How to change the keyboard on Xiaomi Redmi 5: from standard to Gboard in 5 minutes

Xiaomi Redmi 5, released in 2017, is still a popular budget smartphone due to its reliability and support for custom firmware. However, the standard MIUI keyboard is not popular with all users: some complain about slow operation, some complain about the lack of swipes or awkward character layout. Fortunately, you can change the keyboard on this device in several ways, from simple change of language to install alternative applications like Gboard or SwiftKey.

In this article, we will discuss all current methods, including setting up through the menu. MIUI, installing third-party keyboards from Google Play, as well as solving typical problems (for example, when a new keyboard does not appear in the list or resets after a reboot). 5 Considering the limitations of its iron platform (Snapdragon) 450 + 2/3 GB RAM) and Android versions (from 7.1 Nougat to 9.0 Pie depending on the firmware).

1. Ways to change the keyboard on Redmi 5: which one to choose?

On Xiaomi Redmi 5, there are three main options for changing the keyboard:

• 🔄 Standard settings MIUI — switching between predefined languages and layouts (e.g., from English to Russian) QWERTY).
• 📱 Installing a third-party keyboard – downloading Gboard, SwiftKey or other apps from Google Play.
• ⚙️ Manual activation through system settings – if the keyboard is installed but not displayed in the selection list.

Each method has its pros and cons. For example, the standard MIUI keyboard consumes less resources but lacks many features (e.g., Gboard-level predictive input). On the other hand, third-party keyboards can brake on the weak Redmi 5 hardware if not optimized for devices with 2GB of RAM.

Before you start making changes, check the current version of MIUI in the Settings → About Phone menu. Old firmware (below MIUI 10) may not have some options, and custom builds (like LineageOS) may have a different keyboard change algorithm.

2. Method 1: Switching languages in a standard MIUI keyboard

If you just need to change the input language (e.g. from English to Russian), you don’t need to install third-party apps. MIUI has built-in functionality for this:

1. Open any field to enter text (for example, in Messages or Notes).
2. Touch the globe icon (🌐) On the keyboard - it is responsible for switching languages.
3. If the language is not needed, press and hold the icon. 🌐 → Select the keyboard settings.
4. In the Languages and Enter menu, tap Add language and select the desired language (for example, Russian or Ukrainian).

Note that Redmi 5 with MIUI 9 and below may have limited language availability, and if you don’t have the language required, you’ll need to install a third-party keyboard (see next section).

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To quickly switch between languages, add the Language and Input widget to the home screen. To do this, click and hold the blank space on the screen → Widgets → find Language and Input.

3. Method 2: Install Gboard or other third-party keyboard

Google's Gboard is the most popular alternative to the standard MIUI keyboard, which supports swipe input, word prediction, voice input and design themes, and installs it on Redmi 5:

1. Open the Google Play Store and find the Gboard app – Google Keyboard.
2. Click Set and wait for the download to be completed (weight ~50 MB).
3. After installation, open Settings → Additional → Language and input → Current keyboard.
4. Turn on the switch opposite Gboard and select it as the default keyboard.

If Gboard doesn’t appear in the list of available keyboards, follow these steps:

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management and find Gboard| Press Permissions and enable all available options |Reboot phone | Repeat keyboard selection in Language and type-->

On Redmi 5 with 2GB of RAM, the Gboard can slow down when words are actively predicted. To fix this, open the Gboard settings → Text Input → turn off Show Tips.

4. Method 3: Manual keyboard activation via Android settings

Sometimes the keyboard you have installed (such as SwiftKey or Chroom) will not automatically activate, in which case you need to manually enable it:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Language and input.
2. Tap the Current Keyboard (or Keyboard Management in older versions of MIUI).
3. Turn on the switch opposite the keyboard you want (e.g. SwiftKey).
4. Go back and select it as the default keyboard.

If the keyboard doesn’t work, check:

• 🔋 Is there enough free memory on the device (minimum 500 MB).
• 📵 Does the battery optimizer block it (see Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).
• 🔄 Are the settings reset after rebooting (characteristic for some custom firmware).

5. Keyboard comparison for Redmi 5: which one to choose?

The choice of keyboard depends on your tasks, and below is a comparison table of popular options based on the features of Redmi 5:

For most Redmi 5 users, the best choice is Gboard with animations disabled or the standard MIUI keyboard with manual language settings. If you need swipe input but Gboard is slowing down, try Chroom or Simple Keyboard, which is less resource-intensive.

Typical errors and their solution

When changing the keyboard to Redmi 5, users often face the following problems:

⚠️ Warning: If after installing a new keyboard, it disappears from the list of available ones, check if the optimizer has deleted it. MIUI. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → [Keyboard name] → Battery and select No Limitations.

Problem 1: The keyboard does not switch when you press the icon 🌐.

• 🔧 Solution: Remove and add the language again in the keyboard settings.
• 🔧 If it doesn’t help, reset your keyboard settings in Settings. → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the keyboard settings.

Problem 2: When you type in text, the keyboard disappears or flashes.

• 🔧 Solution: Disable system animations in Settings → Additionally. → Special opportunities → Delete animations.
• 🔧 Check if the memory is overloaded (close the background applications).

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On Redmi 5 with 2 GB of RAM, no more than 3-4 background applications can work at the same time. If the keyboard is slowing down, close the messengers and the browser before entering text.

Problem 3: Voice input in Gboard is not working.

• 🔧 Solution: Install Google Assistant and update Google App in Play Store.
• 🔧 Check access to the microphone in Settings → Annexes → Gboard → Permits.

7. Optimize the keyboard to save battery and memory

On Redmi 5 with its modest specs (Snapdragon 450, 2-3 GB of RAM), third-party keyboards can significantly reduce battery life.

1. Open the keyboard settings (such as Gboard) and turn off: 🎨 Topics and background images (use a standard theme). 🔮 Word prediction and auto-replacement (or reduce dictionary size). 🔊 Keyboard sounds and vibrations.

MIUI

optimizing the battery

Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All applications → [keyboard name] → Without restrictions

Settings → Applications → [Keyboard] → Memory → Clear cache

These measures will help reduce the consumption of RAM by 10-15% and increase battery life by 1-1.5 hours with active use of instant messengers.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the keyboard to Redmi 5