How to reduce the sound on Xiaomi: all the ways from buttons to hidden settings

Have you ever been in a situation where the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro suddenly gives the sound to full volume in a quiet room? or messengers literally "tear" your ears with notifications while you are trying to sleep? Volume control on Xiaomi smartphones only seems simple - in fact, the system offers at least 5 different ways to control sound, and half of users do not even know about their existence.

In this article, we’ll explore not only basic techniques (like volume buttons), but also hidden MIUI features that allow you to fine-tune the sound for each application separately, including system notifications and media. You’ll learn how to remove the annoying “squeak” when you press the screen, why the volume sometimes resets on its own, and what to do if the physical buttons stop working, and also a table of methods compatibility with popular models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO.

1. Quick volume reduction with buttons - the basic method

The most obvious way is to use physical buttons on the sidebar of a smartphone, and on all Xiaomi models (from Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra), the top button is responsible (if you hold the phone with your screen to yourself).

• 🔊 One tap changes the volume of the current profile (media, bell, or alarm clock).
• 📱 Long-term pressing – causes a slider with visual control (does not work on all firmware).
• 🔇 Down to the stop button – activates silent mode (if the option is enabled in the settings).

Importantly, if you're listening to music through Google Play Music or Spotify, the buttons will only adjust the volume of the media without affecting notifications.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F4 GT) The default volume buttons are locked during games. To unlock, go to Settings → Special facilities → Volume buttons and disable the option “Block in games».

2. fine tuning through the Sound and Vibration menu

If the buttons don't give you enough flexibility, go to the advanced sound settings. Path: Settings → Sound and vibration.

• 🎵 Media Volume – a separate slider for music, video and games.
• 📞 Call volume – regulates incoming calls and alarm clock.
• 🔔 Notification Volume – Manages the sounds of messages and system alerts.
• 🔕 Silent mode – complete shutdown of sound (except alarm clock).

The option "Separate Sound Control" (available on MIUI 12+) is particularly useful, allowing you to, for example, minimize the sound of notifications, keeping the volume of music at maximum, to activate:

1. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → More
2. Turn on the "Separate Control" switch.
3. Volume buttons will now switch between profiles (media/call/notifications) when pressed.

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If your model doesn’t have the Separate Control option, try upgrading MIUI to the latest version. On the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and later, it appears after upgrading to MIUI 13.5+.

3. Sound adjustment for individual applications

One of the most useful innovations of the latest versions of MIUI is the ability to adjust the volume for each application separately, which means that you can make WhatsApp squeak quietly and YouTube play at full volume.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (such as Telegram).
3. Tap on “Notifications» → «Sound».
4. Move the slider or select a tune with a lower volume.

For media players (such as Spotify or VLC), the path is different:

1. When playing music/video, press the volume button.
2. Slip on the "cog" icon next to the slider.
3. Select “App Volume” and adjust the level.

Select the messenger in "Application Management" |

Turn off the notification sound or turn down the volume |

Check group/chat settings (individual alerts)|

Reboot your phone to apply changes-->

4.Switching off system sounds (clicks, signals, vibration)

Many Xiaomi users complain of annoying sounds when tapping, locking or plugging in charging, which can be turned off completely or made quieter:

On some models (such as the Xiaomi 13T Pro), these options can be hidden deeper.

1. Enable Developer Mode (7 times tap on the MIUI version in the phone settings).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the option “Switch off absolute volume” and activate it.

5.Using the "Do Not Disturb" mode for total insanity

If you need to turn off all sounds (except your alarm clock) completely, activate Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, which is useful at night or at important meetings.

• 📱 Quick access: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and tap on the icon «🔔 cross-over».
• ⚙️ Through Settings: Settings → Sound and vibration → Don't disturb.
• ⏰ Schedule: Set up automatic on overnight or during business hours.

In DND mode, you can configure exceptions:

• 📞 Allow calls from selected contacts.
• 🔔 Repeated calls (if someone calls twice within 3 minutes, the sound will turn on).
• 📌 Alerts from specific applications (e.g. Google Maps for navigation).

⚠️ Attention: POCO X3 Pro and some other models, Do Not Disturb mode by default blocks all notifications, including vibration. To leave vibration for important messages, go to Settings DND → Vibration and enable the option “Vibrate at notifications».

6. Resetting the sound settings to factory

If the sound is unpredictable (spontaneously changing, disappearing or distorting), the system settings may have gone wrong.

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

After discharge:

• 🔄 All volume sliders will return to default values.
• 🎵 System sounds (clicks, signals) will be switched on again.
• 📱 Volume settings for individual applications will reset.

If the problem persists, check:

• 🔊 Dynamics for physical damage (dust, moisture).
• 🎧 3.5mm connector (if any) – sometimes the phone “thinks” the headphones are connected.
• 🔄 Updates MIUI — Some versions have sound bugs (e.g., in the MIUI 12.5.3 for Redmi Note 10 Pro).

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Resetting audio settings doesn’t delete your files or apps – it only returns audio-related settings to factory settings.

7. Volume button problems - what to do?

If physical buttons stop responding or don't work properly, the reasons can be both software and hardware.

For a temporary solution, you can use virtual volume buttons:

1. Download the Volume Control or SoundAssistant app from Google Play.
2. Give him the right to change the system settings.
3. Use a widget or notification to adjust the sound.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi 12S Ultra and other flagship volume buttons may conflict with the "Double Press to Start Camera" function. If the sound is reset when you try to take a photo, turn off this option in Settings. → Lock screen → Double-push.

Compatibility with popular Xiaomi models

Not all methods work on all devices, and the following is the compatibility table for current models (2022-2026):

For models older than 2020 (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro or Mi 9T), some features may not be available, in which case it is recommended to update the firmware to the latest available version of MIUI.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's audio adjustment