Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones face a situation where the standard font size on the on-screen keyboard seems too small or, conversely, too bulky. This is especially true for people with impaired vision or for those who prefer to type with one hand on devices with large displays. Standard Android settings do not always give full control over the input interface, which raises many questions about how to adapt the keyboard to their individual needs.
Fortunately, the MIUI shell and its current version of HyperOS provide flexible personalization tools, and you can scale the letters through system settings, as well as using the built-in features of the Gboard or Sogou keyboard itself, which are often pre-installed on the brand’s devices. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods to make the typing process as comfortable as possible, and also touch on nuances that are rarely written in official manuals.
Before you make any changes, it's important to understand that visual perception of the interface depends on the complex configuration of the fonts throughout the system. Changing the global font size in the system automatically affects the height of the letters in the prompts and inscriptions on the keyboard buttons. However, if you are interested in the size of the buttons themselves or specific input elements, you will need more precise manipulations, which will be discussed below.
System settings of fonts and their impact on the keyboard
The easiest and most effective way to resize the keyboard is to adjust the global text display parameters in the operating system. When you change the font size in the settings menu, these changes apply to all supporting applications, including the system keyboard, which is especially useful if small text makes it difficult to read autocorrection prompts or language names.
To access these settings, you need to go to the Settings menu, then select Screen and find the Text Size and Font section. In some versions of the firmware, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Additional Settings → Fonts. Here you will see a slider, which moves in real time changes the size of the letters throughout the interface, including the input area.
It’s worth noting that an increase in the system font can cause some keyboard interface elements to look less neat or start bumping into each other, especially on low-resolution screens. If after setting up, you notice that the buttons have become too large and take up half the screen, it’s best to go back to the averages and try alterative customization methods.
💡
Use the "Big Text" function in the Special Features section if a standard font size slider is not enough for you to read comfortably.
It's important to distinguish between font size and display scale. Scaling increases all interface elements, including indentations and icons, whereas font setting only affects text characters. For a keyboard, the most important parameter is precisely the height of the characters on the buttons, so experiment with both to find the perfect balance.
Customize the height and size of the keys in Gboard
Most Xiaomi smartphones use Google’s Gboard keyboard by default, which has its own independent display settings, allowing you to change the size of the buttons and the height of the keyboard row without affecting the rest of the system interface, and this isolation of settings gives you more freedom in personalization.
To get into the keyboard settings menu, open any application that requires text input, such as Messages or Notes. When the keyboard appears, click on the gear icon in the top toolbar. If there is no icon, (click) the comma or space button, or click three dots in the corner to find the settings menu. Next, select Settings → Settings → Keyboard height.
The keyboard height menu will give you a range of options, from 100 percent to 150 percent, which makes the buttons themselves higher, which automatically increases the size of the letters placed on them, ideal for users with large fingers or those who often make mistakes when hitting small keys.
- 📏 100% (Standard) - factory value, providing the maximum number of visible lines of text when printing.
- 🔍 120-130% (Optimal – the best choice for most users, balancing the size of the buttons and the visibility of the screen.
- 👆 140-150% (Large mode for people with impaired motor or vision, the buttons become very large.
In addition to height, you can change the theme in Gboard's settings. Some themes use bolder and larger default fonts. Go to the Topic section and select a contrast and large text option, such as "White" or "Black" standard theme, avoiding complex gradients that can visually "eat" letters.
Features of the Sogou keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones
In some regions and on certain Redmi and POCO models, the Sogou keyboard is pre-installed, and it differs from the Gboard in its deeper customization options, but also in its more confusing menu, and if you're a user of this particular keyboard, the process of resizing the letters will be different.
To start setting up, call the keyboard and find the Sogou logo in the top row. Click on it to open the main menu, then select the gear icon or Settings. You're interested in the Appearance or Keyboard Settings section. There's often the option of One-Hand Mode or Floating Keyboard, which also affect the perceived size of the items.
Unlike Gboard, Sogou allows you to customize the size of the candidate bar (predictive input lines) separately. This is the bar above the keyboard where word variants appear. The enlargement of the font here is often more important than the size of the letters on the buttons themselves, since this is where the user looks most often when typed quickly.
⚠️ Note: When installing third-party themes for Sogou from the keyboard online store, standard font settings can be overwritten with the theme design. If the letters become unreadable after changing the theme, return the standard theme to the menu My themes.
Also worth mentioning is the Super Edit feature in Sogou, which adds additional cursor control buttons. Disabling redundant elements can visually free up space and make the primary letters more noticeable. To do this, find the Functions section in the keyboard settings and disable unnecessary floating panels.
Use of special opportunities for the visually impaired
If standard font size resizing techniques are not enough, Android offers powerful tools in the Special Features section, designed for people with severe visual impairments, but can be useful for anyone who wants to maximize the size of interface elements.
Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. You're interested in Magnification, and if you activate it, you can triple tap on the screen to enlarge any part of the display, including the keyboard, making the letters giant, which is a temporary solution, but it's extremely effective in situations where you need to disassemble small text.
Another powerful tool is TalkBack, which, while designed for the blind and completely changes the logic of control, its inclusion often causes the system to redraw interfaces with larger and contrasting elements, but it is not recommended to use it constantly for simple font change, since it adds voice and changes navigation.
| Function | Impact on the keyboard | Usability |
|---|---|---|
| System font size | Increases text tips and labels | High (constantly) |
| Keyboard height (Gboard) | Increases physical buttons and letters on them | Very high. |
| Increase (Special Access) | Temporary zoom of any area of the screen | Average (requires action) |
| Topics with large print | Changes the style and greasiness of the symbols | Depends on the topic. |
Why do the font settings get lost after updating the firmware?
Remember that using magnification functions can consume additional battery power, as the processor has to recalculate graphics more often. If autonomy is a priority for you, it is better to limit the keyboard height to the Gboard.
Installation and configuration of alternative keyboards
When Xiaomi and Gboard’s built-in tools don’t meet the requirements, Google Play apps come to the rescue. There are many keyboards designed specifically for people with poor eyesight or hand tremors, where letter size is a top priority.
One of the best solutions is the Big Button Keyboard, which, as the name suggests, is basically a huge button and a giant font, and once installed and activated, it's going to replace the standard keyboard, and you can literally set the font size in pixels, making it any way you want, right down to filling the entire button.
Another popular option is the XL Keyboard, which is also focused on large controls, and the installation process is the same for everyone.
- ⬇️ Download the app from the official Google Play store or GetApps.
- ✅ Activate the keyboard in the Settings menu → Additionally. → Language and input.
- 🔄 Switch to the new keyboard via the keyboard icon in the notification bar or the bottom row of the screen.
☑️ Security check of the third-party keyboard
When installing third-party keyboards, MIUI can issue security alerts because the keyboard has access to the text it enters. It's standard Android security procedure. Only trusted applications with millions of installations are trusted to enter data. Avoid obscure keyboards from developers with dubious reputations.
Solution and resetting of settings
During the setup process, users may experience problems when the font does not change, "floats" or the keyboard stops displaying correctly, most often due to a conflict of these or errors in the app's cache. If you notice that after changing the settings, the letters become squares or disappear, try clearing the keyboard cache.
To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find your keyboard (like Gboard), select Memory and click Clear Cache. Don’t confuse it with the Clear Everything button, or you’ll lose your saved vocabulary and learning history.
⚠️ Note: If the system has started to run slower after the font change or the keyboard disappears, it is possible that the font chosen is not optimized for the system interface. MI Sans through the theme store.
Also a common problem is to de-synchronize the height of the keyboard in different applications, for example, in Telegram the keys can be one, and in Viber – different, this is a feature of the work of individual applications that can force their display style, in such cases, only updating the messenger application itself or turning off the battery optimization for it helps.
💡
If your font settings get lost after you reboot, check to see if the "Energy Savings" mode is on, which may limit the performance of background personalization services.