How to change the language on the Xiaomi phone: all ways and solutions to problems

Changing the interface language on Xiaomi, Redmi or smartphones POCO It seems like a simple task – until you encounter a lack of the right language on the list or a sudden crash after the update. In this article, we will not only discuss the standard way to change the language through settings, but also hidden methods for cases when Russian is not on the menu, and also explain why some features may disappear after a change of region (for example, Google Pay or Mi Video).

Feature of firmware MIUI (including recent versions MIUI 14 and MIUI 15) — linking available languages to the region of the device, if you bought a phone abroad or got it with a "gray" firmware, chances are that the Russian language will simply not be in the settings, we will show how to circumvent this restriction without the risk of "bricking" the device, including methods using the use of the device. ADB and third-party applications.

Important: The instructions in this article are relevant to all modern Xiaomi models (including Xiaomi). 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13, POCO F5/X5) and old devices on MIUI 12.5+. If your smartphone is released before 2019 Some methods may not work – check the firmware version in Settings → The phone.

1. Standard method: change the language through the MIUI settings

If Russian is already on the list of available languages, the process will take no more than a minute.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Scroll down and select the Additional section (on some firmwares - System and device).
3. Tapping on the item Language and input (or Language and region in the MIUI 15).
4. At the top of the screen, click Language (not to be confused with Keyboard!).
5. Choose Russian (Russia) or another language from the list, and if you don't have one, go to the next section.

Once selected, the language will change instantly, but some applications (such as Mi Browser or Themes) may require a reboot. Please note that if you choose English (USA), some of the system labels (such as in Security) will remain in Chinese, a feature of Xiaomi’s global firmware.

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50) If you change the language, you may reset your region on Google Play, which will cause some apps (like SberBank Online or Public Services) to disappear. → Google → Google Play Services → Settings → General. → Application Region and Select Russia.

2. Russian language is not on the list: what to do?

If the language is not in the menu, the problem lies in the regional firmware, most often on devices purchased in China (China). ROM) or India (India) ROM). The problem can be solved in three ways:

• 🔄 Change region through settings (without data loss, but not always working).
• 📱 Installation of the language package via MoreLocale 2 (requires rights) ADB).
• 🔧 Reflashing to the global version MIUI (Radical method, drops all data).

Let us consider each option in detail.

Method 1: Change the region of the device

Sometimes it's enough to change the country in the settings to get Russian.

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap the MIUI version several times until you become a developer!
3. Go back to the main settings menu and select a new section for developers.
4. Activate the Unlock switch OEM (if).
5. Now go to Settings. → Additionally. → Language and region → Region.
6. Choose Russia or Ukraine (in some firmwares Russian appears only when choosing Ukraine).
7. Reboot the phone.

If the Russian language has not appeared after the reboot, try resetting the settings of the region:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots (menu) → Reset application settings → Select “Region”

Attention: on devices with China ROM (For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro for the Chinese market, this method only works 30% of the time.

Method 2: Install the language pack with MoreLocale 2

MoreLocale 2 allows you to add any language to the system, even if it is not in the standard list. ADB (No root licenses! Here's the manual:

1. Download MoreLocale 2 from Google Play.
2. Install. ADB on your computer (instruction below) or use the online service WebADB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm grant com.zacharee1.morelocale android.permission.CHANGE_CONFIGURATION
4. Open MoreLocale 2, select Custom Locale and type: Language: en Country: RU

Press Set and restart the phone.

If the interface is in English after the reboot, check:

• 🔹 Correctness of the entered codes (ru-RU for Russian).
• 🔹 Whether rights are activated ADB (In Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔹 Does the antivirus (e.g. Mi Security) block setting changes.

Method 3: Reflashing to the global version of MIUI

If the first two methods fail, you can still reflash the entire version to the global version. MIUI. This is a radical way of doing things that:

• ✅ Guaranteed to add Russian language.
• ✅ Removes Chinese apps (Mi App Store, Mi Video with censorship).
• ❌ Reset all data (do backup!).
• ❌ Can void warranty (if the device is not officially designed for your region).

Step-by-step:

1. Download global firmware for your model from the official Xiaomi website or from the official website of the company. 4PDA (Look for the section of your model).
2. Unpack. ZIP-Firmware archive in the root of the phone's internal memory (not in folders!).
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Select the firmware file.
5. Specify the path to the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

It takes 5-10 minutes, and after the reboot, the language will change to English, but Russian will be on the list of available languages.

• 🔸 The firmware is not suitable for your model (check the exact name in Settings). → The phone. → Model).
• 🔸 The device is locked for firmware (you need to unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool).

3 Problems after language change and their solutions

Even if you've managed to change your language, you can have side effects, and here are the most common ways to eliminate them:

Especially often, users are faced with the problem of missing Google Pay, because when changing the language to Russian, the system can automatically change the region in Google Play to Russia, which blocks some financial services.

1. Open Settings → Google → Manage your Google account.
2. Go to the Data and Personalization tab.
3. Find the Advertising Settings section and check the region specified.
4. If you have Russia, change it to the United States or another country that supports Google Pay.

💡

If you stop using the language after changing. SMS from banks, check the message settings in Settings → Annexes → Communications → Permissions. Sometimes systemic. SMS filtered as spam.

4. Changing the language on older Xiaomi models (MIUI 11 and below)

On devices before MIUI 12 (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 9, Redmi Note 7) The process of changing the language may be different:

• 📱 Language and input can be called Language and Keyboard.
• 🌍 Region changes in Settings → Advanced settings → Language and region.
• 🔄 Some firmware requires a reboot after changing the language.
• ⚠️ When installing a language package via MoreLocale 2, you may need a root.

If you're on Xiaomi MIUI 10 or older and Russian is missing, try the following trick:

1. Install Apk Editor from Google Play.
2. Download. APK-Language Package File for Your Version MIUI (look for 4PDA phone-model).
3. Open the downloaded one. APK In Apk Editor and select Simple Editing.
4. In the Local field, add ru-RU and save the file.
5. Install edited APK and reboot the phone.

On very old devices (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 5 or Redmi) 4X) After changing the language, there may be problems with:

• 🔋 Fast battery discharge (due to optimization failure).
• 📶 Network loss (if the firmware does not support your operator).
• 🔊 Disappearance of sound in the dynamics (solved by resetting settings).

💡

On devices older than 5 years (released before 2018), it is better not to change the language through flashing - there is a high risk of "bricking". Use only software methods (MoreLocale 2, Apk Editor).

5 How to get your old language back if something goes wrong

If the interface is not clear after experimenting with languages and the language is not clear, don't panic. Here's a universal way to bring back English (or any other language), even if you don't understand the words on the screen:

1. Open the settings (cog icon).
2. Scroll down to the section with the globe icon or the letter "A" (this is Language and Input).
3. Slip on the first line (this is the language).
4. Choose English (United States) or any other language you know.
5. If the language is not available, scroll down the list and click Add Language (usually marked plus).

If the menu is entirely in Chinese, focus on the visual cues:

• 🔹 The gear icon - Settings.
• 🔹 Globe Badge - Language and Region.
• 🔹 Flag of the country - language choice.

If the language has changed but part of the interface is still in Chinese, try:

1. Clear the app cache Settings: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Settings → Clear the cache
2. Install Miui Language Pack from Google Play (the app adds missing translations).
3. Update the firmware to the latest version (sometimes language bugs are fixed in patches).

💡

If the app icons on the home screen are missing after changing the language, don’t be alarmed – it’s a launcher crash.Reboot your phone or install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher).

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When changing languages to Xiaomi, users often make the same mistakes, and here are the most common ones and how to prevent them:

⚠️ Attention! Never install language packages from third-party developers without checking. In 2023, there were cases where malicious messages were spread under the guise of "russifiers." APK, card-stealing.

• 🚫 Error 1: Change language without backup. Before any manipulation, back up through Settings → The phone. → Backup or Mi Cloud, which will save your data if you have to reset your settings.
• 🚫 Mistake 2: Using unofficial firmware. Firmware from sites like Xiaomifirmware.com may contain viruses or be collected crooked (4PDA, XDA).
• 🚫 Mistake 3: Incorrect choice of region: If you choose Russia in the region settings, but leave the language in English, some applications (such as Mi Fit) may not work correctly.
• 🚫 Error 4: Interrupting the firmware process. If you reflash the device, never turn it off during installation (even if the process is stuck at 10).+ This can lead to a hard brick (complete inoperability).

Another common problem is the disappearance of the Russian language after the update. MIUI. This happens if:

• 🔸 You have installed a beta version of the firmware (they often lack full localization).
• 🔸 The update came in by air (OTA) for other regions (for example, India).
• 🔸 You can automatically update your language packs, but Xiaomi servers are blocked in your country.

To avoid language loss after updating:

1. Turn off automatic update installation in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings → Downloading by car over Wi-Fi.
2. Check the forums before updating (for example, 4PDA), Does the new version remove support for the Russian.
3. Use MoreLocale 2 to fix the language, even if it is in the system.

7.Alternative methods: changing the language for individual applications

If you only need to change the language in one application (e.g. Mi Fit or Xiaomi Community), you don’t have to change it throughout the system.

• 📱 For system applications: Install App Settings (required) ADB). Select the application you want (e.g. com.xiaomi.smarthome for Mi Home). In the Locale section, specify en-RU.

For third-party applications:

Many apps (like Facebook or Instagram) take language from your account settings, not your system. Go to your profile settings and change the language there.

For games:

Games like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile often ignores the system language, and it can help:

• Change the language in the game settings.
• Installation VPN with servers in Russia (some games define the language by the IP).