How to Add Language to Xiaomi Keyboard: 3 Ways to Use MIUI 14/15

Keyboards on Xiaomi smartphones often raise questions among users, especially when you need to switch between languages or add a new one. Situations vary: you bought a phone with firmware in Chinese, want to type in two languages at the same time, or simply can not find the switch button. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to add languages, from standard MIUI settings to solving problems with missing layouts.

It’s important to understand that the process may vary slightly depending on the version of the MIUI (14 or 15) and the model of the smartphone (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.). However, the general logic remains extremely simple: most of the settings are hidden in the language and input menu, not in the parameters of the keyboard itself. If you have previously used smartphones on pure Android, some points may seem unclear — so we will analyze each step in detail.

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

This is the most reliable method, which works on 99% of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 14/15 firmware. You do not need to install third-party applications or change system files.

Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen) and go to Additional → Language and Input → Keyboard. Here you will see a list of all the keyboards installed. By default, it is Gboard (from Google) or Xiaomi Keyboard (if you use a branded one). Click on the desired keyboard, then select Languages.

• 🔹 Step 1: Settings → Additionally. → Language and input
• 🔹 Step 2: Tap on the active keyboard (e.g., "Xiaomi Keyboard")
• 🔹 Step 3: Select Languages → Add tongue
• 🔹 Step 4: Scroll through the list and tick the boxes you need (e.g. Russian, English (USA), Ukrainian)

Once you add languages, go back to any text-input application (such as Messages or Notes) and a language switch button will appear above the keyboard, usually a globe icon. 🌐 or abbreviation of the current layout (RUS)/ENG). If the button is not, check the display settings (more on this below).

Do you have "Keyboard Settings" open (not the phone's system languages)

Is there a box in front of the desired language in the list?

Is the keyboard itself activated (is it included in "Language and input")

Reboot your phone after changes (sometimes required)

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2. If the language is not in the list: install additional layouts

Sometimes users find that the language they want is not on the standard list, and this is true for rare languages (e.g. Kazakh, Georgian) or regional variants (e.g. English (India) instead of English (USA)), depending on the type of keyboard:

• 📌 For Gboard: Open any text field → tap on the badge ⚙️ keyboard → Settings → Languages → Add a language. The list is wider than the MIUI.
• 📌 For Xiaomi keyboard: If you don’t have a language, you’ll need to install Gboard from Google Play or download a specialized keyboard (e.g. SwiftKey).
• 📌 For Chinese firmware: On devices with MIUI China may not have Russian, which requires a regional change or a global firmware version.

A critical nuance for Chinese firmware is that if there is no Russian in the list of languages, but the phone is officially purchased in Russia, this is a sign that the firmware is not global, in which case adding the language through the settings will not help - you will need to flash the firmware or install a third-party keyboard.

Gboard (from Google)

Keyboard Xiaomi

SwiftKey

Other (write in the comments)-->

3. How to enable language switching on the keyboard

Adding language is half the battle. Often, users find that the switching button between layouts is missing or not displayed. This is due to the keyboard interface settings. Here's how to return the button:

For Gboard:

1. Open any text field and tap the icon ⚙️ keyboard.
2. Go to Settings → Appearance → Toolbar.
3. Activate the switch opposite the Language Change button.
4. Choose the display style: icon 🌐 or text (RUS)/ENG).

For the Xiaomi keyboard:

1. Press the space button and select the keyboard settings.
2. Go to the Appearance. → Toolbar.
3. Turn on the option to show the language button.

⚠️ Note: If you use a dark background theme, the language switch button may merge with the keyboard. Try changing the theme in the Screen settings → Topics.

4. Solving problems with Chinese firmware

One of the most common frustrations of Xiaomi owners is to buy a device with Chinese firmware (MIUI China), which does not have Russian, in which case the standard methods of adding languages will not work.

• 🛠️ Change region: Go to Settings → The phone. → Region and select Russia. After the reboot, Russian will appear in the list of languages.
• 📦 Install global firmware: A complete solution - flash MIUI Global via Fastboot or Recovery. Instructions are available on the forums 4PDA Xiaomi Community.
• ⌨️ Use a third-party keyboard: Install Gboard or SwiftKey from Google Play – they support Russian regardless of firmware.

If you changed region to Russia, but the Russian language still did not appear, check the version of MIUI. On some Chinese firmware (for example, for Xiaomi 12S Ultra), the region change is blocked, in which case only the firmware or a third-party keyboard remains.

5. Adding languages for voice input

If you need to not only type, but also use voice input in another language, the settings are different. Voice data is downloaded separately from text layouts. Here's how to add support:

For Gboard:

1. Open Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual Keyboard → Gboard.
2. Select Voice Entering → Speech Recognition Offline.
3. Download the language package for the desired language (for example, Russian or English).

For the Xiaomi keyboard:

1. Go to the keyboard settings → Voice input.
2. Click Download languages and select the right ones.
3. Wait until the download is complete (wi-fi connection is required).

⚠️ Note: Voice input on Chinese firmware may not support Russian even after a region change, in which case only the firmware of the global version or the use of Google Assistant with Russian installed will help.

6.Alternative keyboards: When standard methods don't work

If none of the above methods worked, there's a third-party keyboard option, which not only solves the problem of missing languages, but also offers additional features: gestures, themes, predictive input.-3 variant:

• 🥇 Gboard (Google): Supports 500+ Languages, including regional dialects. There's a built-in translator and search engine. GIF. Requires Internet access for some functions.
• 🥈 SwiftKey (Microsoft): Learns your writing style and offers accurate predictions. Supports swipes for quick typing. Minus: sometimes slows down on weak devices.
• 🥉 Fleksy: Minimalist keyboard with gesture and themes, good choice for small screens, minus: fewer languages than competitors.

To install an alternative keyboard:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Go to Settings → Language and Enter → Virtual Keyboard.
3. Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.
4. In the keyboard settings add the desired languages.

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If it doesn't appear on the list of available keyboards after you install the third-party keyboard, reboot the phone. Sometimes MIUI doesn't update the list of keyboards without rebooting.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even after successful language addition, users face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

• 🔄 Language added but not switched: Check if the switch button is enabled in the keyboard settings (Exterior appearance) → Toolbar).
• 📵 Keyboard not responding to presses: One hand or gestures may be activated. Turn them off in keyboard settings.
• 🌍 No Language Change button: Install Gboard – it displays the default button.
• 🔍 Language is available, but no auto-replacement: Enable text prediction in keyboard settings.

If the language doesn’t work after all the manipulations, try:

1. Remove and re-introduce the language.
2. Clear the keyboard cache in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Keyboard → Storage → Clear the cache.
3. Reboot the phone.

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Before resetting your keyboard settings to factory ones, export the custom dictionary (if any) to keep your commonly used words and abbreviations.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions