How to change the language on the keyboard of the Xiaomi tablet

Changing the input language on Xiaomi tablets is often a must, especially when the device has just been unpacked or is used in the international firmware version. The standard situation where a virtual keyboard continues to type in English or Chinese despite attempts to switch is familiar to many users of the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem. This may be due to the fact that the desired language package is simply not activated in the system settings, even if the operating system itself is already translated into Russian.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible ways to solve this problem, from simple actions on the menu to deep customization of system applications. Understanding the principles of how the Android input manager works on Xiaomi devices will allow you not only to quickly change the layout, but also to adjust autocorrection and voice input to your needs. We will consider standard tools and third-party solutions for maximum text efficiency.

Before you start to make complex manipulations, it is worth making sure that the problem lies in the settings, not in the hardware failure. In the vast majority of cases, it is enough to simply add the missing language to the list of keyboards available in the application, it will take only a couple of minutes and does not require root rights or special programming knowledge.

The main ways to switch layouts

The fastest way to change the language is to use the standard keyboard or gesture combination provided by the virtual keyboard interface. However, if the desired language is not available when switching, you first need to add it to the settings. Xiaomi tablets often use Gboard (Google Keyboard), which has flexible language management functionality, by default.

To add a new language, you need to go to the settings of the keyboard application itself, which you can usually do by holding the comma key or finding the gear icon in the top hintbar. Once you log into the Languages menu, you'll see a list of all supported layouts, and it's important to find the language you want and click the Add button so that it's available quickly.

⚠️ Note: If the keyboard does not switch after adding the language, try restarting the tablet. The cache of the system application "Settings" or "Keyboard" can block the application of new parameters until the device is fully restarted.

There are several methods of quickly switching between languages that have already been added while typing, and users often forget about them when trying to find a button manually each time, knowing these combinations greatly speeds up the work with text documents and messengers on the large screen of the tablet.

• 🖐️ Swipe space: swipe left or right on the space key to instantly change the language without taking your hands off the screen.
• 🌐 Globe button: Click on a special globe icon that appears next to a space if multiple languages are activated.
• ⌨️ Keyboard combination: On connected physical keyboards, Ctrl often works + Space or Shift + Space.

Setting up Gboard on Xiaomi tablets

The Gboard standard is the de facto standard for most Android devices, including Xiaomi tablets, and allows you to add languages, but also customize specific input options, such as predictive text and correction. To access the full functionality, you need to open the tablet system settings.

Go to the Additional Settings or Advanced Settings section, then look for Language and Enter. This shows the current default keyboard. When you click on it, you'll be taken to the Gboard Management menu. This is where the key Languages option is located, where you can manage all the layouts available.

Inside the language menu, you'll see two tabs: "All" and "Added." The "All" tab contains hundreds of languages in the world that can be activated. The "Addd" tab shows those that are already available for quick switching. If the desired language is not in the added list, click "Add keyboard," select a language from the list and confirm the action.

Importantly, some languages may require additional data files to be downloaded if they are not built in initially, especially for rare dialects or languages with complex grammar, which is automatically downloaded when you have an Internet connection and usually takes a few seconds.

Use of third-party keyboards

If the standard Xiaomi or Gboard keyboard doesn’t meet your needs for some reason, you can always install an alternative solution from the Google Play store. Popular applications like Yandex Keyboard, SwiftKey or Typewise offer their own predictive input algorithms and user-friendly interfaces for changing the language.

Once you install a third-party application, Android will require you to give it the permissions you need, you will need to activate the new keyboard in the security menu and choose it as the default input method, and then you will be able to fully use its features, including language switching.

Third-party keyboards often have more flexible settings for the appearance and location of buttons, so you can resize the keyboard, add a separate string of numbers, or adjust the vibration sensitivity, which makes the typing process on the tablet more comfortable, especially with prolonged work.

When using third-party solutions, resource consumption should be considered. Some heavy-keyboards with rich animation can slightly increase the battery consumption of a tablet. However, on modern Xiaomi models with Snapdragon processors, this effect is almost invisible to the user.

Solving Language Switching Problems

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the language does not switch, despite the correct settings, this can be caused by a software failure, application conflict or an error in the system service, in which case consistent diagnosis is required to identify and correct the cause.

The first step should always be to clear the keyboard app cache. Accumulated temporary files can cause the interface to malfunction. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find your keyboard (like Gboard), and select Clear cache.

If cleaning the cache didn't help, reset the keyboard app settings to factory settings, which will return all settings to their original state, but won't delete your personal dictionaries and input history if they're synced with your Google account, and it helps to remove keyboard updates through the app menu in a pinch.

⚠️ Note: When you reset your keyboard settings, your saved user words and autocorrect settings may be deleted. Be prepared to retrain your keyboard in your print style.

Setting up a physical keyboard for a tablet

Owners of Xiaomi tablets often use external physical keyboards connected via Bluetooth or USB-OTG. In this case, language control is carried out by the Android operating system, not the virtual keyboard. The switching mechanism here works differently and requires a separate setup.

To work properly, you need to go to the language and input settings and find the Physical Keyboard, and make sure that the device is recognized correctly and the correct layout is chosen for it. Often the default is English, and you need to change or add Russian.

The standard language switching keyboard in Android is Ctrl + Space, but in some versions of MIUI or when using specific accessories, this combination may differ. You can check and change the hotkeys in the special features section or through third-party mapper apps.

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For Xiaomi keyboard case owners, if the language doesn't switch, try to unplug the case, reboot the tablet and plug it back in. Sometimes the pin contact oxidizes or malfunctions when you first connect.

Importantly, when you connect a physical keyboard, the virtual keyboard on the screen can disappear automatically, which is normal behavior in the system to increase the workspace, and to return the on-screen keyboard to change the language, you either need to turn off the physical keyboard or turn on the "Always Show On-screen Keyboard" option in the settings.

Additional features and voice input

Modern keyboards on Xiaomi tablets support not only text input, but also voice input. Switching the voice input language is a separate setting that is often ignored. You can dictate text in one language while typing in another, if you set the appropriate settings correctly.

In the Gboard settings or other keyboard, find the Voice Input section, where you can select the primary language of speech recognition or enable Automatic Language Definition, which is especially useful for those who often mix languages in the same phrase or communicate with speakers of different languages.

The quality of recognition depends on the language chosen and the quality of the tablet microphone. For best results, it is recommended to use clear diction and minimize background noise. Voice input saves time when typing large volumes of text and reduces the load on the fingers.

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The key to successful customization is to make sure that the language you want is added to your keyboard app settings, not just your Android settings, which are often independent.