How to change the keyboard on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro: all ways + error solving

Why Change the Keyboard on Redmi 8 Pro

A smartphone keyboard is not just a typing tool, it’s your daily assistant for communication, information and work. The standard MIUI keyboard on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro (codenamed olivelite) offers basic functionality, but many users lack flexibility. You may be annoyed by automatic fixes, no gesture support, or just want to try something new — for example, Google’s Gboard with an advanced dictionary or Microsoft’s SwiftKey with artificial intelligence.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to change the keyboard on your Redmi 8 Pro, from installing alternative apps to fine-tuning system settings. We’ll focus on the unique feature of MIUI 12/13, which is the forced reset of the keyboard when you upgrade the system that owners of this device face, and you’ll find solutions to why the new keyboard doesn’t install, how to return the standard one after a crash, and what to do if the emojis are gone.

Before you start, check your firmware version: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. This affects the availability of certain features. For example, MIUI 14 changed the way to keyboard settings, and older versions (below MIUI 12.5) may require manual permission activation for third-party applications.

Method 1: Install an alternative keyboard from Google Play

The easiest and safest way to do this is to download the keyboard from the official store. The Redmi 8 Pro is compatible with all the popular solutions: Gboard, SwiftKey, Fleksy, and even niche options like Chroom for minimalists.

1. Open Google Play and search for the keyboard name (e.g., “Gboard” or “Google Keyboard”).
2. Click Install and wait for the download to be completed (the weight of applications usually does not exceed 50-100 MB).
3. After installation, open the keyboard app and follow the setup wizard (allow access to text input control).
4. Return to any field to type (like Messages), swipe down the notification bar and tap the Keyboard icon (usually looks like a small keyboard icon next to the clock).

If the new keyboard is not in the selection list, follow these steps:

Enable it in Settings → Additional → Language and input → Current keyboard

Restart your phone – sometimes MIUI doesn’t apply changes without a reboot

Check if MIUI Security blocks installation of third-party keyboards (Privilege → Special Rights section)

Update the keyboard app to the latest version-->

Important for MIUI: Some firmware versions (especially the Redmi 8 Pro with MIUI 12.0.3) may display an "unsafe input" warning after installing the new keyboard. This is standard system behavior - just press OK and continue setting up.

Standard MIUI

Gboard by Google

SwiftKey

Other (write in the comments)-->

Method 2: Configure the standard MIUI keyboard

Not everyone knows, but the standard MIUI keyboard on the Redmi 8 Pro hides a lot of useful features. You may not need to install third-party software, you just need to optimize the existing one.

• 🔠 Size and Transparency: Go to Settings → Additionally. → Language and input → Current keyboard (MIUI) → Looks like it's a keyboard that you can reduce to 70 percent of the height of the keyboard, or make it translucent.
• 🌐 Additional languages: Select Input Languages and add up to 5 languages at a time (including rare languages like Ukrainian or Vietnamese) from the same menu).
• ⚡ Quick phrases: In Text templates, save frequently used answers (e.g., “I’m on the way” or “Send later”) and paste them in one tap.
• 🎨 Design topics: MIUI 10+ built-in themes (from "Space" to "Pastel") that change the color and style of the buttons.

One of the key advantages of a standard keyboard is that it integrates deeply with system services, for example, automatically substitutes:

• 📅 Calendar dates MIUI when entering the field "Meeting".
• 📍 Addresses from Xiaomi Maps when requesting "How to get there".
• 💳 Bank card details (if saved in Mi Pay).

MIUI Limitation: Some regional firmware (e.g. India or Europe) does not support manually entering emojis via long keystroke, whether by installing a patch through Magisk or changing the region to Russia in the developer settings.

Method 3: Change the keyboard through the developer settings

If you find that the new keyboard is not activated or MIUI is blocking it, it can help to turn on the developer mode, which is especially relevant for the Redmi 8 Pro with custom firmware or beta versions of MIUI.

How to turn on the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times in a row on the MIUI version (you will be notified "You became a developer!").
3. Return to the main settings menu and open a new section → For developers.

Now, follow the following steps to force a keyboard change:

1. Find the option Do not save actions and turn it off (this will prevent the keyboard from resetting when you close applications).
2. Activate Debugging over USB (optional, but useful for diagnosing problems).
3. In the Input section, select Show the clicks – this will help to track which keyboard is active at the moment.
4. If the keyboard is still unchanged, follow the command via ADB: adb shell ime set com.google.android.inputmethod.latin/.LatinIME (replace com.google.android.inputmethod.latin with your keyboard package).

💡

If you lose vibration or sounds when you press the keyboard, check the settings in the section Sounds and Vibrations → System Sounds. Sometimes MIUI resets these parameters when you change the input method.

Table: Comparison of popular keyboards for Redmi 8 Pro

For the Redmi 8 Pro with 2 GB of RAM (in the basic configuration), we recommend avoiding heavy keyboards like SwiftKey with plugins enabled - this can cause slowdowns when multitasking. The best choice for weak devices is Gboard in lightweight mode (turn off unnecessary languages and extensions).

Problem Solving: The keyboard doesn’t change or disappears

Even after installation is correct, you may encounter typical MIUI errors, and here are the most common scenarios and solutions.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The keyboard has been reset to the standard one and does not change back, this is due to Xiaomi's security policy. → Annexes → Application management → [Your keyboard] → Warehouse → Clear the data.

• 🔄 Keyboard constantly resets: Turn off battery optimization for keyboard application (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → [Your keyboard] → No restrictions).
• 🚫 Not installed from Play Market: Check if Google Play Services is blocked. go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Google Play Services → Permissions and turn on all switches.
• ⚙️ No keyboard change icon: In some versions MIUI The switching panel is hidden. To get it back, hold a space on the keyboard with your finger, and a menu will appear with a choice of input method.
• 📱 Keyboard doesn't appear at all: This could be caused by a crash in the Android System WebView service.Update it via Play Market or roll back to the factory version.

If the problem persists, try an alternative method of installing through APK-file:

1. Download the APK of the desired keyboard from the official site (for example, Gboard).
2. Allow installation from unknown sources: Settings → Applications → Special Rights → Install Unknown Applications → [Your Browser] → Allow.
3. Install the APK and restart the phone.

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Before installing a keyboard via APK, always check the hash file on the developer's website. Fake APKs may contain keyloggers that steal your passwords.

Additional tweaks: gestures, themes and performance

When you change your keyboard to the Redmi 8 Pro, you can improve your keyboard with hidden features and third-party tools. Here are some expert tips:

• 👆 Keyboard gestures: In Gboard, enable Settings → Gestures → Take the left to remove. MIUI Keyboard is a similar function called "Swipe for erasure".
• 🎨 Customization via substratum: If your Redmi 8 Pro is rooted, install the Swift Installer module to change the fonts and colors of the system keyboard.
• ⚡ Input Acceleration: Turn off keyboard animations in the developer settings (Window animation scale) → That'll reduce the delay when the keyboard comes in.
• 🔍 Search for emoji: In Gboard, hold the button 😊 and enter a description of an emoji (e.g., "heart" or "pizza").

For experimentation lovers: Redmi 8 Pro can install the iOS keyboard via the iOS Keyboard app (requires Android 10+).

• Not all emojis will be displayed correctly in MIUI.
• Voice input won't work.
• Artifacts can occur when scrolling in messengers.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the keyboard to Redmi 8 Pro