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How to set a custom ringtone on Xiaomi, Redmi & POCO

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones (HyperOS or MIUI) can use any MP3 as a ringtone. The option is called Choose local ringtone, and the only tricky part is that the phone may try to send you to the Themes store first.

Set it on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO

  1. Open Settings → Sound & vibration
  2. Tap Ringtone
  3. Tap Choose local ringtone (or From storage)
  4. Pick your file from Downloads

Menu names can differ a little between phones and software versions.

Make your ringtone first

Before you start: make the ringtone

You need the ringtone as an audio file on your phone. Open the Android ringtone maker, pick a song or recording, trim it and tap Download. The MP3 lands in your Downloads folder, ready for the steps below.

Tips for Xiaomi, Redmi & POCO

  • If the sound picker asks which app to use, choose File Manager or Sound picker and open Downloads.
  • Some versions open the Themes app's ringtone store: look for Choose local ringtone or a Local option instead.
  • Dual-SIM phones have a separate ringtone for each SIM.
  • Xiaomi's own browser may save to its own folder. Check its download list (☰ → Downloads) to see where the file went.

Themes store or local file?

On many HyperOS and MIUI versions, tapping Ringtone opens a page from the Themes app with online ringtones at the top. You don't need any of them. Look for Choose local ringtone, Local or From storage, which may be lower down or behind a ⋮ menu. That option opens the file picker, where your FoneVibe MP3 is waiting in Downloads.

If the Themes page keeps loading or asks you to sign in, back out and open Settings → Sound & vibration → Ringtone again from Settings itself, not from the Themes app.

Notification sounds and alarms on Xiaomi

Notifications: Settings → Sound & vibration → Notifications (or Notification sound), then choose a local file the same way. A 1 to 3 second clip from the notification sound maker works best.

Alarm: open Clock, tap the alarm, tap Ringtone and choose a local file. Add a slow start with the alarm tone maker.

Silent mode and Do Not Disturb are both in the Control Centre (swipe down from the top right). If calls stop ringing after you change the tone, check those first.

Ringtone not showing in the list?

  • Open the Files app → Downloads and check the file is there. Some browsers save to a folder called Download.
  • If the browser played the file instead of saving it, long-press the download and choose Download.
  • Close the ringtone list and open it again. Restarting the phone also makes it show up.
  • Rename the ringtone without emoji or special characters and download it again.
  • Still missing? Use your Files app's Move option to put the file in the Ringtones folder of your phone's internal storage. Android lists everything in that folder as a ringtone. For notification sounds, use the Notifications folder.

Questions

It keeps opening the Themes app

Scroll down in the ringtone screen and tap Choose local ringtone, or open Settings → Sound & vibration → Ringtone from Settings rather than from Themes.

Are Redmi and POCO steps the same?

Yes. Redmi and POCO phones run Xiaomi's HyperOS or MIUI, so the settings match. Only the version may change a label.

HyperOS or MIUI: which do I have?

Open Settings → About phone. It shows HyperOS or MIUI and the version number. The ringtone steps are almost the same on both.

The ringtone resets after a while

This can happen if the file is deleted or moved, or if a cleaner app removes downloads. Move the MP3 into the Ringtones folder so cleaners leave it alone.