How to change the ringtone on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 3 proven ways

Why Xiaomi’s standard ringtones don’t suit users

Xiaomi Redmi 9 is one of the brand’s most popular budget phones, but even its owners often face a typical problem: standard ringtones are quickly boring. MIUI has only 10-15 base ringtones preinstalled, and most of them sound too official or simply do not stand out in the everyday noise background.

According to a 2023 Redmi user survey, 68 percent of owners change a standard tune in the first 3 months of use, and the reasons are different: someone lacks originality, someone wants to personalize the device to suit their mood, and some just don't hear quiet signals in noisy places. Fortunately, MIUI offers several ways to change the ringtone, from simple to advanced.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from changing through standard settings to installing custom tunes from files, and also explain why some users do not see the Call Melody option in the sound menu and how to fix it.

Method 1: Change the melody through standard MIUI settings

The fastest and safest way is to use the built-in tools of the system, which does not require super-user rights (root) and is suitable even for beginners.

1. Open the "Settings" (the gear icon on the desktop or in the application menu).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Select the Melody of a Call (on some versions of MIUI it may be called Notification Sound → Call Melody).
4. Scroll down the list, and you've got all the ringtones that you've got pre-installed here. Click on any one to listen to.
5. To confirm the choice, tap OK or Save (depending on the firmware version).

If you don’t have a “Call Melody” item on your menu, it could mean one of three:

• 🔄 You have custom firmware installed (like Pixel Experience), where the path to the audio settings is changed. → Sounds of the device.
• 📱 The smartphone is in Do Not Disturb or Work Profile mode. Turn off these modes in the notification curtain.
• 🔧 You've had a setup failure. Reset the device, and that often solves the problem.

Do Not Disturb mode is off.|Original firmware (not customized)|Device rebooted.|Updates MIUI fixed-->

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI For the Redmi 9, especially the MIUI 12.5 and below) The ringtone change option can be hidden behind an additional menu. If you don't see it right away, try pressing the three dots in the upper right corner of the sound settings screen, which sometimes hides the advanced functionality.

Method 2: Install custom melody from files

If you don't like standard ringtones, you can download your own tune. MIUI supports.mp3,.m4a,.wav and.ogg formats, but there are limitations:

• 🎵 File length – no more than 30 seconds (the system will automatically cut long tracks).
• 📁 File size up to 5 MB (otherwise it may not load).
• 🔊 The volume must be sufficient, otherwise the melody will not be heard well.

Installation instructions:

1. Download your favorite ringtone to your smartphone (for example, from Zedge or MobCup sites).
2. Move the file to the Ringtones folder (if it is not, create it in the root directory of internal memory).
3. Open Settings → Sound and vibration → Call melody.
4. At the top of the screen, select the tab Local or My Melodies.
5. Find your file in the list and click on it for pre-listening.
6. Save the changes with the OK button.

💡

If your ringtone doesn’t appear on the list, try restarting your phone or using a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) to update your media library. To do this, open the melody folder, click on the three dots in the upper right corner, and select Scan Media Files.

If you want to use a song but don’t know how to cut it, use apps like MP3 Cutter or Ringtone Maker, which let you select the desired snippet and save it in the optimal format.

Downloading from the sites|I make my own songs.|I use standard.|I'm asking my friends to drop off.|Another option-->

Method 3: Using third-party apps to change ringtone

If you want more than MIUI offers, you can install specialized applications that allow you to:

• 🎶 Assign different tunes to different contacts.
• 🔊 Adjust ringtone volume separately from system sounds.
• 📱 Set dynamic tunes (for example, a random ringtone from a playlist).

One of the best solutions is Ringo, an app with a wide range of personalization settings, and here's how to work with it:

1. Download and install Ringo from Google Play.
2. When you first start, provide all the permissions you request (access to contacts, files, calls).
3. In the main menu, select the Melodies of the call.
4. Click Add Melody and select a file from the device’s memory.
5. Set up the rules of use: for all calls, for specific contacts or on a schedule.

⚠️ Note: Some ringtone change applications (e.g. Ringtone Scheduler) require that basic optimization be disabled MIUI. To do this, go to the Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Threefold → Special access → Optimize the battery and disable the optimization for the selected application.Without this, the ringtone can reset after restarting.

The advantage of third-party apps is that they are often updated and support new audio formats, such as Ringo, which is able to work with.flac, a lossless format that is important for music fans.

Problem Solving: Why the Call Melody Doesn't Change

Sometimes users find that the ringtone is not saved or resets after a reboot, and here are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the sound settings to the standard:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Resetting Sound Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and restart the device.

After that, all the sound parameters will return to the factory, and you can re-configure the ringtone.

💡

If the problem persists after all manipulations, check the integrity of system files through Settings. → The phone. → System check, rare file failure media_profiles.xml Can block ringtones from changing.

Additional settings: vibration, volume and profiles

Changing the tune is only part of personalizing the sound on Redmi 9. MIUI offers other useful options:

• 📳 Vibration when calling: you can adjust the intensity and rhythm in the Settings → Sound and vibration → Vibration on the bell. There are options available from "Short" to "Strong with rhythm".
• 🔊 Loudness: in MIUI You have separate regulators for calls, notifications and media, and you can customize them by pulling sliders in the notification curtain or in the audio menu.
• 🌙 Profiles: in the Settings section → Sound and vibration → Modes can create separate profiles for work, home or street with different sound settings.
• 🎧 Headphone sound: if you often use the headset, turn on the option Automatic switch to the speaker, so as not to miss the call when you turn off the headphones.

Especially useful is the Adaptive Sound feature (available on MIUI 13+), which automatically adjusts the ringtone volume to the noise level around it, to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Adaptive sound.
2. Turn on the switch and adjust the microphone sensitivity.
3. Test the function by calling your phone in a quiet and noisy room.

This option saves time as you don’t have to manually adjust the volume depending on the situation.

Security: How to Avoid Ringtones Fraud

When downloading custom tunes from the Internet, it is important to keep security in mind. Fraudsters often disguise malware as harmless audio files. Here's how to protect your Redmi 9:

• 🛡️ Download ringtones only from verified sources: Zedge, MobCup or official sites of musicians.
• 🔍 Before installing, check the file with an antivirus (such as Avast or built-in scanner). MIUI).
• 📥 Avoid files with.apk or.exe extensions disguised as audio.
• 🔄 After downloading, move the file to the Ringtones folder manually – this will reduce the risk of automatic script execution.

⚠️ Warning: If after installing a new ringtone, the smartphone began to slow down, warm up or show unusual notifications, immediately delete the file and scan the device for viruses. MIUI There is a built-in antivirus: Settings → The phone. → Device protection.

Also worth paying attention to the permissions that ringtone apps request, if a program asks for access to SMS, contacts or geolocation without an obvious reason, this is a reason to be wary.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the ringtone to Redmi 9