How to change the language from English to Russian on Xiaomi phone: all ways

Why Xiaomi Can Still Have English and How to Fix It

You've just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone, Redmi or POCO, but instead of the usual Russian interface, do you see English? Or did you change your language to a foreign one after the system upgrade? This problem is familiar to many brand users. It occurs most often in three cases:

First, when buying a device abroad (for example, on AliExpress or on a trip), such phones often come with global firmware, where Russian is not in the list of languages. Second, after resetting, the system can automatically choose English as its primary. Third, when manually updating firmware through Fastboot or Recovery, language packs sometimes get knocked down.

The good news is that 95% of the time, the problem is solved in 2-3 minutes through standard settings. Bad — if Russian is not available at all, you will need to flash it. In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios, from basic language change to installing localized firmware for old models.

Method 1: Standard language change via MIUI settings

This is the simplest method that works on all modern devices with MIUI 12 and newer (including MIUI 14/15).It is suitable for most models: Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Xiaomi 11/12/13/14 and others.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select Additional settings.
3. Use Languages & Input → Languages.
4. At the top of the screen, click Add language (if Russian is not listed) or simply select Russian from the available ones.
5. Drag Russian to the top position on the list to make it the top.
6. Confirm the change and restart the phone (optional but recommended).

If after these actions, some applications (such as Google Play or YouTube) remain in English, do not worry - this is normal. the language of the system applications depends on the settings of the Google account, not the MIUI language.

Method 2: If Russian is not on the list (global firmware)

The situation is more complicated: you have entered the settings, but the list of languages does not include Russian or Russian, which means that your phone has global firmware without Russian support (for example, MIUI Global for India or Europe), and the problem is solved in two ways:

• 🔄 Install regional firmware via Fastboot or Recovery (for power users).
• 🌍 Changing the region of the phone to Russia/Ukraine/Kazakhstan (easy but not always working).
• 📱 Using a patch to add language (requires an unlocked bootloader).

The safest option for beginners is to change the region.

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Region
2. Choose Russia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan (depending on the model).
3. Reboot the phone.
4. After the reboot, check the list of languages – Russian should appear.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Redmi K40) If the Play Market or Gmail stops working after the change in the region, return the region back to India or Global.

Method 3: Installation of Russian through firmware (for advanced)

If previous methods didn’t work, you’ll have to refashion the phone, which is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires an unlocked bootloader and basic knowledge of working with MIUI. We’ll look at two options: through Recovery (easier) and through Fastboot (more reliable).

Important: Before firmware, back up your data! The process erases all user files.

For firmware through Recovery:

1. Download the official Russian firmware for your model from en.miui.com (select the Stable version for Recovery).
2. Rename the file to update.zip and transfer it to the root folder of the phone.
3. Go to Settings → About phone → System update.
4. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Choose Update Package.
5. Select the update.zip file and confirm the installation.

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If the phone is stuck on the MI logo after the firmware, don't panic. Wait 10-15 minutes - the first download after the update can take a long time. If after 20 minutes nothing has changed, reset via Recovery (press Power + Volume Up when the phone is off).

Method 4: Adding Russian through ADB (without firmware)

This method is suitable for users who have unlocked the developer mode and have access to the computer. It allows you to add Russian without full flashing, but requires installation. ADB-Drivers and basic command line skills.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB debugging: Go to Settings → About phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI version to activate developer mode. Go back to Settings → Additional settings → Developer options. Activate USB debugging.

Command line.

Terminal

adb devices

The serial number of your device should appear.

adb shell "cmd locale set-locale ru_RU"

adb reboot

If the language hasn’t changed after the reboot, try an alternative command:

adb shell "am start -a android.settings.LOCALE_SETTINGS"

It will open the language settings directly, where you can manually select Russian (if it appeared after the first one). ADB-team).

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi Note 9 Pro Team ADB They may not work because of the manufacturer's limitations, and then you have to use the Fastboot firmware.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When changing languages to Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🔴 Russian is on the list, but after choosing the interface remains English. → Check if Russian is at the top of the list of languages. Drag it up and reboot the phone.
• 🔴 After the change of the region Google services disappeared → Return the region to India or Global, then install Russian through the Internet. ADB (4).
• 🔴 The phone got stuck after the firmware → Wait. 15-20 If it doesn't work, reset it through Recovery (Power). + Volume Up).
• 🔴 The list of languages is only English and Chinese → Your firmware is Chinese (China) ROM). You need to run a European or global version.

Critical information: On phones with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi 9A, POCO C31), firmware via Fastboot can lead to a "brick" (breakdown) if the wrong version of the software is selected. Always check the firmware compatibility with your model on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forum.

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Before any firmware, check the phone model in settings (Settings → About phone → Model number).

Alternative solutions: if nothing helps

If all of these things don't work, then there are some radical measures, and here's what you can try.

• 📱 Installing custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience) requires an unlocked bootloader and experience with the software. TWRP.
• 🛠️ If the phone is guaranteed, the masters will sew it free with official localized firmware.
• 🌐 Using an interface translator: Applications like Google Translate or Microsoft Translator can translate text from the screen in real time (inconvenient, but a temporary solution will do).
• 🔄 Resetting to factory settings, sometimes helps if the problem is caused by a system failure!

To install custom firmware, follow this instruction:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (you need a Xiaomi account tied to the phone).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model (you can download it on twrp.me).
3. Download custom firmware with support for Russian (for example, ArrowOS or HavocOS).
4. Download to TWRP (Power + Volume Up) and run Wipe → Format Data.
5. Install the firmware through Install and restart.

Remember, custom firmware can take you out of warranty and sometimes work in an unstable way. Use it only if other methods don't work.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions