Many Xiaomi smartphone users face the annoying situation of typing words automatically replaced by others, and numbers turn into characters or emojis. This is the classic work of the predictive input function, which is still commonly called the T9. On modern devices such as the Redmi 8 Pro, it is not the old input system that is responsible for this, but the Gboard keyboard or the standard MIUI Keyboard, the settings of which are sometimes confused or activated by default after a system update.
The problem is particularly uncomfortable when you have to send a message or enter a password quickly, and the phone stubbornly offers its own spelling options. Autocorrection can be useful when typing long sentences, but becomes a real enemy when entering specific terms, nicknames or codes. Understanding where these settings hide will help you regain full control of text input and get rid of constant edits.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible ways to deactivate intrusive input functions. We will consider not only standard paths through the settings menu, but also hidden parameters that can affect the behavior of the keyboard in various applications. Redmi 8 Pro has a sufficiently flexible MIUI shell that allows you to fine-tune the behavior of the virtual keyboard to the personal preferences of each owner.
Difference Between T9, Autocorrection and Auto Replacement
Before you start changing your settings, it’s important to understand the terminology, because the Xiaomi menu separates these functions. What users are used to calling the T9 is actually a set of technologies: predictive dialing, autocorrection and auto-replacement. Predictive input tries to guess the word from the first letters, suggesting options over the keyboard. Auto-replacement instantly changes the entered word to another without user confirmation, which often causes the anger of smartphone owners.
Autocorrection works softer: it highlights words with a red line if it thinks they're written with an error, and replaces them only after pressing the space. Predictive input just shows the hints, but doesn't change the text itself. The confusion arises from the fact that in older button phones all these functions were combined into one called T9 Text Input. In Android and the MIUI shell, a separate switch is responsible for each aspect.
These features on the Redmi 8 Pro often work incorrectly due to Russian language or dictionary settings. Sometimes the system can aggressively correct slang or professional terms. Therefore, it is not enough to simply turn off T9 for comfortable work, you need to configure each aspect of the input separately to find a balance between print speed and accuracy.
- 📱 Predictive input – suggests variants of words, but does not change the text arbitrarily.
- ✍️ Autocorrection – corrects obvious typos when you press the space.
- 🔄 Auto-replacement – Changes one word for another instantly, often causing errors.
Disable functions through Gboard settings
Most global versions of Redmi 8 Pro have Google's Gboard keyboard installed by default, the most advanced input tool that has its own system-independent settings. To access predictive input management, you need to open any application that requires text and call the keyboard. In the top toolbar, right above the rows of letters, there's a gear icon or the G logo.
You click on the settings, you'll be taken to the keyboard control menu, and we're interested in the "Text input" or "Settings" section. This is where all the switches that control the intelligent behavior of the keyboard are concentrated. Autocorrection and AutoReplacement are two different items, and you need to disable them separately. If you want to completely remove the system interference, both sliders must be inactive.
It's worth noting that once you turn off these features, the keyboard will stop emphasizing words in red and offering fixes, which can lead to more typos if you're printing fast, but will give you complete freedom in your choice of words. For users who often use Redmi 8 Pro for code or specific data, this is the best option.
In some cases, the changes don't take effect immediately. If the keyboard continues to behave strangely after switching the sliders, try closing the application you typed in through the menu of running tasks, and then opening it again, which will restart the input process and apply new Gboard configurations.
Settings of the standard MIUI keyboard
In some regions or on the Chinese versions of the firmware Redmi 8 Pro can use the native keyboard MIUI. Its logic is different from Gboard, although they have the same purpose. To access the settings, you need to go to the general menu of the phone settings. Find the section "Additional" or "Extended settings", where usually hides the item "Language and input".
Here you will see a list of all available input methods. Select "Keyboard Management" or immediately go to the settings of the active keyboard MIUI. The interface may vary depending on the version of the Android shell, but the key elements remain the same. You need to find the section responsible for text correction or "Smart input".
Within this menu, you often find word replacement, which works similarly to the aggressive auto-replacement in Gboard. You should also pay attention to the text prediction setting. Disabling these settings will make the keyboard "stupid" in the good sense of the word: it will only type what you click, ignoring the context and frequency of words.
⚠️ Note: When using a standard keyboard MIUI Disabling text prediction can also remove the emoji and sticker panel, as they are often integrated into the prediction bar.
If you can't find the right switches in your phone's menu, try calling the keyboard in the input field, pressing the comma or the space button. On some versions of MIUI, this action opens up a quick menu where you can turn off autocorrection or change the language layout with a single touch, which sometimes solves the problem of erroneous input.
Removing the problem of replacing numbers and symbols
A separate category of problems on the Redmi 8 Pro is that when you type in numbers or special characters, the keyboard offers strange substitutions "👍", or the semicolon is replaced by a smiley face, which is caused by an activated character replacement function or the use of specific dictionaries.
To fix this, you need to go back to the active keyboard settings (Gboard or MIUI) and find the Dictionary or Personal Dictionary section, which stores all user and system substitution pairs. View the list and delete those entries that prevent you from typing numbers or punctuation marks. Often these entries are created by accident with a long press on the key in the past.
The problem can also be in connected third-party dictionaries. In the keyboard language settings, check if a specific package, such as Slang or Game Dictionary, is loaded, which may have its own auto-replacement rules. Disabling extra language packs often returns standard character behavior.
☑️ Checking input settings
If the problem is only in one particular application, such as a messenger or game, check the settings of the application itself. Some programs have built-in filters or their own keyboard add-ons, which may conflict with the Redmi 8 Pro system settings.
Resetting keyboard settings and data cleaning
In situations where simple switches don't help and the keyboard continues to behave inappropriately, it may be necessary to completely reset its settings to factory status. This won't delete your personal files or contacts, but will return all input parameters, including dictionaries and learning history, to their original state. This is an effective way to solve software glitches.
To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find your keyboard (like Gboard) in the list. Click on it and select Memory. Here you need a button to "Clear" or "Reset settings." Careful: don't confuse this with uninstalling the application, although the system keyboard is difficult to remove.
Once reset, the system may ask you to re-authorize the network to update dictionaries, or to re-select the input language, which is normal, and once you do that, predictive input will start learning again based on your current type of printing, which often eliminates the accumulated algorithm errors.
| Action. | Impact on data | Need for a reset |
|---|---|---|
| Slider shutdown | Data is retained | Not required |
| Clearing the cache | Temporary files are deleted | Recommended |
| Resetting the application settings | Dictionaries and history are erased | Preferably. |
| Removal of updates | Return to the factory version | I'll be sure. |
⚠️ Warning: Resetting your keyboard will remove all the words you have added to your personal dictionary manually, as well as the statistics of frequently used words.
Using third-party keyboards as an alternative
If Xiaomi and Gboard’s regular tools don’t suit you with their intrusiveness or complexity of settings, the best solution is to install a third-party keyboard. Google Play Store offers dozens of options where T9 functions are managed more transparently and conveniently for the user.
One of the most popular alternatives is the Yandex Keyboard or SwiftKey, which has powerful prediction algorithms, but they have very simple and easy-to-understand switches to turn off all "smart" functions, which takes a couple of minutes to install, and the initial setup process is intuitive even for beginners.