How to install Russian language on Xiaomi: all ways to MIUI 14/13 and old versions

Have you bought a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone with Chinese firmware or accidentally changed the interface language to an unknown? Russian on Xiaomi devices can be installed in several ways, from standard settings to manual editing of system files. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods for MIUI 14/13, and also tell you what to do if the desired language is not on the list.

The problem with not having Russian is often with devices purchased on AliExpress, in Chinese online stores or when buying "back-end" devices. Even if there is no "Russian" item on the menu, it does not mean that you can not add it. The main thing is to correctly identify the firmware version and choose the appropriate method. We have collected instructions for all scenarios, from simple switching in settings to installing custom firmware.

Note that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights. If you are a beginner, start with the safest options (sections 2 and 3). For power users, we have prepared advanced solutions using ADB and build.prop editing.

1. Check the current version of MIUI and the firmware region

Before you change the language, you need to understand which firmware is installed on your Xiaomi, which determines the availability of the Russian language and the choice of method of installation.

Open the Settings app → scroll down to About Phone. Here we're interested in three lines:

• 📱 Device model (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ or POCO X5 Pro – needed to find the right firmware.
• 🔢 Version. MIUI (for example, MIUI 14.0.5. or MIUI 13.0.12 – Determines the compatibility of methods.
• 🌍 Firmware region (e.g. China, Global, EEA) — If China is listed, Russian is not likely to be spoken.

If you see characters in the About Phone section, use Google's voice assistant (say "Ok Google, open settings") or navigate by icons. Alternatively, type in the Settings search (a magnifier at the top) for version and open the first result.

Critical information: If your device is firmware for the China region (Chinese version), the Russian language is not available by default, and can only be added through a change of firmware or manual editing of system files (sections 5 and 6).

2. Standard method: change the language in the MIUI settings

If your Xiaomi initially supports Russian (Global, EEA or Russia firmware), you can change the language in 30 seconds.

1. Open the settings (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select Additional settings.
3. Slip on the item Language and input.
4. At the top of the screen, press the language.
5. In the list, find Russian (Russian) or Russian and select it.
6. Confirm the change by pressing Ready or OK.

If you don't have Russian on the list, but you have English, try updating your firmware through Settings → About Phone → System Update. Sometimes, after the update, additional languages appear.

On some models (e.g. POCO F5 or Redmi K60) the path may be slightly different:

Settings → System and device → Language and input → Language

⚠️ Note: On China Stable devices, the language may not be available at all or may only contain Chinese and English. In this case, go to Section 5 (install global firmware).

Installation of Russian through the region (for MIUI 12-14)

MIUI 12 and later has a region change feature that sometimes adds missing languages, which works if your device initially supports Russian, but it doesn't appear on the list. Here's how to do it:

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Language and input → Region (Region).
2. In the list of countries, find Russia (Russia) or Ukraine (Ukraine) - in these regions, the Russian language is activated automatically.
3. Confirm the change in region and restart the phone.
4. After the reboot, go back to Settings → Language and Input → Language and check for Russian.

If there is still no Russian, try changing the region to India (India) — this version of MIUI often has more languages available, including Russian. After the region changes, you may need to connect to the Internet to download the language package.

If the change of region did not help, and the settings are still not Russian, go to the next section - install the language package through ADB.

4. Adding Russian through ADB (without root)

This method is suitable for devices where Russian is physically present in firmware but hidden from the user (for example, on some Chinese versions of Redmi or the Internet). POCO). You will need a computer with installed drivers. ADB and the debugging on USB phone-on.

First, turn on the USB debugging:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
3. Return to Settings → Additional settings → Developer settings.
4. Activate the debugging switch on USB (USB debugging).

Now connect the phone to your computer and execute the commands:

adb shell


pm list packages | grep "com.miui.system"

If you have a com.miui.system package in the output, do:

adb shell am start -n com.miui.system/.LanguageActivity

This will open a hidden menu of languages where Russian may appear. If it's not available, try to force the language pack to install:

adb shell settings put system user_locale ru_RU


adb shell settings put system system_locales ru_RU




adb reboot

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or POCO X5 Pro) these commands may not work due to limitations MIUI. In this case, only a firmware change remains (section 5).

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If the Russian language doesn’t appear after completing the commands, try resetting your phone to factory settings (Settings → Additional settings → Restore and Reset).

5. Installation of global firmware (for Chinese versions)

If your Xiaomi firmware China Stable and previous methods have not worked, the only reliable way to get Russian is to reflash the device to the global version of MIUI. This process requires unlocking the bootloader and can lead to data loss, so be sure to make a backup.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Mi Account and device binding).
2. Download global firmware for your model from en.miui.com (choose Global or EEA).
3. Install firmware via Fastboot or Recovery: 📱 For Fastboot: Use the command fastboot flash all [name file].tgz 🔄 For Recovery: Rename the file to update.zip and install through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a firmware file.

Wait for the process to complete (5-15 minutes) and restart the phone.

Once you have installed the global firmware, Russian will appear in the default settings. If you have selected the EEA version, you may have to manually change region to "Russia" (section 3).

⚠️ Note: Fastboot firmware completely erases data from your device, including photos, contacts and apps. Before you do this, save everything important to your computer or to the Mi Cloud cloud.

6. Manual addition of Russian language (for experienced users)

If you do not want to change the firmware, but are ready to dig into the system files, you can manually add Russian by editing the build.prop file. This method requires root rights and does not work on all devices.

Instructions:

1. Get root rights with Magisk or another tool.
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
3. Open /system/build.prop file in the text editor.
4. Find ro.product.locale and replace it with ro.product.locale=en-RU
5. Add the following lines to the end of the file: persist.sys.locale=ru-RU ro.localization.locale=ru-RU
6. Save the changes, set the file rights 644, and restart the phone.

If you don’t have Russian after the reboot, check for language files in /system/app/LatinIME. If you don’t have them, you’ll have to download and install MoreLocale 2 from Google Play (it doesn’t work on all versions of MIUI).

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Editing build.prop can cause the system to run in an unstable way. If the phone starts to slow down or crash after the changes, restore the original file from the backup.

7. Alternative methods: launchers and third-party applications

If none of the methods worked, and you do not want to change the firmware, you can partially Russify the interface using third-party tools:

• 📱 Launchers: Install Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher – they support Russian and will replace the standard desktop.
• 🌐 Translation apps: Google Translate with Screen Translation feature will help you navigate the Chinese menu.
• ⚙️ MoreLocale 2: Application for Forced System Language Change (requires root or ADB).
• 📲 LineageOS or Pixel Experience often have better localization, but installing them is more difficult.

Note that these methods will not replace Russian in all system menus, but will make the use of the phone more comfortable. For example, Nova Launcher Russifies only the desktop and app menu, and the MIUI settings will remain in English or Chinese.

For full Russification, we still recommend installing a global firmware (section 5) or contacting the Xiaomi service center if the phone is warranty.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the language to Xiaomi