How to Change Language in Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Setup an Interface

When faced with the Chinese version of the smartphone or resetting to factory settings, the user often finds that the device interface has become an obscure set of characters or English text. This is a standard situation for owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, especially when buying equipment on international marketplaces. Localization of the system is the first and most important step that turns the gadget from a character set into a convenient tool for everyday use.

Changing the language in the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS is usually easy, but the location of menu items can vary depending on the firmware version and the regional location of the device. Sometimes the desired option is simply absent from the base list, which requires additional actions to change the region or flash. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances so that you can comfortably use your smartphone.

Before making any changes, it is important to understand the difference between the global and Chinese versions of the software. If you bought a device designed for the domestic market of China, standard methods of activating the Russian language may not work, in such cases, you will need a deeper intervention in the system, which we will also mention below, so that you have a complete picture of possible solutions.

Standard Procedure for Changing Language Through Settings

Most Xiaomi users face the need to change the language immediately after the first turn on or after a hard reset. The standard algorithm of actions is the same for all current versions of the shell, whether it is MIUI 12, 13, 14 or the latest HyperOS. The main thing is to focus on icons if the text of the menu is not yet clear to you.

First, you need to go to the main settings menu. On your desktop, find an icon that resembles a gear. It is usually gray and located in the folder with system utilities or on the main screen. In the Chinese version, this icon may look identical, but is signed with characters. Click on it to enter the system configuration menu.

Inside the settings menu, you need to find the section that handles the extras. In global versions, it's often called "Advanced" or "System and Device." The icon in this section can look like three dots, a gear with a plus, or just be the last one on the list. In Chinese firmware, this item is often at the bottom of the list of basic settings.

When you go to this section, look for the item that visually matches the A icon or the globe icon. In the system menu, it is usually located at the top of the list or highlighted by a separate block. When you click on it, you will see the current system language (such as English or ) and a list of available alternatives. Choose the desired option from the list, and the interface will instantly rebuilt.

⚠️ Note: If after choosing a language, the screen flashed, but the text remained the same or changed to English instead of Russian, then your firmware does not have full localization.

What to do if Russian is not on the list

It is quite common for you to not have Russian (or any other language you want) on the list of available languages, because you use a Chinese firmware (CN ROM) device, which does not initially contain language packages for the CIS countries, as it is not intended for export.

The first thing to do is to change the region of the device, and sometimes hidden language packets are activated automatically when you change your geographic location, so in the settings menu, find the item that goes right after you select the language or is in the System section, and the icon may resemble a location or a globe.

In the list of regions that opens, select any country in the European Union, such as Germany, Spain or the United Kingdom. After a region change, the system may require a reboot or simply update the list of options available. Go back to the language selection menu and check if Russian or Ukrainian has appeared there.

If the region change didn't work, then the language pack is physically absent from the operating system files, and in this case, you can't solve the problem using the standard Settings menu, either by flashing the device to the global version or by installing third-party language packs, which requires root rights.

Change the language on the locked screen and at the first start

Often users are lost in the initial setup phase, when the smartphone has just been removed from the box or dropped. Welcome Screen is entirely in a foreign language, and it can be difficult to know where to click. MIUI uniform.

On the very first screen, where the Xiaomi or Redmi logo is displayed and the setting start button is displayed, look for the icon in the upper right or lower corner. It looks like three dots, a gear or an "A" with emphasis. Clicking on this element opens the language selection menu before the main setup procedure begins.

If you've already been through the initial setup and the language has changed by accident (for example, a child clicked the wrong way), you can return everything back through the same settings menu. However, if you can't read a word, focus on the position of the elements. The path to changing the language is almost always at the bottom of the list of basic settings or in the subsection with the gear icon.

It is important to note that on the Lock Screen, the language is often system-dependent. If you change the system language but have characters on the lock screen, try rebooting the device. In some cases, the date and time format on the locked screen is tied to the regional standards selected when you first activate.

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Remember the gear icon and the “A” icon are universal settings and language symbols respectively that work in any version of Android and MIUI, regardless of the interface language.

Features of the interface in different versions of MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi’s shell is constantly evolving, and with each major update (MIUI 12, 13, 14, HyperOS), the menu structure may change slightly. Understanding these differences will help you find the right items faster, even if the visual style has changed.

In MIUI 12 and 13, the settings menu was often divided into two tabs: the main and all settings. The language selection option could be in the Additional Settings section. In newer versions such as MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the structure was simplified, and the language item was often placed in the System section or at the top of the settings list for convenience.

Below is a table that helps you navigate the titles of the sections depending on the version of the software, if you see the English interface:

Consider that the visual style of icons in HyperOS has become more minimalistic and flat. whereas in older versions the icon of the language could be colored, in newer versions it is often made in a monochrome style, which requires more care when searching.

Solving problems with coding and fonts

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the language is supposedly chosen, but instead of letters, "krakozyabr", squares or incomprehensible characters are displayed, this indicates a problem with encoding or lack of necessary fonts in the system, this often happens when using stripped-down versions of software or after unsuccessful experiments with themes.

The first solution is to check the themes you have installed. Some third-party themes downloaded from Themes may not support Cyrillic or other specific characters. Try to return the standard theme. Go to the Themes app (an icon with a brush or a T), go to the profile (a human icon) and select the classic theme by default.

If the problem is not the topic, system font files may be damaged. In this case, resetting font settings through the engineering menu can help, but it is risky for inexperienced users. A safer method is cleaning the Settings app cache. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Settings, click Clear and select Clear Cache.

In rare cases, broken fonts appear after installing modified versions of the system, and if standard methods do not help restore readability, the only reliable solution is to completely reflash the device with the official stable version of the software through the computer.

⚠️ Warning: Don't install themes from unverified sources, especially if they promise "unique design." They often break system fonts, making the interface unreadable.

Frequent Questions and Answers (FAQ)

Even with detailed instructions, users may have specific questions about their models or specific situations, and the following are answers to the most popular queries to help clear up doubts.

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If a standard language change is not possible due to the lack of a package in the list, then you have a Chinese version of the software that requires reflashing on Global ROM for full Russification.