How to change the keyboard from English to Russian on the phone Xiaomi: all ways

You've just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone or upgraded your firmware, but the keyboard is stubbornly in English? This problem is familiar to many brand users — especially owners of Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 or Mi 11 models, where language settings are sometimes reset after updates. In 80% of cases, the solution takes less than a minute, but requires knowledge of the nuances of MIUI.

In this article, you will find 5 proven ways to switch layouts, from basic Russian language addition to keyboard resets in extreme cases. We will discuss the features of the standard Gboard (from Google) and the branded Mi Keyboard, and explain why sometimes Russian disappears after updates. All instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 and work on 99% of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices.

⚠️ Important: If you use a third-party keyboard (like SwiftKey or Fleksy), first check the settings of this particular application - the algorithm may differ from the standard one.

1. Basic method: adding Russian in keyboard settings

The fastest method, which works 90% of the time, is for both the Gboard and Mi Keyboard.

1. Open any field to enter text (such as notes or WhatsApp message).
2. Touch the gear badge (⚙️) or those dots (⋮) on the keyboard to open its settings.
3. Select Languages (or Languages in English).
4. Click Add keyboard and find Russian in the list.
5. Choose the layout you want: it is usually Russian (Russia) or Russian (QWERTY).

After adding the language, you can switch between layouts:

• 🔄 Swipe your finger across the space (in Gboard).
• 🌐 Clicking on the globe icon (in Mi Keyboard).
• 🔤 Holding the key to change the language (if it is displayed).

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⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) After adding the language, you need to restart the phone to make the changes take effect. If Russian does not appear immediately, restart the device.

System language setting: why it affects the keyboard

Sometimes the problem is not the keyboard itself, but the system settings of the language. If MIUI chooses English as its primary language, some functions (including layouts) may be blocked. Here's how to fix this:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Language and input (Settings) → Additional settings → Languages & input).
2. Choose a language and region (Language & region).
3. Make sure that Russian is on the list of priority languages. If it's not, add it.
4. Drag Russian to the top of the list (this will make it the top one).

After changing the system language:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone – this will update the settings of all applications, including the keyboard.
• 📱 Check if the settings in messengers (for example, in Telegram or Telegram) have reset. VK You may need to re-enter the language).

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3. Reset keyboard settings to factory

If you add Russian layout, but you keep the keyboard on, resetting will help, and it will bring all the settings back to the factory, including the languages and dictionaries.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Gboard or Mi Keyboard (depending on the keyboard used).
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After discharge:

• 🔄 You will need to add all the languages (including Russian) again).
• 📚 Autocomplete dictionaries and input history will be removed.
• ⚡ Temporary lags are possible at the first start of the keyboard.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 13 and below, resetting the keyboard can cause the language* to disappear from its settings, in which case only reinstalling the keyboard through the Play Market will help.

4.Reinstall the keyboard through the Play Market

If standard methods don’t work, try removing and re-installing the keyboard, which is true for Gboard (it can be removed) and partly for Mi Keyboard (it can only be updated).

For Gboard:

1. Open the Play Market and find Gboard.
2. Click Delete, then confirm.
3. Install the keyboard again and add Russian.

For Mi Keyboard:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer Mode.
4. Find the Mi Keyboard Reset and confirm.

💡

If you reset the keyboard in English, check the Google Assistant settings, sometimes force the system language to geolocate, and turn it off in the Assistant settings.

5. Features for models with global and Chinese firmware

Xiaomi users on Chinese firmware (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra for the domestic market) often find that Russian is not on the default layout list. This is not a mistake - this is how MIUI works for China.

• 🌍 Install global firmware via Fastboot (requires unlocking the bootloader).
• 📲 Use a third-party keyboard (such as SwiftKey or AnySoftKeyboard) where Russian is the default keyboard.
• 🔧 Root the device and manually add language packs (a risky method for beginners).

For global firmware (for example, on POCO X4 Pro or Redmi Note 11), Russian should be available by default.

1. Check the region in settings: Settings → About phone → The region should be Russia or Ukraine.
2. Update the firmware through Settings → Software update.
3. If the problem remains, reset to factory settings (pre-return!).

6.Problems after MIUI update: why Russian disappears

Many users complain that after updating MIUI 14 → MIUI 15 or even small patches, the keyboard is reset in English.

• 🔄 Incomplete update installation – keyboard system files have not been updated.
• 📦 Cache conflict – old data interferes with the new version.
• 🚫 Google's restrictions on some models (e.g. Redmi) A1) Google blocks non-English layouts by default.

How to return Russian after updating:

1. Clear the keyboard cache: Settings → Apps → Gboard/Mi Keyboard → Cash → Clear.
2. Restart your phone in Safe Mode (hold the power button → Safe Mode) and check the keyboard – if it works, the problem is in third-party software.
3. Reverse to the previous version of MIUI via Recovery (power users only!).

💡

If you have a problem with Russian immediately after the update, don’t rush to reset your phone. First, try clearing the keyboard cache and restarting the device, which helps 70% of the time.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing layout to Xiaomi