How to change the color of the keyboard on the Xiaomi phone: all ways for MIUI

The color of the keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones is not just an aesthetic element, but part of the user experience that can be fully adapted to suit yourself. Many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi devices do not even realize that the standard white or gray keyboard easily turns into a bright palette of shades — from neon to pastel. But how to do it correctly, so as not to encounter bugs or sudden change of themes after an update? In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to change the color of the keyboard, including hidden MIUI settings, third-party applications and even manual editing of advanced file systems.

It's important to understand that the customization options are dependent on the firmware version and the device model. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14, the algorithm is different from what works on the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that cover 90% of the current devices of the brand. And if you like experiments, at the end of this article you will find tips for creating custom themes with unique colors that are not in the standard settings.

Why does the keyboard on Xiaomi change color on its own?

Many users complain that when you update the system or change the wallpaper, the keyboard suddenly becomes a different shade, which is not a bug, but a feature of MIUI.

  • 🎨 Current design theme (if you choose a dynamic theme, the keyboard will change with it)
  • 📱 Color of wallpaper (algorithm highlights the dominant hue and applies it to system elements)
  • 🔄 Dark/light theme mode (in dark mode, the keys can turn grey or black)
  • 📲 Third-party launchers (some shells, such as Nova Launcher, conflict with settings) MIUI)

If you don't like automatic customization, you can turn it off. Go to Settings → Display → Color Scheme and deactivate Auto Color Selection. However, some devices (like POCO F5) may not have this option, so only manually adjusting the keyboard through themes will help.

📊 Which keyboard color do you like best?
Black (AMOLED-friendly)
White (classic)
Bright colors (blue, green, red)
Gradient or transparent
Your own version

Method 1: Color change through standard MIUI themes

The easiest and safest method is to use built-in themes. MIUI offers dozens of free and paid themes that change not only the wallpaper, but also the color of the keyboard, icons and system menus. Here's how it works:

  1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
  2. Go to the Keyboard tab or find the Color Schemes section.
  3. Select your favorite theme and click Apply.
  4. If the desired color is not available, use the color filter (the palette icon in the upper right corner).

Note that some themes only change the background of the keyboard, leaving the keys themselves standard. To see the full preview, click on the theme thumbnail and scroll down to the keyboard section. Also note that after changing the theme, you may need to reboot the device — especially on Redmi 9 and older models.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Backup your current theme (click on three dots → Save)

Close all applications before applying a new theme

Reboot your phone after the changes-->

Method 2: Manual color change in Gboard keyboard settings

If you use the Gboard keyboard (from Google), you can adjust the color regardless of the system theme, which works on all Xiaomi devices, regardless of the MIUI version:

  1. Open any field to enter text (e.g., in Messages).
  2. Click on the icon. ⚙️ (gear) on the keyboard to open its settings.
  3. Select Themes → Color.
  4. Scroll down and press the Palitre to select any shade manually.
  5. Save the changes with the Ready button.

Gboard also has an Adaptive Color option that adjusts the keyboard to fit the wallpaper, but on Xiaomi it can conflict with the MIUI system settings, so it’s best to turn it off if the keyboard starts to blink or twitch when you type.

How to get back the standard Xiaomi keyboard if you don’t like Gboard?
To delete Gboard and return to your native MIUI keyboard, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find Gboard and click Delete. After that, in the keyboard settings (Settings → Additional → Language and input), select Xiaomi Keyboard as the main one. Note that some firmware (for example, the global version for POCO X3) may not have a standard keyboard, in which case you will have to install alternative solutions like SwiftKey or Fleksy.

Method 3: Using third-party keyboards with customization

If there are few built-in options, you can install an alternative keyboard from Google Play.

  • 🎨 SwiftKey – supports gradients, transparency and custom keyboard wallpaper.
  • 🔥 Fleksy – minimalist design with the ability to choose any color in the HEX-format.
  • 🌈 Chroom – keyboard with support for themes MIUI and dynamically adjusting under the wallpaper.
  • ⚡ Typewise – unusual hexagonal design with wide color settings.

To install a third-party keyboard:

  1. Download the app from Google Play.
  2. Go to Settings → Additional → Language and input → Current keyboard.
  3. Activate the new keyboard and follow the setup instructions.

💡

If it doesn’t appear on the list of available keyboards after installing the third-party keyboard, reboot the phone. Some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11 Lite) also require you to clear the Settings app cache through Settings → Applications → Application Management.

Method 4: Editing System Files (for Advanced)

This method is only suitable for users with unlocked bootloader and root rights. It allows you to change the color of the keyboard at the system file level, but requires caution - incorrect actions can lead to a failure of MIUI.

You'll need:

  • 📱 Device with root rights (for example, through Magisk).
  • 💻 Programme MT Manager or Root Explorer for file editing.
  • 🎨 Knowledge HEX-Color codes (you can find them on htmlcolorcodes.com).

Instructions:

  1. Open Root Explorer and go on the path: /system/app/MiuiKeyboard/MiuiKeyboard.apk/res/values/colors.xml
  2. Find the lines with the parameters keyboard_background, key_text_color etc.
  3. Replace. HEX-values of their own (e.g, #FF0000 red).
  4. Save the file and restart the device.

💡

Editing system files can cause a keyboard to fail or a download cycle.Always back up the original file. colors.xml change!

On models with MIUI 14 and later, the path to keyboard files may be different – look for them in /product/app/MiuiKeyboard/ or /system/priv-app/MiuiKeyboard/.

Compatibility table with MIUI versions

MethodMIUI 12.5 and belowMIUI 13MIUI 14Need root?
Standard topics✅ Yes.✅ Yes.✅ Yes.❌ No.
Gboard settings✅ Yes.✅ Yes.✅ Yes.❌ No.
Third-party keyboards✅ Yes.✅ Yes.✅ Yes.❌ No.
Editing colors.xml✅ Yes.⚠️ Partially.❌ No (changed path)✅ Yes.
ADB-team❌ No.✅ Yes.✅ Yes.❌ No.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change the color of the keyboard, Xiaomi users often encounter bugs, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

  • 🔄 Color resets after rebooting: Check if Auto Update Themes is enabled in the Topic settings. If the problem persists, clear the Topic app cache.
  • ⚫ The keyboard went black and you couldn't see the text: This is due to a conflict between the dark theme and the color scheme. Go to Settings. → Display. → Dark theme and temporarily turn it off to regain visibility.
  • 🎨 No Color in the Palette: Use the Required HEX-In Gboard or SwiftKey, you can manually type it in the theme settings.
  • ⚠️ Keyboard blinks or brakes: Turn off animations in Settings → Special facilities → Remove animations. Also check if the keyboard conflicts with other applications (e.g. Good Lock on the computer). POCO).

💡

If the keyboard becomes transparent and poorly visible after changing the theme, add a shadow or a stroke in the settings. In Gboard, this is done through Themes → Customization → Key Effects.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI For example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G) Some color schemes may be blocked due to localization, and changing the region in your Xiaomi account settings will help (but it can affect services like Mi Cloud).

Can I make a gradient keyboard on Xiaomi?
Yes, but not through the standard settings. You'll need: Set the SwiftKey or Chroom keyboard. In the theme settings, select the Gradient or Custom Background option. Upload your image with a gradient (you can create it in Photoshop or Canva). MIUI 14 also has a hidden gradient option in the standard keyboard, but it's only available on Chinese firmware.
Why did the keyboard color drop after the MIUI update?
This is standard system behavior. Major updates (e.g. MIUI 13 to MIUI 14) reset: Custom themes (including keyboard color); Third-party keyboard settings (if not synced to a Google account); Manual edit system files (if you edited colors.xml); To avoid this, back up the themes in the Theme app (three dots → Backup) before updating.
How to make the keyboard transparent on Xiaomi?
Transparency is only available on third-party keyboards: SwiftKey: Themes → Create your own → Transparency (slider up to 70%); Fleksy: Settings → Appearance → Background Transparency; Gboard allows you to simulate transparency by selecting a dark theme with low opacity; on a standard MIUI keyboard, transparency is not available without root rights.
Can you change the color of the keyboard in a particular application (for example, in Telegram)?
No, the keyboard color is configured globally for the entire system. However, some applications (like VK or WhatsApp) can override system settings and show their own keyboard. In this case: Try disabling the application's built-in keyboard in its settings. Use Gboard or SwiftKey - these usually take priority.
How to return the standard color of the keyboard if everything is broken?
If the keyboard is unreadable or gone after the experiment, follow these steps: Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Find Xiaomi Keyboard (or Gboard if you use it) and press Clear Cache and Reset. If the keyboard doesn't appear, install any alternative (like Simple Keyboard) and restart the phone. At the very least, reset the phone to factory settings (Settings → Phone → Reset), but this will delete all data.