How to change the keyboard language on Xiaomi: a detailed guide

Changing the input language on a smartphone is a basic but critical feature for millions of users who are texting in multiple languages or learning foreign words. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often find that after updating the system or buying a new gadget, the keyboard stops switching in the usual way, or the necessary language packages disappear from the list of available options.

Making matters worse, the MIUI shell and its successor HyperOS have their own system font management and input methods that differ from pure Android, which not only allows you to return the missing layout, but also significantly improve the speed of typing by activating voice input or error correction.

Basic principles of switching layout on Android

Before you get into the complex settings, you need to understand the standard mechanisms laid down by the developers of the operating system. In the Android environment, the default switch between active languages is either through a special key with the image of the globe on the keyboard itself, or through a long space tap. However, on Xiaomi smartphones, these actions may not work if the corresponding languages were not previously added to the system list.

Users often confuse the interface language (phone menu) with the text input language. These are two independent parameters: you can have a Russian menu, but type in English, Chinese or Arabic if you set the input method correctly. It is important to understand that adding a language to the system does not mean automatically activating it for printing - this step is often overlooked.

To activate a new language, you have to go through the system settings, find the partition responsible for language and input, and manually enable the desired package, without this action, even if you have the keyboard installed, switching will not be possible.

• 🌍 Standard switching occurs by swipe over the space or the globe button.
• ⚙️ Activation of the language requires logging into the system settings of the device.
• 📱 Different Xiaomi models may have slightly different menu layouts.

⚠️ Note: If you have turned on a language you don't know (e.g. Arabic or Hindi), the keyboard interface may shift, as these languages are written from right to left. To go back, look for the gear or globe icon to go back to Latin.

Setting up the standard Gboard keyboard on Xiaomi

The vast majority of Xiaomi smartphones come with Google’s Gboard preinstalled keyboard.It’s a powerful tool that’s constantly updated and offers the best multilingual input support.To add a new language, you need to open the keyboard settings, not the phone’s general settings.

The fastest way to get to the desired menu is to call the keyboard in any text field (for example, in messages or search engine), and then press and hold a comma or a button with a Globe image. In the context menu that appears, you should select Settings. If this method does not work, you can go through the general menu of the phone: Settings → Additional settings → Languages and input → Keyboard Management → Gboard.

Inside the Gboard menu, select Languages and then click Add Keyboard, which opens up a comprehensive list of all supported languages, and you can also download additional features such as handwriting or voice typing for a particular language.

Once the language is added, it will appear on the active list. Now switching will be done by swiping over the space or clicking on the globe icon. Gboard also knows how to automatically determine the input language if the corresponding option is enabled, which eliminates the need for constant manual switching.

Work with the Mi Keyboard (Sogou)

Many Xiaomi devices, especially in Chinese firmware or Asian models, have the Mi Keyboard (often based on the Sogou engine) installed by default, which differs from Gboard in interface and logic, which can cause difficulties for the user.

To add language to the Mi Keyboard, you need to click on the settings icon (cog) on the keyboard toolbar. Next, select Language or Language. Unlike Gboard, languages are often represented as tiles or cards that need to be activated by a switch.

The Mi Keyboard features a variety of themes and stickers, but the basic functionality of changing the language remains simple. If the standard Russian or English layout is not on the list, you may need to update the application through the Google Play store or GetApps.

⚠️ Note: Mi Keyboard can collect typing statistics to improve predictive input. If maximum data privacy is important to you, it is recommended to use Gboard with disabled stats sending.

Installation and configuration of third-party keyboards

If standard Xiaomi tools do not suit you or do not support a rare dialect, you can always install a third-party application. the market leaders remain Microsoft SwiftKey and Yandex Keyboard, which offer excellent support for the Russian language and excellent predictive set algorithms.

Once you install the app from Google Play, it doesn't automatically activate. Android requires user confirmation. Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Languages and input → Current keyboard and select the installed app from the list. You also need to give permission to use under "Keyboard Management".

Third-party keyboards often offer more flexible adjustments to button heights, themes, and function key locations. For example, SwiftKey can configure multilingual input so that the keyboard can guess which language you are typing in a particular sentence, mixing words without manually switching.

To activate a new language in a third-party application, it is usually enough to go to its settings through the application icon in the phone menu or through a long tap on the space. The setting interface is intuitive and similar to the setting of Gboard.

Adding languages through Google Translate and offline packages

Sometimes the language is not on the standard Gboard list, or it requires additional data to work properly (for example, for translation on the fly or voice input without the Internet), in which case the Google Translate app comes to the rescue.

While the translator doesn't change the keyboard layout by itself, it allows you to download offline packets that can then be used by the input system. Open the Google Translate app, click on the profile avatar and select "Offline Translation." Find the language you want and download it.

After downloading the offline package, return to the Gboard settings (Settings) → Languages: Often, after the translation packages are installed, the corresponding language modules are made available for activation in the keyboard, especially if rare languages or dialects are involved.

• 📥 Offline packages allow you to work without an Internet connection.
• 🗣️ Voice input also requires loading a language packet.
• 🔄 Packet update improves word recognition accuracy.

This method is especially relevant for travelers who find themselves in an area without stable network coverage, but need fast typing in the local language.

Problem Solving: Language is not added or gone

The most common problem Xiaomi users have is the disappearance of the language bar or the inability to add a new language, often because the system has a “One Language” mode or aggressive power saving modes that unload input services from memory.

Check if the "Only One Language" mode is enabled in the special features. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special features. Make sure the "One Language" switch is turned off. If it is active, the system blocks the addition of any other layouts other than the system.

It’s also worth clearing the cache of the Settings app or the keyboard itself. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Gboard (or Mi keyboard) → Memory → Clear the cache. This won’t delete your dictionaries, but will fix possible software failures.

💡

If the language is missing after the MIUI update, try removing keyboard updates through the app menu and then updating it again via Google Play.

In rare cases, resetting keyboard settings to factory keyboards helps. There is a "Reset keyboard settings" item on the Gboard menu that returns all settings to the original state, which often solves the problem with "missing" languages.

💡

The main reason for the disappearance of languages on Xiaomi is the conflict of system updates or the included mode of special features “One language”.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)