Where is the keyboard on Xiaomi: search, setup and troubleshooting

Are you trying to type in text on a Xiaomi smartphone or TV, but the keyboard doesn't appear? Or does it suddenly disappear after the update? This problem is familiar to many users of devices running MIUI or Android TV. Unlike iPhone, where the virtual keyboard appears automatically, on Xiaomi, its behavior depends on the system settings, installed applications and even firmware versions.

In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios, from basic keyboard calls to non-standard situations (for example, when it does not pop up in messengers or browsers), special attention will be paid to devices with a MIUI 14/15 shell and TVs on Android TV 12+, where the logic of the keyboard has changed, and you will learn how to return a standard keyboard if it was deleted, or configure alternative options (such as Gboard or SwiftKey).

1.Where to look for a keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI)

On Xiaomi smartphones, the virtual keyboard should appear automatically when you touch the text field — in messengers, browsers or settings. If this does not happen, the problem lies in one of three components:

• 🔹 The system keyboard is disabled - it could be deactivated in the settings or after resetting.
• 🔹 Third-party keyboard app not installed – for example, after removing Gboard.
• 🔹 Mistake in work MIUI — More common after updates or memory shortages.

To check the current keyboard, open any text field (such as Notes or Messages) and make a long tap on the bar at the bottom of the screen. If a keyboard selection menu appears, they are installed but not activated. If the menu is not, the keyboard is deleted or disabled at the system level.

In MIUI 14/15, the path to keyboard settings has changed.

Settings → Additional settings → Language and input → Current keyboard

2. How to turn on the keyboard if it is missing

If the keyboard doesn’t appear at all, follow these steps:

1. Check the active keyboard: go to Settings → Language and input → Current keyboard. If the list is empty, go to item 3.
2. Reboot the device: Sometimes a basic reboot helps, especially if the problem has occurred after the upgrade.
3. Reset the keyboard settings: in the same menu Language and input select Reset settings (in some versions of MIUI this item is hidden under Additional).
4. Install an alternative keyboard: Download Gboard or SwiftKey from Google Play and activate it in the settings.

If the keyboard never appeared after this, the problem may be related to damage to system files, in which case resetting the settings to factory settings (don’t forget to make a backup!) will help.

Checking the active keyboard in the settings|Rebooting the device|Resetting input settings|Installation of an alternative keyboard-->

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 or X-ray) POCO X5) post-update MIUI 15 standard keyboard may conflict with Gboard, in which case delete Gboard, restart the phone and install it again.

3. Keyboard features on Xiaomi TVs (Android TV)

On Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV A2, Mi TV Q2, Redmi Smart TV, etc.), the keyboard works differently than on smartphones. There is no touch screen, so you can use:

• 📺 Screen keyboard - appears when selecting a text field using the remote.
• 🎮 Voice input – activated by the microphone button on the remote (if supported).
• 🖱️ Connected mouse/keyboard – via Bluetooth or USB.

To call the on-screen keyboard on Android TV:

1. Select the text field using the remote (for example, the search bar in YouTube).
2. Press OK (center button) – the keyboard should appear.
3. If the keyboard does not appear, check the settings: Settings → Device → Keyboard and input.

On new models (2023-2026) with Google TV, the keyboard interface has changed – now it supports gestures (such as swipe for selecting letters) and word prediction based on search history.

4. How to change the keyboard on Xiaomi (on smartphone and TV)

If you don't like the standard MIUI or Android TV keyboard, you can replace it with a third-party keyboard, like Gboard offering better text prediction, and SwiftKey offering customization of themes.

On a smartphone:

1. Download the alternative keyboard from Google Play.
2. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Language and input → Current keyboard.
3. Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.

On TV:

1. Install the keyboard via Google Play on Android TV (such as TV Keyboard).
2. Go to Settings → Device → Keyboard and input.
3. Select a new keyboard in the list and turn it on.

On some TV models (such as the Mi TV P1), third-party keyboards may not work properly due to the limitations of Google TV, in which case, connecting a physical keyboard over Bluetooth will help.

💡

If it doesn’t appear after installing a new keyboard on your smartphone, try clearing the Settings app cache → Apps → Application Management → [keyboard name] → Clear the cache.

5. Common Problems and Their Solutions

Even after you set it up properly, the keyboard on Xiaomi can be strange, and the following are the problems and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check if the device has work profiles installed (in some versions). MIUI They can lock the keyboard at certain times. → Special facilities → Profiles of work.

⚠️ Note: On devices with an unlocked bootloader (for example, after firmware custom Recovery) the keyboard may not work due to lack of system certificates. MIUI.

6. Customize the keyboard to your needs

The standard MIUI and Android TV keyboards support flexible customization. Here's what you can change:

• 🎨 Themes and design – in the keyboard settings (for example, dark/light mode).
• 🌐 Input languages – add multiple languages and swipe over the space.
• ⚡ Text Prediction – Turn on or off auto-replacement and hints.
• 🔊 Sounds and vibrations – set up a tactile response when pressed.

You can also set up Android TV:

• 🖱️ Sensitivity of the cursor when using a mouse.
• 🔍 Automatic correction of typos in the search bar.

For advanced users, hidden keyboard settings are available.

1. Go to any text field and call the keyboard.
2. Hold the comma (,) for 3 seconds – the menu of character settings will open.
3. To access the experimental features, enter the settings search box code ##83781## (not all models).

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On Xiaomi TVs with Android TV 12+, the keyboard supports gestures: swipe left/right on the remote switches languages, and swipe up/down scrolls word prompts.

7. Alternative ways to enter text on Xiaomi

If the virtual keyboard still doesn’t work, consider alternative methods:

• 🎤 Voice input – works through Google Assistant or built-in voice recorder MIUI.
• ⌨️ Physical keyboard – connect via Bluetooth or via OTG-adapter (on smartphones).
• 🖱️ Keyboard mouse – convenient for TVs (like Logitech) K400).
• 📱 Remote Input Applications – for example, Remote Keyboard for Smartphone TV Control.

On Xiaomi TVs with Google TV, you can also enter using a smartphone:

1. Make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open the search bar on your TV (for example, on YouTube).
3. It'll appear on screen. QR-code – scan it with your smartphone to type text from your phone.

For owners of Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 15, the Quick Enter feature is available - it allows you to copy text from your PC to your phone through your Xiaomi account (analogue to Google Fast Pair). To enable it, go to Settings → Special Features → Quick Enter.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the keyboard on Xiaomi