How to put your music on a subscriber in a Xiaomi phone: a detailed guide

Setting a customized ringtone to a specific call on a Xiaomi smartphone is a useful feature that helps you quickly identify important calls. Unlike standard ringtone melodies, personalized melodies make your phone more convenient and emotionally colored, but many users have difficulty assigning their music to a subscriber through standard MIUI settings.

The problem is often the limitations of the file system or the non-obvious menu paths. In this article, we will explore all the current ways to install custom tunes, from simple methods through the Contacts app to advanced solutions using file managers and other customized music. ADB-We will pay special attention to the nuances of working with the latest versions. MIUI 14/15 model Redmi/POCO, where the interface is different.

Why Standard Methods Don’t Work

The main reason why users can’t install their music on a subscriber in Xiaomi is the MIUI system’s restrictions on using arbitrary audio files as ringtones.

• 🎵 Built-in tunes from the package /system/media/audio/ringtones
• 📱 Music App sounds (only if the file is added to the Ringtones playlist")
• 🔄 Melodies downloaded through "Themes" (limited selection)

When you try to select a file from a Downloads or Music folder, the system often gives an error "File is not supported" or simply does not display it in the list, this is because MIUI scans only certain directories for audio files with correct metadata (bitrate is not higher than 320 kbps, up to 30 seconds).

⚠️ Attention: Files in format.m4a (AAC) or.flac may not appear on the ringtones list even if the ringtones are properly positioned.mp3 bitrate 192-256 kbps.

Another common problem is resetting individual tunes after the MIUI update, which is that the system resets paths to custom files if they are not stored in standard folders, and we will discuss the solutions to these problems in the next sections.

Method 1: Through the standard "Contact" application

The most obvious, but often ineffective, method is to assign a tune directly through the contact card, which is suitable for the latest versions of MIUI 14/15, but requires pre-production of an audio file.

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app and select the contact you want.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → "Edit".
3. Scroll down to the "Call Melody" section and tap it.
4. In the window that opens, select "Add" (+ icon) → "Local Music".
5. Find the folder where you pre-copyed the melody (Internal Storage → Ringtones is recommended).
6. Select the file and save the changes.

If your file does not appear in the list, check:

• 📁 Storage folder: files should be in /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones/, /Music/ or /Notifications/
• 🎼 Format: only.mp3,.ogg,.wav (no) DRM-defense)
• ⏱️ Duration: no more 30 seconds (optimum) 15-20)

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X5 Pro) Local Music may not be available, in which case use Method 3 with file manager.

Method 2: Using the Music app to create ringtones

The built-in Music app in MIUI has a hidden feature of cropping tracks for use as ringtones, a technique that is suitable if you want to use a snippet of a song from your library.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Music app and find the track you want to use.
2. Slip on three points next to the track → "Use as a ringtone".
3. In the editor that opens, crop the fragment (maximum 30 seconds) and click "Save".
4. The system will automatically save the cropped file to the Internal Storage → MIUI → ringtone folder.
5. This snippet will now be available in the list of tunes when editing the contact.

Advantages of the method:

• 🎛️ Built-in editor allows you to cut the track accurately
• 📁 Automatically save to the correct folder
• 🔄 Support for most audio formats (converted to: MP3)

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Not working with DRM-Protected tracks (for example, downloaded from Apple Music)
• ❌ Duration limit (maximum 30 seconds)

💡

If the desired track is not in the Music app, copy it to the Internal Storage → Music folder and update the library through the application settings.

Method 3: Manually copy files through file manager

For users who don’t have the standard method, the most reliable way is to manually place audio files in system folders, which requires a file manager with access to root directories (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer).

Instructions:

1. Download and install a file manager with root access support (you don’t have to have root rights).
2. Copy your audio file (in.mp3 or.ogg format) into one of the system folders: /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones/ – for ringtones /storage/emulated/0/Notifications/ – for notifications /storage/emulated/0/Alarms/ – for alarm clocks
3. Restart the device (required to update the media base).
4. Open contact → edit → ringtone. Your file should appear on the list.

If the file is not displayed even after rebooting:

• 🔄 Check the folder rights: it should be readable to all applications
• 📛 Make sure the file name does not contain Cyrillic or special characters (use this). ringtone1.mp3)
• 🔄 Update the media base through the Files app (section Audio")

⚠️ Note: On some Redmi Note models 12 newer file /MIUI/ringtone It can be hidden. To see it, turn on the hidden files in the file manager settings.

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

If the system methods don’t work, Google Play apps will come to the rescue, allowing you to bypass the limitations of MIUI and assign any music to the contact.

Top.-3 tested applications:

• 🎧 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop tracks and set them as ringtones for specific contacts. Supports all formats and has a built-in converter.
• 🔊 Zedge is a database of ringtones and notifications with the ability to assign contacts.
• 📱 Contacts+ — It's an alternative contact app with advanced tune settings. MIUI 15.

Instructions for Ringtone Maker:

1. Install the application and give access to the storage.
2. Select an audio file from the device memory.
3. Cut the desired fragment (up to 30 seconds).
4. Press "Save How" → "rington".
5. Assign a name (for example, mom_ringtone.mp3).
6. Open the contact in the standard app and select the saved melody.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• 🎛️ It works with all audio formats (including: FLAC and M4A)
• 📁 No need to manually copy files
• 🔄 Save settings after updating MIUI

💡

Apps like Zedge or Ringtone Maker are often updated and adapted to newer versions of MIUI, so they can work even where standard methods fail.

Method 5: Advanced Method through ADB (for Power Users)

If none of the above methods worked, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to force the addition of a melody to the system list, which requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on "Debugging by" USB" on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
3. Connect your phone to your computer and execute the command: Adb devices (you should display your device)
4. Copy the audio file to the system folder: adb push C:\path\to\your\ringtone.mp3 /sdcard/Ringtones/
5. Update the media base: adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MEDIA_SCANNER_SCAN_FILE -d file:///sdcard/Ringtones/ringtone.mp3
6. Reboot the device: adb reboot

After the reboot, the file should appear in the list of available tunes. If not, check the folder rights:

adb shell chmod 644 /sdcard/Ringtones/ringtone.mp3

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) folder /sdcard/ It may be a symbolic reference to /storage/emulated/0/. In this case, use the full path: /storage/emulated/0/Ringtones/.

The only way to assign a tune longer than 30 seconds is to use ADB to modify the system file /system/media/audio/ringtones, but this requires root access and can disrupt the device.

Solving problems with individual melodies

Even after successful installation, users face typical problems:

• 🔕 The melody is reset after the update MIUI
• 🔊 The sound is interrupted or played with a delay
• 📵 The melody is not played on an incoming call.

Decisions:

If the melody is not played on the incoming call, but works when testing:

1. Check if there is a "Do Not Disturb" mode for this contact.
2. Make sure the file is not on SD-map (MIUI It can block access to external media during a call).
3. Reset the settings of the Phone application (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Phone → Storage → Reset).

💡

If all custom tunes are missing after the MIUI update, check the /MIUI/ringtone/backups/ folder – sometimes the system saves backups there.

FAQ: Frequent questions about installing music on a subscriber