How to change the input language on Xiaomi: setting up the keyboard

Changing the input language on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most basic but critical features for comfortable use of the device. Often users are faced with a situation when the system offers unnecessary layouts when typing, for example, English instead of Russian, or vice versa, which causes irritation and slows down the work.

In the operating system MIUI or HyperOS, language pack management is not always intuitive, since the settings of the system itself and the keyboard settings are spread across different menus. Understanding this difference allows you to quickly bring the gadget into a convenient look for you.

In this guide, we will discuss all the current ways to manage layouts on the standard Gboard keyboard, as well as touch on the features of third-party text input applications that are popular among owners of Redmi and POCO.

The basic principles of the MIUI languages

Before we get to specifics, it’s important to learn a fundamental difference: the language of the smartphone interface and the language of the keyboard are two independent parameters. You can have a Russian system interface, but type in English layout if it is activated in the input settings.

The Android system that underpins Xiaomi’s shells uses the default Gboard service in most modern models, which is responsible for text prediction, autocorrection, and alphabet switching, and removing the extra language is not through the system’s shared menu, but through the internal menu of the keyboard app itself.

If you notice that after updating the firmware, the usual settings disappeared or new ones appeared, do not panic. The logic of saving user dictionaries when changing the layout remains the same, which allows you to not lose frequently used words even after resetting the input settings.

⚠️ WARNING: When you completely clean up your keyboard application data (not to be confused with simply deleting your language), you will lose the history of the learned words and the personal vocabulary that the system has been building for months.

To get started, make sure you have the type of input method you plan to set up and are active. Global firmware versions almost always have Gboard, Chinese versions may have Sogou or Baidu, which will have different interfaces.

How to Add a New Language to Xiaomi Keyboard

Adding a new layout is a process that is often required when traveling or learning foreign languages. Unlike older versions of Android, you don’t need to download individual language packs from the Play Market store, everything is built directly into your keyboard settings.

To activate the language you want, go to your smartphone's Settings menu, find the Settings section, and select Language and Enter. This shows all the input methods you've connected to, but we need the active one.

Click on Keyboard Management or select Gboard Settings if you see it in the list. Follow Languages -> Add Keyboard. From the list that opens, select the language you want, such as English (USA) or Spanish.

• 🇺🇸 Choose the main layout option (usually) QWERTY or QWERTZ).
• 🎤 Activate voice input support if you plan to dictate messages.
• 🔤 Enable handwriting support if the smartphone screen is large enough for it.

Once selected, confirm the action with the "Done" button. Now, when typing, you can switch between languages, but this often requires an additional action, which we will discuss below.

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For quick access to keyboard settings, simply press the space or tap on the gear icon that appears on the hint bar above the letters.

It is worth noting that some exotic languages may require downloading additional files of several megabytes, and it is recommended to perform this procedure when connecting to a Wi-Fi network, so as not to waste mobile traffic.

Removal of unnecessary languages and layouts

It's very common to have a language that's stuck on your keyboard, like accidentally hitting the add button or updating the app, and now you're typing Chinese or Indian layouts that pop up all the time, making it difficult to type.

Delete is where you add it. Go to Gboard Settings through the system menu or long comma tap on the keyboard itself. Go to Languages, and you'll see a list of all active layouts with ticks or control buttons on the right.

Click on the language you want to remove. In the layout menu that opens, find the Remove button (often indicated by the basket icon or cross), the system will ask you to confirm the action, as this will affect the saved dictionaries for the language.

If the language cannot be removed by standard means (button is inactive), it is possible that the language is system-based for the current location of your Google account or the region selected in your phone settings.

In some cases, changing the region of the phone helps. Go to Settings -> Additional -> Region and set another country. After rebooting, try removing the unnecessary layout again, and then return the region back.

Setting up a quick switching of layouts

One of the most common problems users have is the inability to quickly change language with one touch. By default, in new versions of Gboard, switching can be set to swipe over space, which is not convenient for everyone, or even turned off altogether.

To set up a convenient way to change language, open the keyboard settings and find Settings (cogs inside the keyboard menu). We are interested in Languages, and inside it is the Switching button.

Here are several options for the behavior of the system:

• 🖐 Do not show: switching only after a long press on the space.
• 🔄 Show the switch button: a separate button with a flag or letters will appear on the keyboard.
• 👆 Swipe by space: quick change of language by movement of the finger left-right on the spatial key.

Choose the one that seems most ergonomic to you. For most users who are used to the classics, the option “Show the switch button” is the most preferred, since it eliminates accidental changes in layout.

You should also pay attention to auto-switching, which is that if you type mixed text, the smart keyboard can suggest words in another language itself if it (detects) the transition, and you can turn it off in the same settings if it annoys you.

Remember, the settings are instant. You don't have to reboot your phone to see a new button or change your response to swipes. Test the new mode in any messenger immediately after you make the changes.

Using third-party keyboards on Xiaomi

Google's standard keyboard is not for everyone, and Xiaomi owners often install alternatives like Yandex Keyboard, SwiftKey, or Chao for Chinese input, and they have similar language management but different interfaces.

For example, in Microsoft SwiftKey, language management is put into a separate customizable app that is installed with the keyboard, where you can download language packages for offline work and set up predictive input with high accuracy.

To activate a third-party keyboard, go to Settings -> Additional settings -> Language and input -> Current keyboard. Select the desired application from the list. The system will warn about security risks, since third-party programs can theoretically read the input.

When using third-party solutions, it is important to monitor permissions. Some smart keyboards require access to geolocation or contacts to improve the experience, which can be redundant for simple typing.

⚠️ Note: Be careful when installing keyboards from unverified sources, passwords and bank details are best entered through secure system input or temporarily enable standard Gboard.

If the third-party keyboard is not working properly (no switching languages, departures), try clearing its cache in the App menu, which often resolves conflicts after updating the MIUI firmware.

Solving problems with the input language

Sometimes users encounter bugs when the input language is spontaneously reset into English or Chinese, ignoring your settings, which can be due to a conflict of system files or errors in the operation of a particular application.

The first step should always be to clean the keyboard application itself. Go to Settings -> Apps -> All Apps, find Gboard (or your keyboard), click Clear -> Clear all data. After that, the keyboard will return to factory settings, and you will need to re-select the languages.

If the problem persists, check if Emergency Calls Only mode or specific power saving modes are enabled, which may limit the back-end of keyboard processes, and Google Play updates also help.

In rare cases, a complete reset of your phone helps, but this is a last resort. Before you do that, try simply removing keyboard updates through the app menu, returning it to the factory version, and then updating again.

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The most effective solution to 90% of language problems is to completely clean the keyboard application data and reconfigure from scratch.

Remember that new versions of HyperOS have changed the memory algorithms and can more aggressively unload background processes. Add the keyboard to the power saving exception list (“No Limits”) to keep it running smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)