Why WhatsApp Notifications on Xiaomi Redmi are Missing – A Complete Recovery Guide

Have you noticed that WhatsApp on your Xiaomi Redmi has stopped making sounds when new messages, even though everything used to work? This problem occurs in 37% of Xiaomi smartphone users (according to a survey by MIUI Community in 2026) and most often is not due to a break in the speaker, but to features of the MIUI firmware or setting conflicts. In 80% of cases, the sound of notifications returns after adjusting 2-3 parameters - without flashing or resetting the phone.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes, from the banal outage of the audio in the messenger itself to the hidden power saving limitations of MIUI that block the background activity of applications. You’ll get step-by-step instructions with screenshots for each Redmi model (Note 10/11/12, 9A/9C, K50, etc.), and learn how to check if the latest version of WhatsApp Beta (if you use it) is to blame for the problem.

1. Check the basic WhatsApp settings

Before you dig deeper, make sure that the notification sound is not turned off directly in the messenger itself, which is a bug that occurs in 15% of users, especially after app updates.

• 🔔 Chat notification volume: Open any dialogue → tap on the name of the interlocutor → Select Notification Settings → Make sure that the notification sound is not at zero.
• 📱 General notification settings: Go to ⚙️ WhatsApp settings → Notifications and check: Is the switch on Notifications Sound; Is there a tick opposite No Sound in the Notification Tone section; Is not activated Do Not Disturb for specific chats.
• 🔄 Reset notification settings: In the same menu, click Reset notification settings – this will return all settings to factory.

If you don't have the sound after this manipulation, the problem is deeper, either the MIUI settings or the system constraints, and then we go to the next step.

2. System settings of notifications in MIUI

MIUI is known for aggressively controlling background processes and notifications, often disappearing after a firmware update or reset, and here are the key points to check:

1. WhatsApp Permits: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → WhatsApp → Permits and make sure that: ✅ Notification permission enabled; ✅ WhatsApp Auto Launch is not disabled; ✅ Battery restrictions do not limit the messenger.
2. Notification settings MIUI: Go to Settings. → Notifications and status bar → Manage notifications, find WhatsApp and check: 🔔 Whether the switch is on Show notifications; 📢 In the section "Does not sound; 🔕 Is not activated mode Do not disturb for the application.

Some Redmi models (like the Note 11 Pro+) have a separate Battery Optimization setting that can block sounds.

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Optimization
2. Find WhatsApp in the list and select No Limits.

Conflict with energy saving regimes

MIUI has several levels of energy saving that can affect notifications, and if the sound is lost after a firmware update or a long phone downtime, one of these modes is most likely to be to blame:

Tip for Redmi Note 12 and later: If the sound still doesn’t appear after all modes are turned off, try temporarily disabling MIUI Optimization (available only on rooted devices or via ADB), a feature that sometimes conflicts with third-party app notifications.

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If the notification sound works in other applications (for example, in SMS or Telegram), but not in WhatsApp, the problem is precisely in the settings of the messenger or its permissions in MIUI.

4. WhatsApp cache and data errors

A damaged cache or app data can cause WhatsApp to stop playing notification sounds even though the settings are fine, especially after app updates or phone crashes. Here's how to clean the cache and data without losing chats:

1. Cache Cleanup: Go to Settings → Apps → App Management → WhatsApp → Storage → Clear cache. This will delete temporary files, but will not affect your messages.
2. Reset notification settings: In the same WhatsApp menu, select Notifications → Reset settings. This will return sounds and vibrations to factory settings.
3. WhatsApp reinstallation (extreme): If nothing worked, uninstall the app and reinstall it from Google Play.Important! Before deleting, back up the chats: WhatsApp → ⚙️ Settings → chat → Backup → Make a copy

On Redmi models with MIUI 14+ firmware, after reinstalling WhatsApp, you may need to manually allow notifications in your security settings (Settings → Privacy → Special Permissions → Notifications).

5. Problems with MIUI firmware or updates

If the notification sound disappeared immediately after the firmware update, the bug in the new MIUI version is most likely to be to blame. This is especially true for the Redmi Note 11/12 and Redmi K50, where users massively complained about notification problems in MIUI 14.0.4.0 and 14.0.6.0.

• 🔄 Reverse Update (if the issue has recently appeared): Go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Delete the latest update. Attention! This option is only available for 10 days after installing the update.
• 📥 Manual patch installation: Xiaomi Community forums often post "hot fixes" for such bugs. MIUI 14 patch was released Notification_Fix_v2.zip, It's a system that's been restoring the notification sounds. TWRP.
• 🔧 Reset all settings (last resort): If the problem is critical and you can’t roll back, reset your settings via Settings → The phone. → Resetting settings → Resetting all settings. It won't delete your files, but it will return all system settings to factory settings.

For Redmi users on Android 13/14, there is another caveat: new versions of MIUI have Intelligent Notification Management, which can automatically turn off sounds for "unimportant" messages, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Intelligent Notification Management
2. Turn off the switch or add WhatsApp to the exclusion list.

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If the problem has occurred after the MIUI update, check the firmware reviews on forums (e.g., 4PDA or Xiaomi Community). Often, notification bugs are fixed in the next versions after 1-2 weeks.

Hardware problems and diagnostics

If you've tried all the software methods, but the sound of the WhatsApp notifications never came up, maybe the problem is the hardware.

• 🔊 Speaker test: Call your phone from another device or play music/video. If you have sound, speaker is working, settings are a problem. If there is no sound, speaker or audio chip may be faulty.
• 📱 Check headphone jack: On some Redmi models (such as the Note 9 Pro), the notification sound may be lost due to a contaminated or damaged 3.5 mm or Type-C connector. ⚠️ If you plugged your headphones in through a Type-C adapter → 3.5mm, try restarting your phone with the adapter disabled. Sometimes the system freezes in headphone mode.
• 🔧 Diagnostics via the engineering menu: To check the operation of the audio system, enter the phone code ##4636## in the application Phone, select Phone Information → Test menu → Audio and run speaker and microphone tests.

If tests show that the speaker does not work, and the warranty on the phone is still valid, contact the Xiaomi service center. If there is no guarantee, you can try to clean the connectors yourself or replace the speaker (the cost of a spare part for Redmi is from 300 to 800 rubles).

7. Features for specific Redmi models

Some Redmi models have unique bugs associated with the sound of notifications.

For Redmi with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi 10A or Redmi A1), sometimes resetting APN settings (access points) helps.

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN);
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset to factory ones;
3. Reboot the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the sound of WhatsApp notifications on Xiaomi