How to completely clean the dictionary on Xiaomi Redmi Note: from keyboard to system data

Why Clean Your Smartphone Dictionary and When You Really Need It

The custom dictionary on Xiaomi Redmi Note is a hidden but critical part of the system that is responsible for auto-replacement, typing tips, and even voice command recognition. Over time, it gets jammed with erroneous words, slang, typos, or outdated information (such as old addresses, contact names you deleted long ago), and as a result, the keyboard starts to “fool”: offer ridiculous options, correct the right words for the wrong ones, or even slow down when you type.

But cleaning a dictionary isn't always a panacea. For example, if the problem is just one keyboard (say, Gboard or SwiftKey), you just reset it without touching the MIUI system dictionary. But when auto-replacement is buggy in all applications, from SMS to browser, it's a sure sign that it's time to clean the system user dictionary, which is stored deep in the Android settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can clean up your dictionary on Redmi Note (including the 10/11/12 series and older versions), from simple to radical, with MIUI 14/15 firmware in mind, learn how to remove words from your keyboard, reset your system dictionary without losing data, and even manually edit your dictionary files through ADB (for advanced users).

Method 1: Cleaning the dictionary in the standard MIUI keyboard

If you use Xiaomi’s native keyboard (it’s called the “MIUI Keyboard” or “Mi Keyboard”), most of the junk words are stored in its settings, which is the most secure method and doesn’t affect system files.

Instructions:

1. Open any field to enter text (such as notes or a message).
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ (gears) on the keyboard to open its settings.
3. Go to the dictionary section → User-generated dictionary.
4. Here you'll see a list of all the words you've saved. Click on three dots (⋮) In the upper right corner and select Delete everything.
5. Confirm the action.

If you have a different keyboard installed (like Gboard), the process will be slightly different:

• 🔹 Gboard: Settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary → [Choose a language] → Delete everything
• 🔹 SwiftKey: Settings → Accounts → Microsoft SwiftKey → Dictionary → Clear the dictionary data
• 🔹 Samsung Keyboard (if installed): Settings → General management → Language and input → Samsung keyboard → Resetting settings

⚠️ Note: After cleaning the dictionary, the keyboard may temporarily “forget” frequently used words (such as your first or last name) and have to re-enter them several times so that the system remembers them again.

Method 2: Reset keyboard settings via application menu

If cleaning the dictionary didn't help, or if you want to return the keyboard to factory settings, you can do a complete reset of the keyboard, which will delete not only the dictionary, but all personal settings (themes, gestures, predictions).

How to do this:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find your keyboard (e.g., "MIUI Keyboard" or "Gboard").
3. Go to the Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm the action. The app will restart and all settings will reset.

There is an alternative way for Gboard:

• 📌 Open any input field, touch the icon ⚙️ keyboard.
• 📌 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Resetting settings.
• 📌 Select Reset all settings and confirm.

Save frequently used words (you can take a picture of the dictionary screen)

Remember the keyboard design theme (if important)

Disable dictionary sync with Google (unless you need to restore)

Check that after reset the keyboard will not change to the system (in the default settings)-->

After resetting, the keyboard may be slower for the first few days — which is normal, as it relearns your typing style. If the brakes don't go past more than a week, try reinstalling the keyboard or clearing the system's cache (more on that below).

Method 3: Cleaning the Android System User Dictionary

If the problem isn't with the keyboard, but with Android itself, which stores a common vocabulary for all apps, you need to clean up the system data, which is more complex but more effective, removing words that are tightened even in apps where you haven't used the keyboard.

Instructions for MIUI 14/15:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Text Input Settings.
3. Scroll down and find the User Dictionary section (on some firmware it may be called the Android Dictionary).
4. Open it and delete all unnecessary words manually or click Clear the Dictionary.

On older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5), the path may differ:

Settings → System and device → Language and input → Text → User dictionary

If the User Dictionary is not on the menu, it is hidden, and one of the following ways will help:

• 🔧 Use it. ADB (Method 5 in this article).
• 🔧 Install a third-party dictionary management app (e.g., Personal Dictionary Editor).
• 🔧 Reset all language settings (but this will also delete other personal data).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmwares have the system dictionary tied to your Mi Account. Once cleared, words can recover the next time you log in. To avoid this, turn off sync in your account settings before clearing.

Method 4: Delete dictionary files via File Manager (for advanced)

If standard methods fail, you can manually delete dictionary files that are stored in system folders, which requires root rights or at least access to hidden folders through a file manager (e.g., MiXplorer or Solid Explorer).

Where to look for dictionary files:

How to delete:

1. Install a file manager with root access (e.g. MiXplorer).
2. Go to one of the paths above (depending on which dictionary to clear).
3. Delete or rename files (e.g. add.bak at the end of the name).
4. Reboot the phone.

Once manually cleaned, the dictionary will be empty, and it will take time for the keyboard to relearn your typing style. If you delete Gboard files, then after the reboot, the app may ask you to reconfigure the language — that's okay.

Method 5: Cleaning the dictionary through ADB (for technical users)

If you're familiar with the command line, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is the most powerful dictionary management tool, and it allows you not only to clean words, but also to add them in batches, export them or import the dictionary.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and drivers for Xiaomi.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB Type C C Cable (preferably original).

Cleanup commands:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and execute: Adb devices (you should display your device).
2. To clean up the Android system dictionary: adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.userdictionary
3. To reset the MIUI keyboard: adb shell pm clear com.miui.miuikeyboard
4. For Gboard: adb shell pm clear com.google.android.inputmethod.latin

If you need to not just clean, but export the dictionary before reset, use:

adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.userdictionary/databases/user_dict.db

This will copy the dictionary file to your PC, and once cleaned, it can be returned back by the adb push command.

💡

Before using ADB, back up your phone data. A team error can cause system applications to crash.

Method 6: Complete resetting of settings (last resort)

If none of these things worked, and the auto-replacement problem is critical (e.g., the keyboard is completely shut down or offers only characters), the last option is to reset the phone to factory settings, which will delete all data, including dictionaries, apps, photos and settings.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup copy of important data (contacts, photos, messages).
2. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
3. Select Reset Settings and confirm.
4. Once you reboot, the phone will be like new.Configure it again, but don't restore the dictionary backup (if you have one) so the problem doesn't come back.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware may require re-assigning your Mi Account after a reset. Make sure you remember your username and password, otherwise the phone will be locked!

Resetting is a radical solution and should only be resorted to if:

• 🔸 The keyboard is completely inoperable.
• 🔸 The problem is observed in all applications.
• 🔸 Other cleaning methods have failed to produce results.
• 🔸 You are ready to lose all the data on your phone.

💡

Before reset, check if the strange behavior of the keyboard is associated with viruses, install an antivirus (for example, Malwarebytes) and scan the system.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When cleaning the dictionary, users often face typical preventable problems:

1. The dictionary cleared, but the words returned after the reboot, and the reason was sync with your Google account or Mi Account, so you can turn off sync in your account settings before you clear.
2. The keyboard started offering words in another language, and the reason was resetting the language. Solution: check the main input language in Settings → Language and input.
3. After cleaning the dictionary, the commonly used abbreviations (e.g., "sps" → "thank you") disappeared. The reason was that these words were only stored in the user's dictionary. Solution: add them again manually.
4. ADB can't see the device. The reason is: no drivers are installed or USB debugging enabled. Solution: reinstall Xiaomi drivers and check the developer's settings.

If the keyboard still doesn’t work properly after cleaning the dictionary, try:

• 🛠️ Install a different keyboard (e.g. Fleksy or Chroom).
• 🛠️ Update firmware MIUI last-minute.
• 🛠️ Check your phone for viruses (some Trojans replace system dictionaries).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions