look at the typical causes and ways to eliminate them:

If the problem persists, check:

• 🔇 Sound Profile: Make sure that Sound mode is enabled (not Vibration or No Sound mode");
• 📵 Do Not Disturb: Turn it off in the notification curtain;
• 🔄 Application conflict: Some launchers (like Nova Launcher) can block system sounds.

💡

If the call works after the change of tune, but notifications remain standard, check the settings separately for each application (for example, WhatsApp or Telegram have their own audio profiles).

6. Change of melody for specific contacts

MIUI allows you to assign unique tunes to individual contacts. This is convenient if you want to distinguish calls from family, colleagues or important customers. The feature works on all Xiaomi models, but the path to settings may differ.

How to set up an individual melody:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Select the contact you want and click Edit (pencil icon).
3. Slip on the item Melody of the call (or the sound of the call).
4. Select a tune from the list or click Add to upload your file.
5. Save the changes.

Limitations:

• 🚫 On some models (Redmi) 9A) individual tunes only work for contacts saved in the phone book of the device (not Google contacts);
• 🔔 If the contact is synced with Google, the melody may reset after the contacts update;
• 🎵 For group contacts (for example, "Family"), you can not assign a melody - only for each individually.

7.Alternative methods: ADB and root access

For advanced users who are willing to work with ADB or get root rights, there are additional ways to customize sounds, which are suitable for devices with a locked bootloader or informal firmware.

Method 1: Installation of a melody through ADB

If the Ringtones system folders don’t work, you can manually copy the file to the system partition:

adb push my_ringtone.mp3 /system/media/audio/ringtones/


adb shell chmod 644 /system/media/audio/ringtones/my_ringtone.mp3




adb reboot

Note: Requires an unlocked bootloader and su rights.

Method 2: Edit settings.db (for experienced)

Call melodies are stored in the database /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db. To manually write the path to the file:

1. Download SQLite Editor from Play Market.
2. Open the settings.db database and find the system table.
3. Change the ringtone setting to the path to your file (e.g. /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones/custom.mp3).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of settings.db can cause the audio settings to fail.Before making changes, back up the file: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the tune to Xiaomi