Why Xiaomi’s standard keyboard looks boring – and what to do about it
The MIUI keyboard is functional by default, but its design is often criticized for being too minimalist. Grey buttons, monotonous fonts, and lack of animations make text input visually inexpressive — especially against the background of customized shells from Samsung or Oppo. Meanwhile, even in standard settings, there are several ways to transform the keyboard without resorting to root rights or third-party launchers.
In this article, we will analyze 5 proven methods: from official Xiaomi themes to manually adjusting colors through ADB. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and smartphone models – for example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Xiaomi 13 Ultra, some features work differently than on budget devices.
Before you start, check the version. MIUI In Settings → If you have global firmware (marked Global), some themes may not be available, but you'll have to install them manually through the Internet. APK-- For the owners. POCO Black Shark instructions are also relevant, but adjusted for branded shells.
Method 1: Official Keyboard Themes in MIUI
The easiest way to change the look of a keyboard is to use built-in themes. MIUI 13/14 has over 20 of them, including animated versions with effects when pressed.
- Open any field to enter text (for example, in Notes).
- Touch the gear badge (⚙️) keyboard.
- Select Keyboard Themes → Download Themes.
Among the popular themes:
- 🎨 Neon Glow – glowing buttons with neon effect (suitable for the dark theme of the system).
- ✨ Bubble Pop - animation of "burst bubbles" when pressed.
- 🖤 Minimal Black – All-black keyboard with white characters (saves battery power on the device) AMOLED-screen).
- 🌈 Rainbow Keys – Each button is painted in its own rainbow color.
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) 10A or POCO M4 Pro section Download themes may not be available. This is due to manufacturer restrictions for budget models. In this case, use method 3 (installing through the APK).
If after applying the theme, the keyboard began to slow down, try:
- Clear the cache of the Settings application → Applications → Application Management → Keyboard → Storage → Clear the cache.
- Disable animations in Keyboard Settings → Additional → Keyboard Animation.
Method 2: Change fonts and button sizes
Even without changing the subject, you can radically change the way you think about the keyboard by adjusting the fonts and scale.
- Open the keyboard settings (cog on the keyboard).
- Go to the layout and entrance → the size of the keyboard.
- Adjust the slider Keyboard height (recommended value - 70-80% for comfortable input with one hand).
For the font change:
- 📱 Set a third-party font through Settings → Screen. → Font (e.g. Google Sans or Roboto Slab).
- 🔤 In the keyboard settings, select Font Style → Customized.
- 🎨 Apply bold for better readability (Font thickness option).
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If some characters are shown squares after changing the font, set a font with Unicode support (for example, Noto Sans CJK).
On devices with MIUI 14 appeared option Color scheme keyboard, where you can manually choose colors for:
| Element | Recommended color | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Back of the button | #2E2E2E (dark grey) | Reduces eye strain |
| Symbols | #E0E0E0 (light gray) | Contrast of at least 4.5:1 for availability |
| Press-lighting | #4CAF50 (green) | Color can be associated with the accent of the system. |
| Gap | #3A3A3A with white frame | Visually highlights the widest button |
⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi 12T 13 Lite, when manually adjusting colors, the adaptive theme (dark/light mode) can be lost. To fix this, restart the device or reset the keyboard settings to standard.
Method 3: Install third-party keyboards (Gboard, SwiftKey, Fleksy)
If the built-in MIUI options seem limited, install an alternative keyboard.The best options for Xiaomi are:
- 🔌 Gboard – supports themes from Google Arts & Culture, swipe gestures and built-in translator.
- ⚡ SwiftKey – adaptive predictions and synchronization between devices (there is a theme Xiaomi Super Wallpaper).
- 🎨 Fleksy – over 800 themes, including transparent and gradient-based.
- 🤖 Chroom – keyboard with AI predictions and customization of each pixel.
To set up and configure:
Download APK from the official website (for example, [Gboard](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.inputmethod.latin))|
Enable installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access → Installation of unknown applications |
Activate keyboard in Settings → System → Language and input → Current keyboard |
Set up a theme in the keyboard menu (icon) ⚙️ → Topics or Design)|
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On the POCO F4 GT and Black Shark 5 Pro, third-party keyboards can conflict with game mode. To avoid this, add the keyboard app to the battery optimization exceptions:
Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Optimization → Select Apps → [Keyboard Name] → Not OptimizeHow to return the standard MIUI keyboard?
Method 4: Transparent keyboard through developer settings
One of the most subtle, yet effective ways is to make the keyboard translucent, and that visually fits it into the interface and adds depth to the screen.
- Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
- Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- Find the option of keyboard transparency (or Force transparent keyboard in English firmware).
- Set the value of 30-50% (more is worse readability).
⚠️ Attention: MIUI 12.5 and below, this option may not be available. In this case, use method 5 (manual editing through the ADB). Transparency can also be lost after the system update – check the settings after each update.
The transparency effect looks particularly good on devices with AMOLED-Xiaomi 12 Pro, 13 Ultra, where the black pixels are completely turned off, creating the illusion of a “floating” keyboard.
Method 5: Manually changing colors through ADB (for advanced)
If you need to fine-tune each keyboard element (for example, to create a corporate identity), use ADB commands. This method works on all versions of MIUI, but requires a connection to a computer.
Steps:
- Install ADB Tools on your PC (e.g. Google’s Platform Tools).
- Connect your smartphone via USB and allow debugging: Settings → Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB
- Open the command line in the folder with ADB Enter: adb shell settings put secure miui_keyboard_theme_custom 1
- You can change colors by using the following commands: adb shell settings put secure miui_keyboard_key_color #FF5722 (where #FF5722 — hex-code).
List of the main parameters for setting:
| Parameter | Description | Example of meaning |
|---|---|---|
| miui_keyboard_key_color | Color buttons | #2196F3 (blue) |
| miui_keyboard_text_color | Colour of text | #FFFFFF (white) |
| miui_keyboard_background_color | Keyboard background | #121212 (dark grey) |
| miui_keyboard_border_color | Color button frame | #424242 |
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Changes through ADB are saved even after resetting the keyboard, but reset when the phone is completely reset.
⚠️ Note: Incorrect hex codes (e.g., incorrect hex codes, #ZZZZZZ) This can cause the keyboard to crash, so reset the settings through the command:
adb shell settings put secure miui_keyboard_theme_custom 0Bonus: Animations and sounds when pressed
Visual and sound effects make text input more interactive, and in MIUI, you can configure them like this:
- 🎵 Pressing sound: Keyboard settings → Sound and vibration → We recommend you to choose Mechanical or Soft Click.
- 💥 Vibration: Turn on Vibration when pressed and adjust intensity (optimum 30-50%).
- 🌟 Animation: in Keyboard Settings → Topics → Press Effects Choose Wave or Flash.
On Xiaomi Pad 6 and other Xiaomi tablets, you can activate a split keyboard for easy input with both hands:
Keyboard settings → Layout and entrance → Divided keyboardIf animations start to slow down, turn them off or reduce the frame rate in Settings → Screen → Update Frequency (select 60 Hz instead of 120 Hz).