Changing the standard call is the first step to personalizing Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO immediately after purchase.Standard tunes pre-installed by the manufacturer often seem boring or too intrusive, so many users are eager to swap them for their favorite tracks. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS provide flexible tools to manage the sound design without the need for superuser rights.
The installation process can vary depending on the version of the Android operating system and the specific interface modification. In some cases, system restrictions can hide simple paths to settings, requiring the use of file managers or special applications. However, with the precise algorithm of actions, you can customize unique sounds for incoming calls, messages and notifications of applications in minutes.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail all available methods of replacing ringtones: from the classic selection from the list to installing your own. MP3-The nuances of customizing the individual sound for specific contacts will also be touched upon, which is especially useful to avoid missing an important call from a loved one or colleague.
Audio file preparation and system requirements
Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that your audio file meets the technical requirements of the system. Xiaomi smartphones work perfectly with MP3, AAC, WAV and OGG formats, but for system ringtones it is best to use MP3 with a bit rate of at least 128 kbit / s for sound quality. The file must be stored in the phone memory, not only in cloud storage so that the system can correctly recognize it.
The important thing is to organize the file structure. In the newer versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14), access to the root folder is limited, so simply copying the track to the root may not be enough. If you download music from the Internet, make sure the file is not protected. DRM-protection, which is often found in tracks from streaming services.
⚠️ Note: Files protected by digital rights (DRM) from Spotify, Apple Music or Yandex.Music (offline mode), can not be used as ringtones directly. MP3-track-piece.
For easy navigation, you should immediately rename the downloaded track, removing unnecessary characters and version numbers from the name. The system may not correctly display long file names in the selection list, so a concise name is like"Love_Song_Cut.mp3" Also check the length of the track: too long tracks can be cut or sound unnatural on a short incoming call.
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Use online services or cutting apps to leave only the brightest chorus of 15-30 seconds in the track, making the call recognizable and not annoying.
Installation of ringtones through the standard settings menu
The most obvious and standard way to change a tune is through the main configuration menu of the system, which is suitable for setting a global call that will sound for all incoming calls, unless otherwise specified for specific contacts. The interface may vary slightly on different versions of MIUI, but the logic remains the same.
You need to open the Settings app and find the audio section, depending on the location and the firmware version, this item can be called "Sound and Vibration" or simply "Sound." Inside you're interested in the "Rington" or "Calling Melody" subsection, and clicking on it, the system will offer a list of preset compositions and possibly a local file selection button.
If you have a "Select Melody from Files" button or a plus button on the list, click it. The file manager will open where you want to navigate to the folder with your music. After selecting the track, the system will apply it instantly. If there is no such button, you will need to use an alternative method through the file manager described below.
- 🎵 Open the Settings. → Sound and vibration.
- 📞 Select Rington (for the purpose of the SIM 1 SIM 2).
- 📂 Click on the icon"+" or "Select a melody from files".
- ✅ Confirm the choice and the track will be the main call.
It's worth noting that dual-symbol devices can assign different tunes to each SIM card, which helps you instantly know which line a call is coming to without looking at the screen, and to do this, in the ringtone selection menu, just switch between the SIM-1 and SIM-2 tabs.
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Changing the ringtone through settings is the most stable method to ensure that the sound does not go off after the device is restarted.
Using a file manager for hidden tracks
Often, the default settings menu does not have a file selection button or is hidden, and in such cases, the File Manager application is a feature that is universal for all Android versions and allows you to “force” the path to the audio file in the system directories of ringtones.
The idea is to move or copy the track to a special system folder, and when the file is in the right place, the operating system automatically scans it and adds it to the general list of available tunes, which is especially true for tracks that are not displayed in the audio selection menu.
/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/ringtone/This is the MIUI/ringtone/ directory you want to put your file into. Open Explorer, find the downloaded track (usually in the Download or Music folder), click on it and select Copy or Move. Then go to the root of the internal memory, open the MIUI folder and the ringtone inside it.
⚠️ Attention: Folder MIUI If you accidentally delete other files from this directory, it can cause the standard interface sounds to disappear.
Once you move the file, go back to the audio settings menu. Your track should appear at the bottom or at the top of the system tunes list under its name. If that doesn't happen, try rebooting your smartphone, which will force the media scanner to re-index the contents of the folders.
- 📁 Find the audio file in the Explorer.
- ✂️ Select the action to copy or move.
- 📂 Go to the folder. MIUI → ringtone.
- 💾 Insert the file and check the list of ringtones in the settings.
For advanced users, it is possible to create their own categories, and if you create a folder called alarm inside MIUI, the system can offer its contents as alarm options, although ringtone directory is better for ringtone.
Customization of individual melodies for contacts
One of the most useful features in Xiaomi's ecosystem is the ability to make unique calls to specific people from the phone book, which allows you to know who's calling from the nature of the sound, without taking the phone out of your pocket, especially when the phone is down.
The process of customizing the individual ringtone is done directly through the Contacts app or Phone, so you don't have to go into the deep settings of the system, just find the right entry in the phone book.
☑️ Contact setting
When you open the contact card, you can find the "Melody" (or bell icon) item. The default is "Default." When you click on this item, you'll be taken to the same audio selection menu as the general settings, and you can select any track from the list or download a new one if you use the previously described method through the file manager.
If you use Google Contacts as your primary storage, the interface may be slightly different, but the principle remains the same. In some versions of the MIUI shell, this feature may be hidden under the "More" button (three dots) in the upper right corner of the contact card. Once you select the track, the changes are saved automatically.
| Type of contact | Where to set up | Priority of sound |
|---|---|---|
| Contact from SIM | Application Phone | High-pitched |
| Contact Google | Annex Contacts | High-pitched |
| Unknown number. | General settings | Low (baseline) |
| Hidden number. | General settings | Low (baseline) |
It should be borne in mind that if a subscriber calls via a messenger (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), the settings of the phone book do not affect him. For these applications, you need to adjust the notification sounds within the applications themselves or in the notification system settings for a particular application.
Working with themes and shop Topics
Xiaomi’s ecosystem is famous for its Themes store, which allows you to change not only wallpaper and icons, but also system sounds. It’s a great way to get ready-made, well-processed pack of ringtones that fit perfectly into the visual style of the interface.
There's a separate category in the theme store dedicated to sounds, and you can find ringtones created by professional designers and musicians, and the advantage of this method is that the tracks are already optimized in volume and duration, and there are no coding problems.
The shop's secrets are Tham
To use this method, open the Themes app and go to the Melodies profile or section. You can listen to the preview before downloading, and after applying the theme or a separate sound package, they will automatically log into the system and become available in the ringtone selection menu.
But there's a caveat: some topics may be region-specific. If you can't find the right section, try changing the Topics app settings to India or Russia, which often opens up more content, and once you download the content, you can retrieve the region.
- 🎨 Open the Topics app.
- 🔍 Go to the section "Melodies" or "Sounds".
- ⬇️ Download your favorite pack.
- ⚙️ Apply it and the sounds will be updated in the system.
Using a theme store is especially important for those who like to change the design of their smartphones frequently, and you can create multiple profiles with different sound patterns and switch between them depending on the mood or time of day.
Solution and resetting of sound settings
Even with all the instructions, users may encounter situations where the ringtone is not played, reset or sounds too quiet, often the problem lies not in the file itself, but in the conflict of sound profiles or the operation of the Do Not Disturb mode.
Check if you have silent or Do Not Disturb mode activated. In this mode, calls can go without sound, even if the melody is set correctly. Also make sure that the call volume slider (not the media, but the call) is twisted to the maximum. On Xiaomi, these settings are divided.
⚠️ Warning: If after installing the ringtone, the phone is silent when calling, check whether the tick "No Sound" is in the caller's contact card or in the general sound settings for this SIM-map.
In rare cases, cleaning the cache of the Themes or Sound app helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the system app responsible for sounds, and select Clear Cache. This will not delete your files, but will reset indexing errors.
If nothing works, try converting the audio file to a different format or changing its bitrate. Sometimes the MIUI system gets cranky with high-resolution files (Hi-Res Audio) or specific codecs. Simple MP3 128-320 kbps works most stable.
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90% of the problems with sound on Xiaomi are solved by checking the profile "Do not disturb" and the correct volume of the channel "Call", not "Media".