How to change the size of the letters on the keyboard Xiaomi: the complete guide

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where standard text input settings are no longer comfortable. This can be due to poor vision, using the device in poor light conditions, or simply wanting to make the interface more readable. In the Android operating system, which is controlled by the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, the font settings are divided into system and local, which often causes confusion among gadget owners.

It's important to understand that changing the size of letters on the on-screen keyboard is a process that depends on the specific default keyboard application. Most often, the Chinese brand's devices use Gboard (Google Keyboard) or their own development MIUI Keyboard. Each of them has its own character zooming algorithm that is not always synchronized with the system-wide font parameters. So to achieve the desired result, you need to act point-by-point, configuring the input application, not just the phone as a whole.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to increase characters, from built-in functions to advanced customization methods, learn how to avoid common errors when all settings are reset after a system update, and how to make the typing process as ergonomic as possible for your fingers.

Differences between System Font and Keyboard

Many users mistakenly believe that a font size slider in the main screen settings will automatically enlarge the letters on the virtual keyboard. However, the architecture of Android is different: the system font is responsible for displaying text in menus, messages, browser and contacts. The keyboard is a separate application that renders its buttons and symbols regardless of the global parameters of the display of text.

When you change the font size in Settings → Screen → Text size, you affect the readability of the content, but not the area of the input buttons. This is done to keep the interfaces of different applications predictable. The keyboard has its own settings for the height of the number of keys and the size of the glyphs (characters) displayed on them. Ignoring this fact leads users to spend hours looking for a non-existent switch in the shared menu.

⚠️ Warning: Increasing the system font to maximum values can lead to a “go” layout in some older applications, where buttons can climb outside the screen, while the keyboard will remain the same size.

There is also the concept of interface scale (DPI) that affects all elements at once, including keyboard buttons, but using this method for beginners is not recommended, since it requires access to the hidden developer menu.

Setting the font size in Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Most modern Xiaomi smartphones outside of China pre-installed a keyboard from Google, known as Gboard. This is one of the most functional solutions that allows you to flexibly adjust the appearance. To change the size of the letters, you need to open the settings of the application itself, not the phone. Press and hold the comma key or the gear icon on the keyboard toolbar to enter the menu.

In the menu that opens, you can select Settings, then go to Preferences, and that's where the visualization options are hidden, find the keyboard height option, and you can move the slider and see how the button size changes, and the characters on it, and you can see the options from "Little" to "Huge."

• 📏 Small – saves space on the screen, but requires accuracy when hit by keys.
• 📐 Average – standard factory size, balance between area and convenience.
• 📏 The best option for those who want to see larger letters.
• 📏 Huge – a maximum size covering up to 60% of the screen, ideal for people with impaired vision.

In addition to height, Gboard can also change the style of the letters themselves, and in the Themes section, there are various designs where the font can be bolder or contrast, and you should also pay attention to the press Vibration function, which gives a tactile response, compensating for the visual perception of the size of the buttons.

Change the size of the characters on the MIUI Keyboard

In devices designed for the Chinese market, or in global versions with installed stock firmware, MIUI Keyboard is often found. This application has more limited functionality than Gboard, but also allows you to adjust the size of printed characters. The settings interface here may vary depending on the version of the MIUI shell or HyperOS.

To access the settings, call the keyboard in any text box and click on the settings icon (usually a gear or four-square icon). From the menu, select Settings → Additional settings. Here you are interested in Size and Sound or simply Keyboard Size. Moving the slider to the right will increase the height of the number of keys, which visually makes the letters larger.

It is worth noting that some versions of MIUI Keyboard do not allow you to change the character font regardless of the size of the button, in which case, magnifying the button is the only method available. If standard tools do not give the desired effect, you can try changing the theme of the design within the application, since some themes use larger and bolder fonts by default.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party keyboard themes from unverified sources (not from the official Xiaomi theme store), there is a risk of data leakage, since the keyboard has access to all the text you type.

Using one-handed mode to increase symbols

One effective, but often ignored, way to make keyboard letters bigger without changing system fonts is to activate one-handed mode, which compresses the input area on one side of the screen, but proportionally increases the size of the keys themselves and the characters on them to preserve the ergonomics for the thumb.

To activate this mode on Xiaomi, it is usually enough to bring two fingers on the keyboard to the center (the pinch gesture) or click on a special icon (often looks like a keyboard with an arrow), which can be in a row above the numbers or in the menu of additional functions. After activation, the keyboard will shift left or right, and the buttons will become noticeably larger.

This is especially useful when typing on the go or when you're holding a bag or coffee with your second hand, and it doesn't require deep immersion and works instantly, but it's worth remembering that this mode loses some of the on-screen characters on the opposite side, which can be uncomfortable when you print long sentences with two thumbs.

Global magnification through interface scale (For Advanced)

If the built-in keyboard tools don't meet your needs, you can change the minimum screen width (DPI), which affects all interface elements, making them larger, including keyboard buttons, application icons and system menus.

Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly tap 7-10 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version) until the message “You’re a developer” appears. Then go back to the main settings menu, go to Advanced Settings → Developer Settings.

Standard value: 360 - 400 dp


Recommended for increase: 320 - 340 dp

Reducing that number makes the system think the screen is smaller than it really is and scales all the elements upwards.Be careful: setting a value too low (like below 300) can make the interface so huge that you can't press the Back or OK button, which will require resetting through Recovery.

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Before you change the DPI, write down the original numerical value on paper or take a picture of the screen, and that's the only way to quickly get it back to where it was if the interface becomes unreadable.

Alternative keyboards with flexible font setting

When standard solutions are exhausted, third-party apps from Google Play come to the rescue. Microsoft SwiftKey is the leader in customization. This keyboard allows you not only to change the height, but also to choose from a huge number of fonts, change their size regardless of the size of the button, and adjust the color and trim of characters for better readability.

After installing SwiftKey and providing the necessary permissions, go to Settings → Appearance. Here you will find the key size slider, which works more smoothly than in stock counterparts. In addition, in the Themes section, you can create your own design, where the font size will be manually set in percentages or pixels.

Another option is the TouchPal or Facemoji app, which is visually customized, which allows you to set live wallpapers to your keyboard and use custom, very large fonts, but these apps often contain more advertising and require more battery life than standard Gboard or MIUI Keyboard.

• 🎨 SwiftKey is the best choice for setting the font and its thickness.
• ⌨️ Gboard – the best balance between functionality, speed and simplicity.
• 🌈 TouchPal – maximum visual customization, but higher battery consumption.

⚠️ Note: Third-party keyboards may request permission to "Full Access" to enter. Grant this permission only to applications from known developers (Google, Microsoft, Samsung) to eliminate the risk of passwords and card data being stolen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The best way to zoom in is to use the height settings inside the keyboard application itself (Gboard or MIUI Keyboard), rather than changing the system scale to avoid disrupting the layout of other applications.