Owners of Xiaomi Poco X3 often face an unpleasant surprise – an automatically installed Chinese keyboard that interferes with text input, takes up space in memory and can send data to Baidu or Sogou servers. This problem is especially relevant for devices purchased in Chinese stores or stitched with global ROMs with remnants of local services.
Chinese keyboards not only create typing inconveniences, but also consume phone resources, display ads, and sometimes even block standard input methods. In this article, we will explore all possible ways to remove them, from simple settings to deep cleaning the system.
It's important to understand that not all methods are equally safe. Some require superuser rights (root), others can cause failures if executed incorrectly, and we will describe each option in detail so that you can choose the best one for your situation.
If you bought Poco X3 with Russified firmware, but the Chinese keyboard is still there — this is not a mistake, but a feature of MIUI. The manufacturer often leaves "bookmarks" for local services even in global versions.
1. Disconnect via Android settings (no root)
The easiest and safest way is to deactivate the Chinese keyboard in the settings menu, a method that requires no special knowledge and is suitable for most users.
Go to Settings → System and Device → Language and Input → Virtual Keyboard. Here you will see a list of all the input methods installed. Chinese keyboards are usually called Baidu IME, Sogou Input or have characters in the title.
Click on the unnecessary keyboard and select Disable. If the button is inactive, first deactivate it in the Keyboard Management section by moving the slider to the left.
After the system is turned off, it will suggest you choose an alternative method of input, and make sure that you have at least one working keyboard (such as Gboard or SwiftKey) installed, or you risk being left without the ability to type.
⚠️ Note: Some Chinese keyboards may automatically turn on after the update MIUI. Check the settings after each system update.
- ✅ Pros of the method: Quickly, without risk to the system, does not require additional programs
- ❌ Cons of the method: the keyboard remains in the memory of the device, can turn on after resetting
- 🔄 When to use: If the keyboard is in the way, but you don’t want to go into the settings
2. Removal via ADB (without root but with PC)
If the standard shutdown doesn’t work, you can remove the Chinese keyboard via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a technique that requires a connection to a computer but doesn’t violate system integrity.
First, turn on Developer Mode on your phone: go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI Version. Then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and activate Debugging over USB.
Connect Poco X3 to your PC, install ADB drivers (if necessary), and open the command line. Enter the following commands in turn:
adb devices
adb shell pm list packages | grep -i keyboard
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.baidu.inputThe second command will show all packages associated with keyboards. Replace com.baidu.input with the name of your Chinese keyboard package (maybe com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou or the like).
⚠️ Note: Removing system packages through ADB It can lead to unstable work MIUI. Before executing commands, back up important data – in rare cases, this can cause a reset of input settings.
| Keyboard name | Packet name | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| Baidu IME | com.baidu.input | Yes. |
| Sogou Input | com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou | Yes. |
| iFlytek Input | com.iflytek.inputmethod | Yes (may require root) |
| Xiaomi Chinese IME | com.miui.mishare.inputmethod | No (systemic) |
Install ADB drivers on PC
Enable debugging over USB on your phone
Download the ADB platform (e.g. Minimal ADB)
Check the connection of the adb device team
Make a backup copy of the data-->
3. Use of applications for freezing (without root)
If deleting via ADB seems difficult, you can "freeze" the Chinese keyboard with special utilities. Popular applications for this are: App Quarantine, Bloatware Remover or Package Disabler.
These programs don't delete applications completely, they only block them, which is safer for the system. Once you install one of the applications, look for the Chinese keyboard and select the "Disable" or "Freeze" option.
The main advantage of this method is the ability to quickly return the keyboard if you need one, but some utilities require a purchase to unlock all the functions.
Note that after the MIUI update, frozen applications may be activated again, in which case the procedure will have to be repeated.
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Before using freeze apps, check reviews about them on Google Play – some utilities may contain ads or collect data.
4. Complete removal through root rights
For power users who are ready to root, there is a radical way to remove the system packages completely, which will permanently eliminate the Chinese keyboard, but requires caution.
Get root first with Magisk or a similar tool, then install a root-enabled file manager (like Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
Go to /system/app/ or /system/priv-app/ and find folders with the names of Chinese keyboards (e.g. BaiduIME or SogouIME). Delete these folders or rename them by adding.bak at the end.
⚠️ Note: Deleting system files may make it impossible to boot the device.Always back up through TWRP If the phone doesn't turn on after deleting, restore deleted files through recovery.
After removal, clear the cache in Settings → Applications → Application Management → All applications, find the remains of the Chinese keyboard and click Clear the cache and Clear the data.
What to do if after removing the keyboard missing the text entry?
5.Reflashing to a clean global version of MIUI
If all previous methods failed, the radical solution is to reflash the phone to the official global version of MIUI, which will completely remove all Chinese components, but require a factory reset.
Download the latest stable firmware for Poco X3 (codename surya) from Xiaomi's official website. Use the Mi Flash Tool for firmware in Clean All mode, which completely clears the data partition.
Firmware process:
- Unpack the downloaded archive with firmware
- Launch the Mi Flash Tool on behalf of the administrator
- Connect your phone to Fastboot (Plug Power + Vol Down)
- Select a folder with firmware and press Refresh
- Select Clean All mode and start the firmware
Once flashed, the phone will be like new, without any trace of Chinese apps, but this method requires skill and can lead to data loss if done incorrectly.
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Firmware is the most reliable way to get rid of Chinese software, but it is only suitable for advanced users. For beginners, it is better to use methods without root.
Alternative solutions and prevention
If you don’t want to mess around with settings, you can simply ignore the Chinese keyboard by installing an alternative. Google’s Gboard or Microsoft’s SwiftKey offer the best type experience and don’t contain ads.
To prevent the reappearance of Chinese keyboards:
- 🔒 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play
- 📥 Install firmware only from official sources
- 🛡️ Use firewalls like NetGuard to block suspicious connections
- 🔍 Regularly check the list of installed applications in Settings → Annexes
If you buy Xiaomi Poco X3 hand-held, check for Chinese apps before paying. ask the seller to show Settings → Apps and a list of keyboards.
For users who often face similar problems, it makes sense to consider custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience, which lack Chinese software but require unlocking the bootloader and may deprive some of the features of MIUI.