How to Set a Call Melody on Xiaomi Redmi: All Ways 2026

Almost every smartphone owner wants to change the standard ringtone to Xiaomi Redmi – factory tunes quickly get bored, and personalized sound makes your phone stand out among others. However, the MIUI interface is not always intuitive: the audio settings menu is hidden in unexpected sections, and adding custom tunes requires knowledge of the nuances of the Android file system. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to install the ringtone on the Redmi Note 12/11/10 Pro, Redmi A2/A1 and other models – from the basic method through settings to bypassing the limitations of MIUI for user files.

Xiaomi’s smartphones feature a proprietary MIUI shell that imposes restrictions on audio files. For example, in some versions you can’t just choose a tune from the Downloads folder – the system will only show files from standard directories. We’ll tell you how to bypass this restriction without root rights, what formats are supported (.mp3,.m4a,.ogg), and why sometimes after updating MIUI ringtones are reset to standard ones. You’ll also learn how to assign unique tunes to individual contacts and why some files are not displayed in the selection list.

1. Method: through standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use built-in shell tools, which is suitable for most Redmi models on MIUI 12-14 and does not require any additional applications to be installed, but it has a limitation: you can only select files that are in the Ringtones, Notifications or Alarms folders on internal memory.

To set the ringtone through settings:

• 📱 Open the Settings app** (cog icon).
• 🔊 Go to the Sound and Vibration section (in some versions) MIUI It's called Sound).
• 🎵 Click on the ringtone (or the call sound).
• 📁 At the top of the screen, select the Local tab (if not, the list of available tunes will immediately open).
• ✅ Select the desired file and press OK or Ready.

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If the desired melody is not in the list, check if the file is in the Ringtones folder on the internal drive. MIUI ignores files in other directories (for example, Downloads or Music).

If the list only displays standard tunes, then your file is in the wrong folder. Move it to Internal Storage → Ringtones (create the folder manually if necessary). Also make sure that the file does not have Cyrillic characters or spaces in the name - this can cause a read error.

2. Method: Add custom ringtones through file manager

MIUI limits the choice of tunes to specific folders, but this limitation is easy to get around. To do this, you need to manually put the sound file in the system directory, which the shell scans for ringtones, the method works on all Redmi with Android 10 and later, including the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and Redmi K60.

Instructions for adding a custom ringtone:

1. 📂 Connect your phone to your PC or open any file manager (such as Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. 📁 Go to the root folder of internal memory (Internal Storage).
3. 🔍 If you don’t have a Ringtones folder, create it (registration is important!).
4. 📤 Copy the prepared sound file (format) into it.mp3 or.m4a, duration).
5. 🔄 Reboot your phone (required!) MIUI Updated the list of available tunes.
6. 🎶 The file will now be available in audio settings (see Method 1).

Important: Once MIUI is upgraded to a new version (e.g., from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), custom ringtones can be reset to standard ones, because the system recreates the database of media files. To avoid this, save a backup of the Ringtones folder to your PC or the cloud.

3. Method: Use of third-party applications

If the first two methods didn't work (for example, because of the features of the firmware or the lack of root rights), you can install the ringtone through specialized applications.

• 🎧 Zedge – the largest database of ringtones and notifications with the ability to pre-listen.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop tracks and save them directly to system folders.
• 📱 Files by Google – file manager with ringtones assignment function (works even on blocked ones) MIUI).

Consider installing through Zedge (a free app rated 4.5+ on Google Play):

1. 📥 Install Zedge from Google Play.
2. 🔍 In the search box, type in the name of the melody or select a category (e.g. Trends 2026).
3. ▶️ Listen to your favorite ringtone and click Download.
4. 📲 After downloading, click Set as... and select Call Melody.
5. ✅ Confirm the choice - the ringtone will be used automatically.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Ringtone Maker) require permission to access storage. If the ringtone is not used after installation, check the permissions in Settings → Annexes → Permit management → Memory.

The advantage of this method is that you don't have to manually copy files to system folders, but it has a disadvantage: after you delete an application (such as Zedge), some ringtones can disappear from the list of available ones. To avoid this, copy your favorite files to the Ringtones folder on the internal drive.

4. Method: Assigning Unique Melodies to Contacts

MIUI allows you to assign individual ringtones to individual contacts — a useful feature if you want to know who is calling without looking at the screen — and it works for both standard tunes and custom files (if they are added correctly to the system).

How to set a personal ringtone for contact:

1. 📇 Open the Contacts app** (or Google Contacts if you use sync).

If the option to Set the ringtone is not in the contact menu, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI (on Android Go models, such as Redmi A1, function may be disabled).

5. Method: bypassing the MIUI restrictions for user files

Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Redmi for the Chinese market or with a modified MIUI) even after copying files to the Ringtones folder, they do not appear in the selection list, because the system scans media files only when it is first turned on or after it is reset, the solution is to force the media database to be updated.

How to get MIUI to see custom ringtones:

1. 📱 Install Rescan Media Root from Google Play.

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If ringtones are still not displayed, check if storage access for the Settings or Contacts app is disabled in Settings → Apps → Permissions.

For advanced users, there is another way – editing the file. media_profiles.xml, It's a system ringtone that stores paths to the system ringtone, but it requires root rights and can cause failure if you do something wrong.

⚠️ Note: on Redmi with a blocked bootloader (most global versions), obtaining root rights will result in a reset of all data and possible loss of warranty.

Problem Solving: Why the Rington is Not Set

Even after you've completed all the instructions, you may encounter errors, and let's look at the typical problems and their solutions:

If after using the ringtone, there is no sound when calling:

• 🔊 Check the volume of the call (volume buttons) → Calling mode).
• 📵 Make sure no Do Not Disturb or No Sound mode is activated.
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes a sound driver MIUI «hanging».

On Redmi models with dual speakers (such as Redmi K50 Gaming), check if the second speaker is disabled in the audio settings. Go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Sound Quality → Speakers and select Stereo mode.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions