How to change the keyboard layout on Xiaomi Redmi: Full Guide

Changing the input language on Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones is a basic but critical feature for comfortable communication. Often users are faced with a situation when the desired language suddenly disappears when typing or the keyboard begins to type in an incomprehensible dialect, which can be confusing, especially if you urgently need to respond to a message or enter a password from Wi-Fi.

With modern MIUI and HyperOS shells, language management is more flexible but confusing for beginners. The system offers a variety of input options, from the standard Gboard to specialized keyboards from Xiaomi. Understanding the workings of these tools will allow you to instantly switch between Russian, English and any other language in the world without unnecessary movements.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods of changing layouts, not only the standard swipes, but also the hidden settings that are often ignored, and we will look at the nuances of working with voice input, emoji and even the Chinese Pingyin phonetic system, if you ever need one.

Standard Switching Methods in Gboard

The vast majority of Redmi smartphones use Google’s Gboard keyboard by default, a powerful tool that is deeply integrated into the Android system. The fastest way to change the language is to use a special key on the input panel itself, usually located at the bottom of the screen, next to a space or an emoji button, and looks like a globe or shorthand for the current language (such as “RUS” or “ENG”).

If you just click doesn't work, try holding your finger on this button, and you'll see a pop-up menu that lists all the active languages, which is especially useful when you're using three or more languages at once, and you can instantly choose the one you want without taking your finger off the screen, which makes chatting much faster.

There's also a swipe method, which is to swipe the globe or the space button to the left or right, and this gesture allows you to cycle through the languages available, but you have to be careful, if you have many languages, you can easily slip through the right one and get confused, and then you'd better use a long tap to make a precise choice.

📊 What are the ways you most often change your language?
Pressing the globe button
Long-pressed space
Keyboard swipe
Automatic definition

Importantly, the behavior of the switch button depends on the settings of the Gboard itself.In some configurations, a separate button may be hidden, and the switch only occurs through a long click on the space. Check your preferences in the settings menu to make sure the input method matches your habits.

Configuring languages in the system menu

If you've lost your language on the keyboard or want to add a new one, you'll have to go into deep system settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the overall logic remains the same. You need to go to Settings, then select Additional and find Languages and Types, and that's where all the input methods are managed.

In the menu that opens, select Keyboard Management or Current Keyboard, and then click on Gboard. You will see the settings window for a particular keyboard. Find the Languages section. This displays a list of all currently connected languages. To add a new one, click Add the keyboard at the bottom of the list and select the language you want from the proposed directory.

☑️ Checking language settings

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Note the switch Use the language setting of the device. If it is activated, the keyboard will automatically suggest the languages installed in the phone system. If you want a specific set that is different from the system, this switch is better to turn off and manually tick only the necessary languages.

⚠️ Note: Deleting the language from the list in the Gboard settings completely removes it from the keyboard. If you accidentally delete Russian or English, you will have to go back to the settings to restore them.

Working with Xiaomi keyboard (Mi Keyboard)

In some regions and in certain Redmi models, the Mi Keyboard is pre-installed, it consumes battery life more easily, but it has its own control interface. The layout change is similar to Gboard, but there are nuances. The switch button is often combined with the settings button or is located in the bottom row of the buttons.

To add languages to the Mi Keyboard, you need to press and hold a comma or a special menu button in the corner of the keyboard. In the window that appears, select Languages. The interface here is more minimalistic, but functional. You can download offline language packages, which saves traffic.

The keyboard features the ability to quickly change the theme while changing the language, and some users prefer to use the Mi Keyboard for customization, but the autocorrect dictionary may be inferior to Google's, especially for rare languages.

Secrets of the Mi Keyboard
This keyboard has a hidden one-hand mode. To activate it, you need to press and hold the comma button, and then select the hand icon, which will move the keyboard to the right or left, making typing on large screens more convenient.> To make it easier for you to navigate the variety of options, we have prepared a comparison table. It will help you understand which method of language management will suit your situation. Access Speed Adjustment Flexibility Ideal for Globe Button High Average Daily Use of 2-3 Languages Long Press Average High Precision Choice from a large list of Swipe by space Very High Low Quick Cycling Voice Input Depends on Network High Set of Long Texts Without Hands As seen from the table, for most users the optimal option is to use the Globe button or long press. However, if you are a polyglobe and use 5 or more languages, the swipe may be too slow, and it is better to mention the Automatic version of the language, if you start to switching the language. Sometimes users are faced with a nasty situation: the language is gone completely and the keyboard only prints characters or in an incomprehensible language. Often this happens after a system update or reset. The first thing to do is check if the T9 mode is activated or digits are entered. Press the button with the characters?123 or ABC to return to the letter type. If the problem is deeper, you may have lost the settings of the region. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Region. Make sure that the right region is selected (for example, Russia or Kazakhstan, some exotic cases, this is not an effective region). System system MIUI Sometimes caches input errors, and a full reboot resets temporary files that are responsible for the operation of the input interface. ⚠️ Warning: Do not install third-party keyboards from unverified sources. They can intercept your passwords and card data. Use only Gboard or the official Mi Keyboard. Modern Redmi smartphones allow you to change the language not only with your fingers, but also with your voice. Press the microphone on the keyboard and say a command or just start dictating the text. The system will determine the language itself if multiple languages are included in the voice input settings. This is especially convenient when your hands are busy or you are moving. To activate voice input, make sure that the Languages and input settings are ticked against Google Voice input. Without this module, the microphone button may be missing or not working correctly. Also check for an Internet connection, because good speech recognition requires communication with servers, and you can configure separate dictionaries for different languages. If you use professional terminology in English often, but the main language of the system is Russian, add English dictionary to the Gboard settings. 💡Setting up the input languages correctly is not just a convenience, it's a productivity issue. Take 5 minutes to configure to save hours in the future. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Why doesn't the keyboard have a language change button? You probably only have one active language selected in your Gboard settings. Go to the keyboard settings, Languages, and add a second language. The switch button will automatically appear when two or more active languages become active. How do you remove the Chinese layout if I don't know the language? Chinese layout is often added by default when you select the "China" region or when you first activate it. Go to the Gboard → Languages settings, find "Chinese" and click "Delete" separately. Can you make a Xiaomi keyboard like an iPhone? Yes, you need to download a third-party application, for example, "Kika Keyboard" or configure a theme in Gboard. However, standard MIUI tools will not completely copy the design of iOS, you can only approach visually. Why does the autocorrect the system, does the language change the language directly to the language, or does it change the language's words incorrectly? However, if the option "Use the language setting of the device" is enabled in Gboard, then the priority input language may change when you change the system language.