Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the need to quickly change the input language or completely replace the keyboard application. The standard shell of MIUI and its successor HyperOS offer flexible settings, but they are scattered across different menus, which can cause confusion among beginners. The correct configuration of text input is not just convenient, but the key to high speed communication in instant messengers and productive work with documents.
In this article, we will take a look at all the keyboard management techniques on Xiaomi devices, learn how to add a new language, set up a click-through to space, and install a third-party keyboard if the standard one doesn’t suit you, and explore hidden features and methods to fix common errors when the keyboard stops switching or disappears from the screen.
The instructions are relevant for most modern models running current versions of Android and branded shells. Whether you are using a budget Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi 14, the principles of customization remain similar, although the names of some items may differ slightly.
The most frequent user request is for language change directly during typing. The Android operating system installed on Xiaomi has several ways to perform this operation without going into deep system settings. The standard and fastest method is to use the space.
If you have multiple languages connected, clicking on the space instantly changes the layout, but if you have many languages or you prefer swipes, you can use a special Globe icon, which is usually located at the bottom of the keyboard, to the left or right of the space, and allows you to select the desired language from the pop-up list.
⚠️ Note: If the swipe space does not change the language, but only prints characters, then the settings activated the function "space to enter", and switching should be done only through the globe button or a long tap on the space.
For users who prefer gesture control, swipe down the space key is available, which speeds up the printing process, since it does not require moving your finger to the extreme areas of the screen, and to activate this feature, you need to go to the current keyboard settings and find the item associated with gestures or space management.
- 🌍 Click on the globe icon to select from the list of available languages.
- ⌨️ Tap the space once if you have set up a quick switch between two languages.
- 👆 Swipe down the space for instant change of layout (requires activation).
- 🔄 Click the space to see the language selection menu and input settings.
Adding and removing languages in system settings
Before switching layout, you need to make sure that the desired language is added to the system. On Xiaomi smartphones, managing centralized input languages in the settings menu. Often users forget to add a second language, trying to find it on the keyboard, which leads to a mistaken opinion of the malfunction of the device.
The language addition process is universal for all versions of MIUI. You need to open your smartphone settings, find the "Additional Settings" or "System" section, and then go to "Language and input" and here you will see a list of all active keyboards and available languages.
📊 What type of input language do you use most often?
Russian
English
Chinese
Other
In the list of Languages that opens, you'll see checkboxes opposite each language. To add a new one, just tick the box against the correct one. To delete, uncheck it. The system will automatically update the list of available layouts on the virtual keyboard.
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Language and input.
- 🇷🇺 Select “Keyboard Management” or “Current Keyboard».
- ✅ Click on “Languages” and tick the required languages.
- ❌ Remove the box from the unwanted language to remove it from the list.
Setting up the standard Gboard keyboard on Xiaomi
The vast majority of Xiaomi smartphones use Google’s Gboard, a keyboard that is considered a benchmark for stability and functionality. Gboard’s deep customization allows you to customize text input to your individual habits, including key height, vibration and design themes.
You can use the system menu or special combinations to access the advanced Gboard settings. In the keyboard settings, you can turn on the “getting stuck Keyboard” mode, which allows you to move the input panel to anywhere on the screen, which is especially convenient on devices with large diagonals.
Gboard's Hidden Features
Gboard has a one-handed Print mode that shifts the keyboard to the right or left and reduces its size, activated by long-term clicking on the settings icon or the globe.> One of the useful features is translating text on the fly. Gboard can translate entries immediately, without having to copy them to a translator. It's an indispensable feature for communicating with foreigners. You can also have dictation of text that works even without the Internet with pre-loaded data packets. → System system → Language and input → Virtual keyboard → Gboard has autocorrect, predictive input, and even your own word dictionary on it. If Gboard doesn't work properly, the same section also has a data cleanup option that returns the keyboard to factory settings without deleting your phone's personal files. If standard solutions don’t suit you, the Android ecosystem makes it easy to install an alternative keyboard. Popular options include Yandex Keyboard, SwiftKey or Chrooma. They offer unique themes, improved autocorrector and additional gestures. Once you download the app from Google Play or GetApps, the system does not automatically activate it for security reasons. This is standard procedure for all Android smartphones, including Xiaomi. ☑️ Activation of third-party keyboard Download application from the store:Open phone settings:Allow use:Select by default: 0 / 1 The activation process requires attention. First, you give permission in the Language and Input menu, and then you choose the new keyboard as the default input method. After that, any call of the input field will appear a new panel. 📥 Download and install the keyboard application from the official store. ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Language and input. 🔓 Turn on the switch opposite the name of the new application in the section "Keyboard management». ✅ Click on “Current Keyboard” and select the installed application from the list. ⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party keyboards, read permission requests carefully. The keyboard has access to everything you type, including passwords. Use only verified applications from known developers. Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the keyboard stops responding to language switching commands or disappears altogether. This can be caused by a software failure, cache overflow or update conflict. Most often, the problem is solved by simply restarting the device. If the reboot did not help, it is worth checking the display settings. In some design themes for MIUI, fonts or element sizes can be changed so that the language switch button becomes invisible or non-clickable. Return the standard theme to check this. Problem Posssible reason The keyboard solution method does not appear The input process Reboot smartphone Does not change the language Only Add a second language in the printing settings Delays Cache Clear the cache of the keyboard applications, the problem Is not a problem The keyboard symbol in the special mode can not be disturbed. Check if one-handed control mode is enabled in an extreme position that covers part of the screen.Using voice and handwriting Modern keyboards on Xiaomi offer alternative input methods that can be faster than fingerprinting. Voice input is particularly effective for typing long messages or dictating notes. It's available directly from the Gboard keyboard via a microphone icon. Handwriting is useful when you need to type in a rare character, a proper name with unusual spelling, or when your fingers are busy. In Gboard, you can switch to handwriting by adding the appropriate language or selecting it from the language menu. 💡Voice input on Xiaomi works offline for major languages if you preload language packs in Google settings. To activate handwriting, you need to go to the Gboard language settings and turn on the "Manual Input" option, and then the appropriate icon will appear in the list of available methods. Recognition accuracy depends on handwriting, but the system learns over time. 🎤 Click on the microphone to activate voice typing. ✍️ Select handwriting to write characters with a stylus or finger. 🗣️ Voice input supports punctuation by voice commands (“communal”, “point»). 📝 Handwriting allows you to type text in a continuous stream without a finger being removed. How do you reset your keyboard to factory settings? To reset your keyboard settings, go to Settings. → Annexes → All apps, find your keyboard (like Gboard), click Memory and select Clear Data.This will return all settings to their original state, but won't delete dictionaries if they're synced to your account. Why does the keyboard suggest the wrong words? The keyboard learns based on your input history. If it starts offering incorrect words, maybe there's a dictionary that has accumulated errors, clear the history of the input in the keyboard settings, or reset the personal dictionary to fix the problem. Can I resize the keyboard on Xiaomi? Yes, there is a "Settings" item in the Gboard settings» → «Preferences» → «Keyboard height. You can choose from five sizes, 80 to 120% of the standard size, to adapt the keyboard to the screen size and user experience.