How to put a ringtone on Xiaomi: all the ways to MIUI 14/15

Tired of the standard ringtone on your Xiaomi and want to play your favorite tune? With the brand’s MIUI shell, you can do this in several ways, from basic settings to hidden system features. Unlike “bare” Android, there are nuances here: for example, limits on the duration of the track or features of working with files in the device’s memory.

In this article, you will find 5 proven methods of installing ringtone – from the simplest (via system settings) to advanced (using a file manager or third-party applications).We will also discuss why sometimes the melody is not saved, how to circumvent the MIUI limitation on track duration, and what to do if your Redmi or POCO “does not see” the downloaded file. All instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 on Android 13/14 and tested on Xiaomi 13/14 Series, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5 models.

1. Method: through standard MIUI settings

The fastest method is to use the built-in tools of the system, which is suitable for most users and does not require the installation of additional programs.

Open the Settings app and go to Sounds and Vibrations. Here, select Call Melody. The system will offer a list of standard ringtones, but at the top of the screen you will see the Local Melodies button (or My Melodies depending on the version of MIUI). Click on it and a list of user files available for installation will open.

• 📁 Where to look for files: Default MIUI It scans Ringtones, Notifications, and Alarms folders in the root directory of internal memory, and if your file is in another folder (like Download), the system won't see it.
• ⏱️ Length limitation: MIUI To avoid this, pre-cut the melody in any audio editor (for example, cut the melody in any audio editor, MP3 Cutter or Audacity).
• 🔍 File formats: supported.mp3,.m4a,.ogg and.wav..flac or.aac files may not be displayed.

⚠️ Note: If you connect your smartphone to your computer through MTP (Like a flash drive, folders with ringtones could be hidden. To return them, reboot the device or use the Mi File Explorer file manager with hidden files enabled.

Cut the track to 30 seconds |Save in MP3 or M4A|Put the file in the Ringtones|FolderRename the file without special characters

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2. Method: through the MIUI file manager

If your ringtone doesn't show up in the settings, it's probably in the wrong folder. MIUI has strict rules for where to place custom tunes, so you can't just drop them in Download and expect the system to find them.

Take any file manager (such as the built-in Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer) and follow the following steps:

1. Create a folder at the root of internal memory called Ringtones (if it doesn't already exist), and for alarms and notifications, you can make Alarms and Notifications folders, respectively.
2. Transfer your audio file to this folder. Make sure the file name doesn't have Cyrillic characters or spaces - use Latin and underline (e.g., use the Latin alphabet, my_ringtone.mp3).
3. Reboot your smartphone. Once you restart, MIUI will scan the folders and add new tunes to the list of available ones.

If the ringtone didn’t appear after the reboot anyway, check:

• 📌 Is the file properly named (without #,!,? and other special characters).
• 🔄 Is the file format supported (preferably.mp3).
• 📂 Does the file lie directly in the Ringtones folder, not in the subfolder.

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If the Ringtones folder is not being created, check the permissions for the file manager in Settings → Applications → Permissions → Storage. Sometimes MIUI blocks entry to the root directories.

Method: by means of the appendix “Sounds” MIUI"

For users who want more control over audio settings, there is an official application from Xiaomi – MIUI Sound Recorder (or MIUI Sounds in Russian localization), which allows you not only to set ringtones, but also record your own tunes from the microphone.

Download the app from Google Play (it is free) and follow the instructions:

1. Open MIUI Sounds and go to the Melody tab.
2. Click on the + button in the lower right corner and select Add from the files.
3. Find your audio file in the device memory and confirm the selection.
4. Now the melody will appear in the list of available ringtones. To apply it, click on the three dots next to the file and select Set as ringtone.

If the application doesn't find your file, try moving it to the MIUI/ringtone folder (create it manually if it doesn't), a hidden directory that the system uses to store user sounds.

4. Method: through third-party applications (Zedge, Ringtone Maker)

If the built-in MIUI tools don't suit you, you can use third-party programs, the most popular are Zedge (a directory of ringtones and wallpaper) and Ringtone Maker (for trimming and tuning tunes).

Let’s look at the example of Zedge:

1. Download and install Zedge from Google Play.
2. Launch the app and select the Ringtones section.
3. Find your favorite tune (you can search or view categories).
4. Click on the track, then select Set as ringtone.
5. Confirm the action – the system will redirect you to the MIUI settings, where you will need to select Zedge as the source of the melody.

For Ringtone Maker, the process is a bit more complicated, but you’ll get full control of the track:

• 🎵 Select an audio file from the device memory.
• ✂️ Cut the desired fragment (you can adjust the beginning and end).
• 🔊 Listen to the result and save it as a ringtone.
• 📱 Apply the melody through system settings (it will automatically appear in the list).

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Zedge) require permission to change system settings. If the ringtone is not used after installation, go to Settings → Annexes → Special access → Change system settings and turn on the switch for Zedge.

5. Method: for Advanced Users (ADB)

If you like to dig through the system, you can install the ringtone through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for cases where MIUI stubbornly does not want to see your file despite all the manipulations. Careful: the wrong commands can disrupt the system!

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🎵 Audio file in.ogg format (MIUI It works best with this format for system sounds).

Steps:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer and open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
2. Check the connection command: Adb devices should appear serial number of your device.
3. Copy the file to the system folder with ringtones: adb push C:\path\to\your\ringtone.ogg /sdcard/Ringtones/ (replace the path with the current one).
4. Set file rights: adb shell chmod 644 /sdcard/Ringtones/ringtone.ogg
5. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

After the reboot, your ringtone should appear in the system melodies list. If not, check that the file has indeed been copied to /sdcard/Ringtones/ (you can use adb shell ls /sdcard/Ringtones/).

Problem Solving: Why is the ringtone not installed?

Even after you've done all the instructions, the melody may not work, and here are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the sound settings:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Resetting.
2. Select Resetting Sound Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. After rebooting, try to reset the ringtone.

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If the problem persists after all the manipulations, check if your device has custom firmware installed (for example, Xiaomi.EU or LineageOS), which can change the paths to the system folders with ringtones.

Bonus: How to put different ringtones for different SIM-map

If your Xiaomi supports two of your SIM-You can assign each one your own tune, which is convenient for distinguishing between calls from work and personal ones.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Sounds and vibration → Call melody.
2. At the top of the screen, select SIM-map, SIM 1 SIM 2).
3. Set a separate melody for each card.
4. For notifications and alarms, the setting is similar – select SIM from the top menu.

If the option is SIM-The card is missing, so your model does not support this function at the level of the card. MIUI. You can use the Dual Sim Ringtone app from Google Play.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions