The Xiaomi Mi 4X (also known as the Redmi 4X) remains a popular budget smartphone years after its release. One of the common problems users have is the need to change the interface language, especially if the device was purchased with Romanian, Chinese or other localization. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to change the system language, including standard settings, Recovery modes and even manual methods through ADB.
It is important to understand that the procedure depends on the firmware version (MIUI or custom), the status of the bootloader and the availability of root rights. We will look at options for both clean devices and cases where the language is not available. If your Mi 4X is locked by the operator or has informal firmware, some methods may not work, but there are always alternatives.
Preparation: What to Know Before Changing Language
Before you start changing your language, check out a few key points:
- 📱 Version. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI. Current global firmware (e.g, MIUI 12.5) support most European languages, while Chinese versions (China) ROM) often limited to Mandarin and English.
- 🔓 bootloader status: If a device with a locked bootloader, some methods (such as firmware through Fastboot) will not be available without unlocking.
- 🌍 Firmware Region: Find out in Settings → Additionally. → If China or India is listed, Russian may not be on the list.
- 🔋 Battery charge: When working with Recovery or firmware, make sure that the charge is at least 50%. Interrupting the process due to discharge can lead to a "brick" of the device - when the smartphone stops turning on and requires flashing through test points.
If your Mi 4X is purchased in China or on AliExpress with Chinese firmware, the most reliable way to add Russian is to flash the global version of MIUI. However, this requires unlocking the bootloader and can void the warranty. Alternatively, use MoreLocale 2 (for root devices) or manual editing of system files.
⚠️ Note: On Chinese firmware (China) ROM) After changing the language through MoreLocale 2, some system applications (such as Mi Store or Security) can display text in characters.
Method 1: Standard language change through settings
If your firmware is already available Russian language, but the default is another, you can change it in 30 seconds:
- Open the Settings app (cog icon).
- Scroll down and select Additional settings (or Additional settings in English firmware).
- Slip on the item Language and input.
- In the first section, select Russian (or other language).
- Confirm the choice. The system will restart (some versions of MIUI do not require a reboot).
If Russian is not on the list but there is English, try selecting English (United States) first — sometimes it will unlock additional languages after the reboot. Didn't help?
Make sure your smartphone is at least 30% charged | Make a backup of important data |Remember your current Mi Account password (required after reset) |Chronophone in the list of languages-->
Method 2: Use MoreLocale 2 (without root)
MoreLocale 2 allows you to add languages that are not in the standard list, but requires you to enable USB Debugging and install via ADB. This method works on most versions of MIUI, including Chinese firmware.
Instructions:
- Download MoreLocale 2 from Google Play (if available) or find it APK-file on a verified resource (e.g., APKMirror).
- Turn on USB Debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times until the message “You’re a developer”) Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging by USB (enable)
- Connect your smartphone to your PC, open the command line and execute: adb install morelocale.apk (replace morelocale.apk with the actual file name).
- Run MoreLocale 2, select Custom Locale and type: en-RU for Russian. Press Set.
- Reset the device.
If after the reboot, part of the interface is left in English or Chinese, try repeating step 4 by selecting another region (e.g., ru-UA for Ukrainian version of Russian).
💡
If MoreLocale 2 doesn’t save settings after rebooting, add the app to autoboot via Settings → Battery → Autostart.
Method 3: Change language through Recovery (TWRP)
If your Xiaomi Mi 4X has custom Recovery installed (like TWRP), you can manually edit the system files responsible for localization, a method that is suitable for power users and requires a data backup.
Step-by-step:
- Download the archive with the desired localization (for example, ru_RU.zip) for your version MIUI. You can find it on forums. 4PDA or XDA-Developers.
- Reboot to TWRP: Turn off the phone → Press Volume Up + Power before the TWRP logo appears
- In TWRP, select Install → find the downloaded archive → swipe for installation.
- After completion, press Reboot System.
If there is no suitable archive, you can manually replace localization files via ADB Sideload in TWRP:
adb sideload locale_fix.zip⚠️ Note: Incorrect editing of system files through TWRP This can lead to bootloop. Always back up the partition. /system change!
| Method | Need root? | Works for China ROM? | Risk of "brick" |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard settings | ❌ No. | ❌ Only if the language is on the list | ❌ No. |
| MoreLocale 2 | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. |
| TWRP + localization archive | ✅ Yes. TWRP) | ✅ Yes. | ⚠️ Medium (in case of errors) |
| Firmware for Global MIUI | ✅ Yes (unlock the loader) | ✅ Yes. | ⚠️⚠️ High (when interrupted) |
Method 4: Global version of MIUI firmware (for Chinese firmware)
If your Mi 4X runs on China ROM, the most reliable way to add Russian is to flash the global version of MIUI. This requires unlocking the bootloader and can take up to 30 minutes.
What you need:
- 🔗 Mi Unlock Tool (official utility from Xiaomi for unlocking).
- 📁 Global firmware for Redmi 4X (for example, MIUI 11 Global Stable, available on the official website.
- 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB/Fastboot.
- 🔋 Battery charge of at least 70%.
Step-by-step:
- Unlock the bootloader: Link the device to your Mi Account in Settings → Mi Account. Enable OEM Unlock in Settings → For developers. Connect your phone to your PC, launch the Mi Unlock Tool, and follow the instructions (it may take 72-360 hours to unlock).
Take a global MIUI
- Download the firmware (.tgz or.zip) to the folder.
- Reboot your phone in Fastboot (clip Volume Down + Power).
- Connect to your PC and execute in the command line: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot reboot recovery (replace twrp.img with the current version of TWRP for Redmi 4X).
- In TWRP, select Wipe → Advanced Wipe and select Dalvik, Cache, System, Data. Swipe.
- Go back to the main menu, select Install, and specify the firmware file. Wait until it's finished.
Alternatively, replace the localization files in the /system/app/LatinIME or /system/priv-app/MiuiSystemUI folder, but this requires a precise knowledge of the firmware structure and can lead to the collapse of system applications.
⚠️ Note: File editing in the section /system If the phone doesn't start after the changes, try to return the original files via the device. TWRP.
Through standard settings | MoreLocale 2| Global MIUI firmware | System File Editing | Not yet decided