How to create a playlist on Xiaomi Android

Creating personal music selections on Xiaomi smartphones turns into an exciting process thanks to the flexibility of the MIUI shell and the ability to use third-party solutions. Owners of branded devices often encounter firmware localization features that can hide familiar functions or change the interface of standard applications. However, regardless of whether you use the global version or the Chinese assembly, the system functionality allows you to structure your audio library as conveniently as possible for the user.

In this article we will analyze in detail the algorithms of actions for different versions of Android and MIUI, and also consider the nuances of working with the built-in player. You'll learn how to quickly group your favorite tracks, what settings you need to check for playlists to work correctly, and how to avoid common mistakes when saving data.

Preparing audio files and checking the format

Before you start creating playlists, it is critical to make sure that the media files are stored correctly on the device. The system Androidon which it is based Xiaomirequires that audio files be located in directories accessible for scanning. If music is downloaded to hidden folders or system partitions, a standard media file scanner may simply not see them.

Pay attention to file formats, since not all codecs are supported natively by the system without installing additional libraries. The most universal are MP3, WAV and FLAC, which are guaranteed to be recognized by the player. More exotic formats like OGG or WMA may require the installation of third-party software to correctly display metadata.

Check the device memory through the file manager. Make sure that the files have the correct names and tags, as this is what sorting takes place. Chaotic file naming can complicate the process of further selecting tracks into specific collections.

⚠️ Attention: If you transferred music from your computer via a USB cable, be sure to safely remove the device before disconnecting the cable. An abrupt shutdown can damage the file table, and the phone will stop seeing new files until the next reboot.

Using the system application "Music"

Most Xiaomi devices come pre-installed with their own audio playback application, which has quite a wide range of functionality. To get started, open the application icon with a note on the desktop or in the all apps menu. The interface may differ slightly depending on the version MIUI, but the logic of operation remains the same for the entire ecosystem.

Go to the “Library” or “My Music” tab, where all found tracks are displayed. Here you can sort files by artist, album or folder. To create a new collection, you need to select the desired compositions by long pressing on the track name. After selecting one file, a toolbar with additional options will appear at the top of the screen.

Click on the plus icon or the Add to Playlist button. If you are creating a list for the first time, the system will prompt you to enter a name for the new folder. Enter the desired name, such as "Workout" or "Evening Jazz", and confirm the action. All selected tracks will be automatically moved to the created structure.

It is worth noting that in some regions the Music application can be replaced by Google Play Music or YouTube Music depending on your account settings and geolocation. In such cases, the logic for creating playlists will be tied to Google cloud services, and not to the local phone storage.

Working with third-party audio players

If the standard solution does not suit you in terms of functionality or design, the store Google Play offers a variety alternatives. Popular applications like Poweramp, AIMP or Musicolet provide more advanced tools for managing your media library. They often have built-in equalizers and theme support that are not available in stock software.

The process of creating a playlist in third-party applications is usually intuitive. After installing the app, you must grant it permission to access the device files. Then in the navigation menu you should find the “Playlists” section and select the option to create a new list. The interface of such apps often allows you to drag tracks with your mouse or finger, changing their order within the list.

One ​​of the advantages of third-party players is the ability to create “smart playlists” that are automatically updated based on specified criteria, for example, genre or year of release. This saves the user from having to manually add each new track to the appropriate category.

Application name	Format support	Equalizer	Creating playlists
MIUI Music	MP3, FLAC, WAV	Basic	Manual
Poweramp	All popular	Professional	Manual and smart
Musicolet	MP3, OGG, FLAC	Multilayer	Manual with queues
VLC	All without exception	Standard	Playlists

Adding tracks through a file manager

An alternative and often faster way to create playlists is to use the built-in explorer Explorer. This method is especially useful when you need to add an entire album folder to a playlist without opening the music app itself. Open the file manager and go to the directory where your music is stored.

Highlight the desired files with a long press. In the bottom menu that appears, select “More” or three dots to expand the full list of actions. Among the file processing options, find the “Open with” or “Add to playlist” option. The system will prompt you to select the application through which the operation will be performed.

Select your preferred player from the list. If you want to add files to an existing list, the application will automatically recognize the available collections and prompt you to select a destination folder. This method saves time as it allows you to work with files directly, bypassing the media library interface.

⚠️ Attention: When moving files through File Explorer, make sure that you do not copy them to the Android/data system folders, where access is limited in new versions of Android 11 and higher. This may result in the player losing access to music after a system update.

A playlist is only a text file with a list of paths to tracks, and not a physical movement of files. Therefore, deleting a playlist will not delete the music files themselves from the memory card.

Setting up widgets and quick access

For maximum comfort in using the created collections, it is recommended to display their management on the main screen. The shell MIUI allows you to place widgets of various sizes, from compact buttons to large panels with album covers. This eliminates the need to open the application every time to launch your favorite mix.

Make a long tap on an empty space on the desktop and select “Widgets”. Find the icon of your music player in the list. Expand the widget menu by swiping sideways and select an option that displays a list of playlists or allows you to select a specific collection to play.

Drag the selected item onto the screen and drop it to a convenient location. Some widgets allow you to customize the color and transparency of the background so that they look harmonious on your wallpaper. After setup, you will be able to launch the desired playlist with one touch, even from a locked screen, if this is supported by security settings.

If the widget is not updated or shows an old list tracks, try deleting it and adding it again. Sometimes the home screen interface cache requires clearing to correctly display dynamic data from music applications.

Solving display and synchronization problems

Users may encounter a situation where the created playlist disappears after rebooting the phone or is not displayed in the list of available ones. Most often this is due to the operation of the memory optimization system MIUI, which aggressively terminates background processes. To prevent data loss, you need to pin the application in memory.

Open the menu of running applications by pressing the “Menu” button or swiping up from the bottom and holding. Find your music player window and pull it down until a lock icon appears. This will prevent the system from closing the application when clearing memory, ensuring the safety of settings and playlists.

Also check the application permissions. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find your player and make sure that read and write memory permissions are enabled. Without these permissions, the application will not be able to save the playlist file to the device's disk.

⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces may change with the release of MIUI and Android updates. If you do not find the described menu items, use the search in your phone settings by entering the name of the function.

Technical details of saving playlists

Playlist files are usually saved in .m3u or .pls format in the root directory of the application or in the Playlists folder. They can be copied to another phone to transfer the collection.

In rare cases, the problem may lie in a damaged media file database. If all else fails, try clearing the Music or Media app cache through Settings. This will force the system to rescan the memory and restore the correct connections between files and playlists.

Why is the playlist empty after rebooting the phone?

This is due to the fact that the application was closed by the power saving system before it could save the changes to disk. You need to pin the application in memory and check the recording permissions.

Is it possible to transfer a playlist to another Xiaomi phone?

Yes, playlists are stored as regular files (often with the .m3u extension). You can find them through the file manager in the application folder and copy them to a new device in a similar directory.

How to add music from the cloud to a local playlist?

First, you need to download tracks from a cloud service (for example, Yandex.Music or Google Drive) to your phone's memory. After downloading, they will become visible to the system scanner and can be added to the playlist.

Why are some tracks displayed in gray?

Gray color usually means that the file is damaged, has an unsupported codec format, or is located in a folder hidden from scanning by the Android media server.