How to switch keyboard from English to Russian to Xiaomi Redmi: all ways

The problem with switching the keyboard layout to Xiaomi Redmi is familiar to many users, whether by accident you pressed the wrong button, or after the MIUI update you lost the settings, and as a result, Latin characters are printed instead of the usual Russian letters. The situation is aggravated by the fact that different Redmi models (be it Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10 or POCO X5) the interface of settings may be slightly different. But don’t worry: in this article we will analyze all the current ways of changing the input language, including hidden MIUI chips, which are not written in the official instructions.

Xiaomi's smartphone features are the Mi Keyboard (or Gboard if you installed it separately), which is what makes you want to switch, and we'll look at both options, and we'll also talk about what to do if the input language is gone from the list of available languages or if the keyboard is no longer responsive to the switch. Spoiler: 90% of the time, the problem is solved in 30 seconds without rebooting the phone.

Before you start, make sure your Redmi has the latest firmware installed. In older versions of MIUI (below 12.5), the keyboard settings menu may look different. If you are not sure about the version, check Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

1. Method: Quick switching of layout on the keyboard screen

The most obvious, but often ignored, method is to use a built-in language change button right on the keyboard, which is available in both the Mi Keyboard and Gboard, but looks different.

On the Mi Keyboard (a standard Xiaomi keyboard), the language switching icon looks like a globe (🌐) And it's in the bottom row to the left of the space, and on Gboard it can be either the same globe or an acronym for the current language (e.g., the current language, RU or EN). Press this button once – the layout will change instantly.

If no button:

• 🔍 Check if it is hidden under the menu of additional characters (button?123 or?123). ≡).
• 📱 Keep your finger open – in some versions MIUI It triggers a language change menu.
• 🔄 Reboot the keyboard: Close all applications and reopen any field to enter text.

⚠️ Note: If the layout does not change after clicking on the globe, then only one language is included in the keyboard settings).

2. Method: Adding Russian in keyboard settings

If you don't have a quick switch or the language is not on the list, you'll have to go to the settings. Mi Keyboard and Gboard will have different paths.

For the Mi Keyboard (Xiaomi's built-in keyboard):

1. Open Settings → Additional → Language and Enter → Current Keyboard.
2. Slip on the Mi Keyboard (or Xiaomi Keyboard).
3. Select the Input Languages and turn on the switch opposite Russian.
4. Go back and make sure that Russian is the first language on the list of active languages.

For Gboard:

1. Go to Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual Keyboard → Gboard.
2. Select Languages → Add a keyboard.
3. Find Russian in the list and add it.
4. Return to Languages and drag Russian to the top (holding the icon) ⋮).

After adding the language, try switching again with the button. 🌐 If the Russian never appears, check if it's disabled in Settings. → Language and region (see next section).

Method: System language setting (if Russian is not listed)

Sometimes the problem goes deeper: Russian can be disabled at the system level, this happens after resetting, updating MIUI or if the phone was bought abroad, in which case you first need to add it to the general settings of Xiaomi Redmi.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Language and Region.
2. Add a language (or region if the language is already added but is inactive).
3. Find Russian (Russia) and select it.
4. Confirm the change if the system asks to restart the phone.

Then go back to the keyboard settings (section 2) and try adding Russian again. If the language still doesn't appear, you may have a modified firmware installed on your Redmi model (e.g., Global ROM without Cyrillic support), in which case only flashing or installing a third-party keyboard will help.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models for China (marked) CN In the name of the firmware, Russian may not be available in principle. MIUI In Settings → If it says China, you'll have to install Global. ROM or use the Gboard.

4. Method: Using gestures to change the layout

Few people know, but the Mi Keyboard has a hidden gesture-switching feature that works even if you have a button. 🌐 not displayed on screen.

How to turn on:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Language and Enter → Mi Keyboard → More
2. Find the Gesture to Switch Languages (or Swipe to Change Language) option.
3. Turn on the switch and select the swipe direction (usually left to right).

Now, to change the layout, just swipe the space in the specified direction, this method is especially convenient for users with small screens (for example, Redmi 9A or Redmi 7), where the keyboard buttons are too tight.

For Gboard, a similar feature is called a gesture to switch and is located in Settings → Gboard → Keyboard settings → Gestures. You can select a swipe by space or by deletion button.

💡

If the gestures don't work, try calibrating the touchscreen: Settings → Display → Screen calibration. Sometimes, gesture recognition failures are due to screen contamination or protective film.

5. Installation of a third-party keyboard (if nothing helps)

If the built-in methods don't work, the radical way is to install an alternative keyboard from Google Play.

• 📱 Gboard (from Google) – supports gestures, voice input and themes.
• ⚡ SwiftKey (from Microsoft) – convenient word prediction and synchronization between devices.
• 🎨 Chroom – minimalist design and quick change of layouts.

Installation instructions:

1. Download the keyboard from Google Play (such as Gboard).
2. After installation, open any field to enter text (such as notes).
3. Slip the keyboard icon in the bottom notification bar and select a new keyboard.
4. Follow the customization tips (usually allow access and select languages).

Third-party keyboards often offer more options for switching layouts, including:

• 🔄 Hot keys (e.g., Ctrl)+PC-mode gap).
• 📌 Frequently used languages in the top panel.
• 🎵 Voice input with automatic language recognition.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party keyboards, Xiaomi Redmi may issue a security alert (“Keyboard may collect data”). This is the standard Android message for all third-party applications with input access. If the keyboard is downloaded from the official store, there are no risks.

6. Problem Solving: The layout is lost or not saved

Sometimes users are faced with the keyboard language being reset into English after rebooting or locking the screen, a typical MIUI problem, and here's how to fix it:

Reason 1: Optimization of the battery

MIUI aggressively closes the background processes, including keyboard settings, to fix this:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Mi Keyboard or Gboard and tap it.
3. Select Battery Limitation → No restrictions.
4. Also enable AutoRun and Secondary Running (if any).

Reason 2: Cache failure

Cleaning the keyboard cache often solves the problem with the stray settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Choose the Mi Keyboard or Gboard.
3. Press Memory. → Clear the cache.
4. Reboot the phone.

Reason 3: Conflict with the subject of design

Some MIUI themes change the look of the keyboard, but they also confuse the settings.

• 🎨 Back to the standard theme: Settings → Display. → Theme → default.
• 🔄 Reinstall the keyboard (for Gboard: remove and re-download from the Play Market).

7. Features for different Xiaomi Redmi models

Despite the common MIUI platform, keyboard settings may vary depending on the model and firmware version, and here are the key nuances for popular devices:

Redmi Note 11/12/13, POCO X4/X5

These models use MIUI 13/14 with the updated Mi Keyboard, where the language change button can be hidden behind a long tap over the space, and the keyboard settings have a section called Intelligent Input, where you can set up automatic layout switching on the first letters of a word.

Redmi 10/9/8, POCO M3/M4

On budget models with MIUI 12 and below, the keyboard settings menu is simplified. To add Russian, you may need to first download the language package to Settings → Additional → Language and Enter → Language Download.

Redmi K50/K60, Black Shark

Flagship models often come with Global ROM, where Russian is already preinstalled. If not, check the region in Settings → Language and Region – it should be Russia or Ukraine (for Cyrillic).

Redmi for China (CN ROM)

On devices with Chinese firmware (CN in MIUI version), Russian is not available by default.

• 📲 Install Gboard or other third-party keyboard.
• 🔧 Refuse the phone to Global ROM (requires unlocking the loader).
• 🌍 Use keyboard-translating applications (e.g. Yandex.Keyboard).

💡

In the models with NFC (For example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) The keyboard reset can happen after payment is made using contactless technology. MIUI — Helps to reboot the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the layout to Xiaomi Redmi