How to change the keyboard layout on the Xiaomi phone: all ways and life hacks

Changing the layout on Xiaomi smartphones seems like an easy task, but many users face unexpected difficulties. MIUI, If you lose the language, you get the system to keep getting the English layout back, and in this article, we're going to look at all the actual ways to change the layout, from standard settings to hidden firmware functions.

We will focus on the problems that arise on different models: why at Poco X5 The swipe gesture doesn't work, how to return the Russian layout after resetting on the Redmi Note 12, and what to do if the keyboard automatically switches to Chinese (relevant for devices purchased in Asia). MIUI and instructions for alternative keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey.

If you just bought a Xiaomi smartphone or faced a problem after the update – this article will help you to understand without unnecessary experiments. MIUI 15 inclusive) and took into account the features of regional versions of devices.

1. Standard method: change layout through keyboard settings

The basic method works on all Xiaomi smartphones regardless of model – whether it is the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra or budget Redmi. A2. The main condition: you must have a standard keyboard installed MIUI (It is called Xiaomi Keyboard or Mi Keyboard).

To change the layout:

1. Open any application where you can type text (such as Notes or Messages).
2. Tap the input field and the keyboard will appear.
3. Press the gear icon (⚙️) keyboard.
4. Select Languages and Entering → Language management.
5. Activate the languages you want by dragging them to the Included Languages section.

After that, the layout will switch:

• 🔄 Swipe by space (left/right) - the fastest way.
• 🌐 Clicking on the globe badge (🌍) near-space.
• 🔤 Retention of key 123 (digits) → language.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for the European region) the Globe icon may not be available, in which case swipe over the space or hold the key 123.

If the language you want is not on the list, click Add languages and select it from the suggested ones. For rare languages (for example, Ukrainian or Kazakh), you may need to download an additional package - the system will prompt you to do this automatically.

2. Quick switching of the layout by gestures (for MIUI 13 and newer)

In the latest versions MIUI Now you can switch the layout without pressing the screen, using gestures, which only works on a standard Xiaomi keyboard and requires you to pre-set up.

How to turn on:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Language and input.
2. Choose the Xiaomi Keyboard → Keyboard settings.
3. Go to Gestures. → Language switching.
4. Activate the swipe option up/down on the space key.

Now you can:

• 👆 Swipe up the space – switch to the next language.
• 👇 Swipe down the gap - go back to the previous one.

This method is particularly convenient for Poco. F5 And other models with big screens, where it's not always convenient to reach the globe icon, MIUI 14 for India) gesture may conflict with other keyboard features.

Make sure that the standard keyboard is enabled MIUI|Activate gestures in the keyboard settings|Check if the swipe is in conflict with other functions (such as dragging the cursor)|Restart your phone if the gesture doesn’t work.-->

3. problems with layout after the update MIUI: do?

Many users complain that after updating to MIUI 15 or MIUI 14, the layout starts to spontaneously change, languages disappear, or the keyboard stops switching, and this is due to firmware bugs or resetting:

Method 1: Resetting keyboard settings

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Xiaomi Keyboard and open its settings.
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Reboot your phone and reset the layout.

Method 2: Removal of the system cache

If resetting the keyboard did not help, try clearing the system cache:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI version several times until you get a message: You are a developer!
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find the item Clear the cache MIUI and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 with global firmware), the theme may reset after cleaning the cache. → My subjects.

Method 3: Manual language addition through system settings

If the tongue is lost after each switch:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Language and input.
2. Select Languages → Add tongue.
3. Find the language you want (such as Russian) and add it to the list.
4. Go back to the keyboard settings and activate the language again.

4. Alternative keyboards: Gboard, SwiftKey and others

If the standard Xiaomi keyboard does not suit you (for example, due to bugs or lack of necessary functions), you can install a third-party.

• 📱 Gboard (Google) – supports swipe and voice input, automatically adjusts to the style MIUI.
• ⚡ SwiftKey (Microsoft) – Best word prediction and synchronization between devices.
• 🎨 Fleksy – Minimalist design and gestures for editing.

How to install and configure Gboard:

1. Download Gboard from Google Play.
2. Open any text field and call the keyboard.
3. Click on the keyboard icon in the lower right corner and select Gboard.
4. In Gboard settings, go to Languages → Add the keyboard and select the desired layouts.

The advantages of Gboard over a standard keyboard MIUI:

⚠️ Note: On devices without Google services (e.g. Xiaomi for China), Gboard may not be installed. In this case, use SwiftKey or Fleksy from alternative stores like APKMirror.

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If the keyboard does not appear after installing Gboard, go to Settings → Language and input → Current keyboard and manually select Gboard.

5. Hidden keyboard functions MIUI: you didn't know?

Xiaomi's standard keyboard hides a few useful features that many people don't know about.

Simultaneous bilingual input

You can configure the keyboard so that it offers words in two languages at once (for example, Russian). + English. That's what it's all about:

1. Open the MIUI keyboard settings.
2. Go to Multilingual Input.
3. Activate the option and select a pair of languages.

2. Personal dictionary

If the keyboard persistently corrects your unique words (like nicknames or terms), add them to the dictionary:

1. In the keyboard settings, select the Personal Dictionary.
2. Click Add and enter the word in the desired language.

3. One-hand mode

For larger smartphones (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), you can turn on the compact mode:

1. In the keyboard settings, find the layout and the entrance.
2. Choose one hand mode (left or right).

4. Quick answers

You can save message templates (e.g., “I’m on the way” or “I’ll be back later”) and paste them in one tap:

1. Open Quick Answers in the keyboard settings.
2. Add a new template and assign it a short trigger word (e.g., “into”).
3. Now, when you type this word, the keyboard will offer a template.

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Standard keyboard MIUI It supports up to 5 simultaneous active layouts. If you need more, use Gboard or SwiftKey.

6. Solving specific layout problems

Some errors are only found on certain models or firmware, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

Problem 1: The keyboard doesn’t switch to Redmi with global firmware

Some Redmi Notes 10/11 post-update MIUI 14 The swipe stops working on the space:

• Remove Keyboard Update via Settings → Annexes → Keyboard Xiaomi → Remove updates.
• Clear the cache and keyboard data (see Section 3).
• If it doesn’t work, install Gboard.

Issue 2: Automatic Chinese Switch (for Asian devices)

Xiaomi, which is bought in China, often has a "protection" against changing the language, to remove the Chinese layout:

1. Remove Chinese from system settings (Settings) → Language and region).
2. Install Russian as the main language of the system.
3. In the keyboard settings, turn off the option Automatic Switch by Context.

Problem 3: No Globe icon on keyboard

On some firmware (e.g, MIUI 13 for Poco X3) Language switching icon may not be available:

• Use the swipe on the space (left / right).
• Hold the key 123 to select the language.
• If nothing works, reset your keyboard settings (see Section 3).

Problem 4: The layout is reset after rebooting

It's a bug of some versions. MIUI 14. Helping:

1. Turn off battery optimization for keyboard: Settings → Annexes → Keyboard Xiaomi → Battery → No restrictions.
2. Install an alternative keyboard (e.g. SwiftKey).

7. How to change the layout on Poco Launcher and other shells

Poco line devices (e.g. Poco) X5 Pro or Poco F4) They use their own Poco Launcher shell, but the keyboard is the same — MIUI. But there are nuances:

Features of Poco:

• 🔄 A swipe gesture on the space may conflict with Poco Launcher gestures (e.g. swipe up to open menus).
• 🎨 In Poco themes, the Globe icon can be hidden - use retention 123.
• ⚡ Poco Launcher has a separate Gestures section where you can turn off conflicting combinations.

How to set up the keyboard on Poco:

1. Open Poco Settings → System settings → Language and input.
2. Select the Xiaomi Keyboard and set up the languages as described in the first section.
3. If gestures don’t work, turn off conflicting gestures in Poco Settings. → Gestures.

For Black Shark (Xiaomi gaming smartphones), the process is similar, but in the settings there is an additional section Game features where you can turn off the interception of keyboard gestures during the game.

8.Reset to factory settings: a last resort

If none of these methods worked, and the layout still doesn't switch, you're left with the phone resetting to factory settings, which is a radical solution, but it's guaranteed to bring the keyboard back to working order.

How to reset your settings without losing data:

1. Make a backup copy: Settings → The phone. → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → Resetting settings.
3. Select Reset Settings (do not delete all data!).
4. Confirm the action – the phone will restart, but the files and applications will remain.

Complete reset (if nothing helps):

⚠️ Warning: This method will remove all data from your phone, including photos, messages and apps.

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Delete all data.
3. Enter your password (if required) and confirm.
4. After restarting, reset the phone by selecting the language you want at the initial setup stage.

Once reset, the keyboard will go back to factory settings, and you can configure it from scratch, and if there was a problem with the system failure, this method will help 99% of the time.

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Before reset, check if your Mi Account is linked to your phone. After the reset, you may need to enter your username and password to unlock (Mi Account protection).

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing layout to Xiaomi