How to change the language Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways and solutions to problems

Xiaomi Redmi 9 remains a popular choice due to the balance of price and functionality, but many users face the need to change the system language after buying. This problem is especially relevant for devices purchased abroad or through informal channels - instead of the usual Russian interface, owners see Chinese characters, English menus or completely unfamiliar alphabets. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to change the language to Redmi 9, including hidden MIUI settings, circumventing restrictions and solutions for cases where the desired language is simply not on the list.

It's important to understand that the procedure depends on the firmware version and the regional binding of the device. For example, on global versions (Global ROM), Russian is usually available by default, and in Chinese (China ROM) it may not be at all. We will consider the options for both cases, and also give recommendations on choosing the optimal method depending on your situation. If you just unpacked your smartphone and see an unfamiliar interface, do not panic: in 90% of cases, the problem is solved in 5-10 minutes without losing data.

Preparing for a Language Change: What You Need to Know in Advance

Before you start changing your language, check out three key parameters of your Redmi 9:

• 📱 Version. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI. If you see Chinese, use the visual instructions below.
• 🌍 Regional firmware: global (Global), Chinese (China) or European (EEA). This determines the available languages.
• 🔄 Root rights: If you have previously unlocked a bootloader, some methods will become easier, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be.

If your smartphone is on China ROM, be prepared for the fact that Russian may not be on the standard list, in which case you will either need to install global firmware or use workarounds through third-party applications. For Global ROM, the process is simplified - Russian is usually in the settings, but you need to find it correctly.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with China ROM Trying to change language through standard settings may result in resetting regional settings.This will not delete data, but some services (such as Mi Cloud) may require re-authorization.

Also note that after changing the language, some system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Music) can display content in the original firmware language. This is not a mistake - this is how MIUI regional binding works.

Method 1: Standard language change through settings (for Global ROM)

If your Redmi 9 runs on global or European firmware, Russian is already pre-installed and can be activated in a few steps, the main thing is to find the settings menu correctly, even if the current interface is in an unfamiliar language.

Follow this step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon) ⚙️).
2. Scroll down and find the item with the icon of the globe 🌐 (This is usually Additional settings or additional settings).
3. Select Languages & Input.
4. Click on the first item in the list – Languages.
5. In the list of available languages, find Russian (or Russian) and tap it.
6. Confirm the choice by pressing Set as default.

If the interface is in Chinese, focus on visual cues:

• 🔍 Loop icon → Search by settings (you can type pinyin "yuyan" to search for the language).
• 🌐 Icon of the globe → language.
• ✅ Tick or button (que ding) → selection.

After the language change, the system will suggest restarting the device, so that the changes take effect in full, and if some applications (such as Mi Browser) remain in English after the reboot, update them via Google Play or clear the cache in the app settings.

Method 2: Add Russian to China ROM (without firmware)

If your Redmi 9 runs on China ROM, the standard language list will be limited to Chinese and English, but there are two working methods to add Russian without completely flashing the device:

Method 1: Use of MoreLocale 2 Application

This app allows you to force any language of the system to be installed, even if it is not supported by firmware, and it is important that you turn on the developer mode and allow installation from unknown sources.

Instructions:

1. Download. APK-MoreLocale 2 file from a verified source (e.g. APKPure).
2. Install the application by allowing installation from unknown sources in the security settings.
3. Open MoreLocale 2 and select Custom Locale.
4. In the Language field, enter ru, in the Country field - RU.
5. Press Set and confirm the change.

⚠️ Note: Some versions of China ROM After using MoreLocale 2, you may have problems displaying fonts in system applications. The solution is to install a font that supports Cyrillic through Settings. → Display. → font.

Method 2: Installation of the language package via MIUI bootloader

This method is suitable for MIUI 12-14 firmware and allows you to download language packets directly from Xiaomi servers:

1. Download the MIUI bootloader app from Google Play.
2. Open the Language Packs section and find the package for Russian (ru_RU).
3. Download and install the package by following the application instructions.
4. Reset the device.

After the reboot, Russian will appear in the standard settings menu, a method that is more reliable than MoreLocale 2, as it uses official packages from Xiaomi.

Method 3: Completely reflash to the global version of MIUI

If previous methods didn't work, or if you want to fully upgrade to Russian-enabled global firmware, you'll need to completely reflash the device, which is more complex, but it gives you 100% results and additional benefits:

• 📲 Full localization in Russian (including system applications).
• 🔓 Unblocking Google Services (if they weren’t in China) ROM).
• 📥 Access to global updates MIUI.

For the firmware you will need:

• Windows computer.
• USB Type-C cable (original)
• The Mi Flash Tool.
• The Global ROM firmware file for Redmi 9 (codenamed Lancelot)

Step-by-step:

1. Download the latest stable version of the Global ROM for Redmi 9 from Xiaomi’s official website (select Stable → Global).
2. Unpack the archive with firmware in a folder without Cyrillic characters.
3. Install the Mi Flash Tool and drivers for Xiaomi.
4. Turn off the phone and press Volume Down + Power to enter Fastboot mode.
5. Connect the phone to your computer and in the Mi Flash Tool, specify the path to the firmware folder.
6. Press Refresh, then Flash and wait for completion (5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: Fastboot firmware completely cleanses user data. Pre-backup photos, contacts and other important files via Mi Cloud or computer.

Once the firmware is installed, the device will automatically restart with the global version of MIUI, where Russian will be available by default. If you have problems connecting to the mobile network after the firmware, check the APN settings for your carrier.

Method 4: Change language through Recovery Mode (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work and firmware seems too risky, you can try changing the language through Recovery Mode, which is suitable for devices with unlocked bootloader and requires caution.

You'll need:

• Castomic recovery (TWRP).
• The MIUI language package file can be found on the 4PDA or XDA-Developers forums.

Instructions:

1. Download the language package for Russian localization (for example, miui_RussianPack.zip).
2. Move the file to the memory card or internal memory of the phone.
3. Turn off your phone and press Volume Up + Power to enter TWRP.
4. In the recovery menu, select Install and specify the path to the language package.
5. Swipe for installation and wait for completion.
6. Reset the device.

This method is less reliable than full firmware, but it can help if other methods are not available. Once the language package is installed, Russian will appear in the system settings, but some system applications may remain in English.

💡

Before installing the language package via TWRP, back up the current firmware. To do this, select Backup from the recovery menu and save a copy of the System partition.

Problems with changing language

Even after a successful language change to Redmi 9, there may be problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

If the keyboard stopped working after changing the language (for example, Russian characters are not displayed), install an alternative keyboard from Google Play (for example, Gboard or SwiftKey) and configure Russian in it separately.

Another common problem is resetting regional settings after the MIUI update, and to avoid this, turn off automatic updates in your system settings before upgrading.

💡

If after changing the language, some applications (such as Mi Browser or Mi Music) remain in English, this is not a mistake, but a feature of MIUI. Solution: update the applications through Google Play or install alternatives (for example, Chrome instead of Mi Browser).

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing language to Redmi 9