Changing the standard ringtone is the first step to personalizing your smartphone. - Xiaomi devices powered by shells MIUI or the new HyperOS, which provides a lot of options for customizing audio, but the interface can sometimes confuse the beginner. MP3-Player or download track from the Internet to hear it when incoming call.
In this article, we’ll go into all the details, from simply replacing the system sound to installing unique tunes for each contact in the phone book, and learn to bypass the limitations of the built-in theme storage and manage files properly in the Android file system.
It doesn’t matter what model you have: a budget Redmi Note or a flagship Xiaomi 14.The principles of working with sound profiles remain the same throughout the brand ecosystem, although the names of some menu items may vary slightly depending on the version of the software.
Where to find audio settings in MIUI and HyperOS
The first thing a smartphone owner needs to do is locate the right section in the menu. The path to settings can vary, but the Xiaomi developer logic remains consistent. Most often, all audio options are concentrated in one place, accessible through the main settings menu.
The fastest way to get to the right section is to search by settings. Just type the word "rington" or "sound" in the search bar at the top of the settings screen, and the system will prompt you to move to the right item, which saves time, especially if you have updated to a new version of the shell and can not find the usual menus.
If you prefer manual search, you need to open the Settings app and find the Sound and Vibration section, and that's where the volume sliders, the vibration settings, and the actual selection of tunes for the various events of the system are located.
In some firmware versions, especially in Chinese builds or global ones with early HyperOS, the item may be simply called Sounds. Inside this section, you will see a list of all possible audible signals, from SIM card ringing 1 and 2 to alarm notifications and system events.
⚠️ Attention: In new versions MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the melody selection point can be hidden inside the "Additional Sound Settings" submenu. If you don't see the track list right away, carefully inspect the screen for arrows or additional tabs.
It is important to understand the difference between system ringtones and custom ringtones. The default system offers a limited set of tracks stored in a secure memory area. To install your own music, you will need access to user files, which we will discuss in the next sections.
The audio settings interface also allows you to quickly switch between No Sound, Vibration and Sound modes. This is conveniently done through the widget in the notification curtain, but fine-tuning is only available through the deep menu.
How to set your music to a call through theme menu
The standard and easiest way to change a tune is to use the built-in Themes app. This is Xiaomi's official content store, which stores not only wallpaper and fonts, but thousands of free ringtones, and the advantage of this method is that you don't have to search for files online, everything is optimized and ready to install.
To start, open the Themes app on your desktop. At the bottom of the screen, find the Melody (or Ringtones) tab, and there's a huge catalog, sorted by category: popular, new, genres, you can listen to any track directly in the preview by clicking on the play button.
When you find a suitable option, click Download (usually indicated by the down arrow). After downloading, the button will change to Apply. Pressing this button will instantly set the track to all incoming calls. SIM-The system will ask which one to use the melody for, or apply it to both.
It is worth noting that the Themes store requires authorization in a Mi Account and an active Internet connection, and if you do not have a network, this method will not work, and you will have to resort to installing through a file manager.
The Themes app also has a "Create a Rington" feature that allows you to cut a snippet from any song already in your device's memory, which is a great tool if you only need a specific piece of the track, rather than the entire track.
Install MP3 files through File Manager
Often, you have a situation where you have already downloaded the right tune to your phone in MP3 format, but it does not appear in the system sounds list, in which case you will need a built-in Explorer (or Files) application, which gives you complete control over the file system and allows you to use any audio files.
First, find the downloaded file. It's usually in the Download or MIUI/Music folder. Press the file and hold your finger until the action menu appears. In the options list, select More (three dots) and find Set as a call. The system automatically moves the file to the desired directory and suggests that you apply it.
If you don't have a "Set as a Call" item, you can go another way. MP3-Then go to the root folder of internal memory and find the folder with the name MIUI. Inside it, create or open a ringtone folder (for calls) or a notification (for SMS.
☑️ Checklist of installation MP3
Once you have the file in the correct folder, go back to the sound settings (Settings → Sound and Vibration). Your track should appear at the bottom of the available tunes list, often in the Local category or just a single item, and now you can choose it as the main one.
It's important to remember access rights. When you first try to install a file through a conductor, the system can ask permission to change the system's audio settings, press OK or Allow, otherwise the procedure will not end.
This method is especially useful if you want to use unique sounds downloaded from instant messengers or recorded by a voice recorder. The main thing is to make sure the file format is compatible. Xiaomi works perfectly with MP3, AAC, WAV and M4R.
Customization of individual melodies for contacts
One of the most useful features of the smartphone is the ability to know who is calling without looking at the screen, which Xiaomi has implemented a customized ringtone for each contact, which allows you to instantly respond to calls from close or important customers.
To set this up, open the Contacts app or Phone app and go to the Contact tab. Find the person in the list and open the card. At the top of the screen, next to the name, you'll see a pencil icon or three menu points.
Click on editing and scroll down. There's a Melody item (the default is "Default" or "System"). Click on it, and the standard audio selection window opens. You can select a track from the system list or click on the add button (plus) to select a file from the phone's memory.
⚠️ Note: If you change a contact's phone number or create a duplicate, the individual melody may get lost.Always check the sound settings after editing the contact card.
You can also assign a sound to a whole group of contacts. To do this, in the Contacts app, go to the group menu, select the desired group (for example, "Family" or "Work"), click on the group edit and find the audio setting there. Now all calls from people in this group will be accompanied by a unique signal.
Remember that if a subscriber has hidden his or her number (defined as a “Private Number” or “Unknown”), the standard system ringtone will play for him or her, as the system cannot identify the contact.
Setting the notification sounds and alarm clock
The smartphone doesn't just make sounds when you call, notifications from messengers, text messages, letters and alarms all require a separate setup, and the chaotic sound background can be annoying, so it's important to correctly distribute audio events.
To adjust the default notification sound, go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Notifications. Here you can select one sound for all applications that use system notification. However, many modern applications (Telegram, WhatsApp) have their own audio settings inside applications that rewrite system.
To change the alarm clock, open the Watch app. Click on your existing alarm clock to edit or create a new alarm clock. The alarm setting will be the Sound. By clicking on it, you can select a track from your built-in library or add your own. MP3-phone-file.
| Type of event | Where to set up | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming challenge | Settings → Sound → Melody of the call | You can specify separately for SIM 1 and SIM 2 |
| Texting | Settings → Sound → Sound of notifications | Often duplicates the sound of messengers |
| Alarm clock | Appendix Clock → Editing the alarm clock | It works even when it is turned off (on some models) |
| Systemic sounds | Settings → Sound → Additional | Lock sounds, dial numbers, screenshots |
Special attention should be paid to the system sounds of the interface: keyboard click, screen lock sound, charging sound, which can be completely turned off or replaced by going to the section Additional in the audio menu, which helps to make the use of the smartphone more quiet and enjoyable.
For users who value silence, there is a Do Not Disturb mode, which can be set up so that only selected contacts make sound, and all other notifications come in silently, and this is set up in the Do Not Disturb profile in the audio settings.
The secret function of sounds
What to do if the ringtone is not installed or is missing
Sometimes users have a problem: it seems that everything was done correctly, but after a phone reboot, the melody flies to the standard one, or the file simply does not get selected. These are common MIUI shell bugs that are solved in several ways.
The first reason is access rights. After a major Android update or shell update, the system might have reset permissions for the Themes or Explorer app. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Themes and check the Permissions section. Make sure that access to memory and sound is allowed.
The second reason is file corruption. If you downloaded the ringtone from a questionable source, the file may be broken. Try playing it in any music player. If there's no sound or the player gives an error, the file needs to be replaced.
The third reason is a crowded theme cache. In the Themes app, go to profile (human icon) → settings (cogs) and try to clear the cache. Sometimes this helps to update the list of available tunes.
⚠️ Attention: If the ringtone disappears after every phone turn off, there may be a problem with energy saving. The system aggressively unloads the processes. Try to fix the Themes app in memory (lock the menu of running applications).
It's also worth checking if a third-party Do Not Disturb mode or a Sleep profile is enabled, which can force a plug instead of your tune, disable all profiles and check the sound in Normal mode.
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Expert advice: If you use live wallpaper or heavy themes, they may conflict with the sound engine. Try temporarily switching to the standard theme "Classic" and setting the ringtone. If the problem disappears, it's a third-party theme.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did all my audio settings disappear after the MIUI update?
Can I install a video instead of a ringtone?
How do you make the ringtone sound louder?
Where do ringtones files are stored in your phone’s memory?
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Main conclusion: For stable operation of custom-ringtones on Xiaomi, it is best to copy files to the MIUI/ringtone system folder through Explorer, rather than relying on direct selection from the Download folder, since when cleaning the cache, files may become unavailable to the system.