How to set up a keyboard on Xiaomi: from language to gestures

Xiaomi's keyboard is not just a text input tool, it's a whole suite of features that you can customize. From the standard Gboard to the proprietary MIUI Keyboard, the manufacturer offers flexible settings that many users don't even notice. But what if the keyboard slows down, doesn't switch languages, or is just inconvenient? In this article, we'll look at all the ways you can customize, from basic settings to hidden features that will take your communication experience to the next level.

The thing about MIUI is that it's often not obvious, like, did you know that you can adjust the vibration when you press it or change the height of the keyboard? Or that some models (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12) have unique gestures for quick input? We'll tell you how to activate these features, and also solve typical problems, from random language changes to the disappearance of the keyboard when you open messengers.

Important: the instructions are valid for MIUI 14/15 and newer versions, and if you have an older firmware, some menu items may be different, which we'll mention.

How to change the keyboard language on Xiaomi

The most common problem is that the keyboard suddenly starts typing in another language or doesn't switch back, and in MIUI, it takes a few steps, but there are nuances depending on the model.

Xiaomi defaults to MIUI Keyboard (branded) or Gboard (from Google) to add or remove languages:

1. Open any text field (e.g., in Messages) to allow the keyboard to appear.
2. Click on the icon. ⚙️ (gear 🌐 (globe) in upper right corner.
3. Select the Input Languages → Language management.
4. Activate the desired languages with sliders or click Add language.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X5, Redmi 10C) After adding the language, you may need to restart the keyboard. To do this, close all applications and open the text box again.

If languages are added but not switched:

• 🔄 Check if the current language only mode is enabled in the keyboard settings.
• 📱 Make sure that the system is in place (Settings) → Additionally. → Language and input: the correct language is selected.
• 🔍 For Gboard: Go to Gboard Settings → Languages and turn off unnecessary ones.

Setting the theme and appearance of the keyboard

MIUI allows you to completely redesign your keyboard, from the color scheme to the shape of the buttons, which is especially useful if the standard theme is not readable in the background of applications.

To change the design:

1. Open the keyboard and click on the icon. ⚙️.
2. Go to Themes or Design (the name depends on the version of MIUI).
3. Select one of the suggested themes or click Download themes for additional options.

Gboard's a different path.

Settings Gboard → Themes → Select a theme

💡 If you don’t like the standard topics, you can MIUI 15 now you can create your own color schemes. To do this, in the Topics menu, select Create your own and adjust the colors of the buttons, background and font.

Gestures and sliding input (Swipe)

Swipe allows you to type without taking your finger off the screen — just spell it, and the system will pick up the word. On Xiaomi, this option can be enabled on both types of keyboards, but the settings are different.

For MIUI Keyboard:

1. Open the keyboard settings (⚙️).
2. Go to Sliding Input.
3. Activate the slider and select the language (not all languages support Swipe).

For Gboard:

Gboard settings → Sliding input → Enable

⚠️ Attention: POCO F4 and some other models, sliding input may conflict with system gestures MIUI (For example, swipe down to call the notification bar. If the keyboard starts to close accidentally, turn off gestures in Settings. → Screen. → Gestures.

In addition to Swipe, MIUI Keyboard also has additional gestures:

• 👆 Swipe up the Space key - move the cursor.
• 👇 Swipe down the key Delete – erase the whole word.
• 👉 Swipe left/right on key 123 – quickly switch layout.

Make sure that the sliding input is enabled for the desired language

Check if the gestures are in conflict with the system.

Calibrate sensitivity in keyboard settings

Reboot your smartphone if gestures don’t work-->

Solving keyboard problems

Keyboards on Xiaomi can be unpredictable, like missing, slowing down, or spontaneously changing languages, and let's look at typical situations and ways to fix them.

Problem 1: The keyboard doesn’t appear in some apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram).

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 📲 Find a problem app (like Telegram) and select Permissions.
• 🔓 Make sure that the resolution Display over other windows is enabled for the keyboard.

Problem 2: The keyboard is slowing down or hanging.

It's most often due to overloading the cache.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Select Keyboard] → Clear the cache

Problem 3: Self-switching of the language.

MIUI 14 has a bug where the keyboard resets the tongue after locking the screen, and to fix this, turn off the "Auto-Definition of Language" option in the keyboard settings.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The keyboard stopped working at all, try resetting it to the factory settings. To do this, find the Reset option (usually at the bottom).

Additional features: voice input, emoji and auto-replacement

Modern keyboards on Xiaomi are much more than just typing, and we'll figure out how to make the most of these capabilities.

Voice input:

To enable speech recognition:

1. Open the keyboard and click on the icon. 🎤 (microphone).
2. If the function is inactive, check the keyboard permissions in Settings → Applications → MIUI Keyboard → Permissions → Microphone.

Quick access to emoji:

• 😊 V MIUI Keyboard swipe left on the Space key or click on the icon 😊.
• 🔍 In Gboard, hold the Comma key (,) or Enter (→).

Auto-replacement and corrections:

If your keyboard is constantly correcting your words incorrectly:

Keyboard settings → Text input → Auto Replace → Disable or add words to the dictionary

💡 Useful advice: B MIUI 15 Intelligent input is available, which analyzes your writing style and offers more accurate auto-replacement options. To activate it, go to Keyboard Settings. → Additionally. → Intelligent input.

How to install a third-party keyboard

If you don't like the standard options, you can install alternative keyboards like SwiftKey or Fleksy. The process is simple, but there are nuances with resolutions.

To install and activate a third-party keyboard:

1. Download the keyboard from Google Play Market (e.g. SwiftKey).
2. Open Settings → System → Language and input → Current keyboard.
3. Press Keyboard Management and activate the slider next to the new keyboard.
4. Return to the Current Keyboard and select the keyboard installed.

⚠️ Note: Some third-party keyboards (e.g. SwiftKey) may conflict with MIUI If the keyboard does not save the input history after installation, give it permission to access the clipboard in the application settings.

Comparison of popular keyboards for Xiaomi:

💡

The side of the keyboard may offer more features, but often consume more memory and battery.If your smartphone (Redmi 9A, POCO M3) is not as powerful as it is, it is better to stay on the standard MIUI Keyboard.

Hidden keyboard settings in MIUI

MIUI hides some options that can significantly improve the input experience, and here are some of the most useful ones:

Change in keyboard height:

If the keyboard takes up too much space on the screen, it can be reduced.

MIUI Keyboard Settings → Size and layout → Keyboard height

2.Switch off sound and vibration:

Pressing sounds and vibrations can be annoying.

MIUI Keyboard Settings → Sound and Vibration → Disable All Sliders

Swipe sensitivity settings:

If the sliding input (Swipe) works too easily or, conversely, does not react:

MIUI Keyboard Settings → Sliding Input → Sensitivity

Fast switching between symbols and numbers:

In MIUI Keyboard, you can configure the 123 key retention to quickly access numbers.

MIUI Keyboard Settings → Layout → Quick Switching of Characters

💡 Useful advice: B MIUI 15 now allows you to attach fast commands to the keyboard, for example, you can double-tap the Space to insert a frequently used phrase (such as your address). → Additionally. → Fast teams.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up the keyboard on Xiaomi