How to change the language on the phone Xiaomi: instructions for all models

Changing the language on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones can be necessary in a variety of situations: you bought a device with foreign firmware, accidentally changed the settings or just want to return the native language after experiments. Despite the apparent simplicity, the process is nuanced depending on the version of MIUI and the phone model. In some cases, the desired language may not be on the list, and the wrong actions will lead to system failures.

This article covers all the current ways to change the language on Xiaomi devices (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and other models from 2020-2026).We will break down the standard method through settings, solving the problem of the absence of Russian/Ukrainian/Kazakh languages, as well as alternative options for custom firmware. All instructions are tested on MIUI 12.5, 13 and 14 running Android 11-14.

Preparing for a Language Change: What You Need to Know

Before you start changing your language, consider a few key points:

• 📱 Version. MIUI Important: In firmware for the global market (Global) ROM) accessible 50 Languages, whereas in Chinese versions (China) ROM) They could be everything. 2-3 (Chinese + English).
• 🔄 Factory reset: If you’re buying a used phone with an unfamiliar interface language, it’s sometimes easier to make a full reset through Recovery Mode than trying to find the right menu items at random.
• 🌍 Regional restrictions: Some languages (e.g. Ukrainian or Belarusian) may not be available in firmware for certain regions due to Xiaomi's policy.
• ⚙️ System Apps: The language in Google Play, YouTube or Chrome changes separately – through the settings of the apps themselves, not the systems.

If your phone is originally purchased from an official store in Russia, Kazakhstan or Belarus, there is usually no problem with changing the language, but owners of devices with China ROM or “gray” imported models will have to use workarounds, which we will describe below.

Standard method: changing the language through settings

This is the easiest and most secure method, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, and the instructions are relevant for MIUI 12.5 and later:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Scroll down and select Additional Settings (or Additional Settings in English).
3. Slip on the item Language and input.
4. At the top of the screen, press Languages.
5. In the list of available languages, select the one you want (for example, Russian or lyktyksa for Kazakh). If there is no language, read the next section.
6. Confirm the change by clicking Ready or Set.

After the reboot (which can happen automatically), the entire interface, including system notifications and keyboard, will appear in the selected language. Please note that some applications (such as Mi Home or Mi Fit) may save the old language – it must be changed separately in their settings.

What to do if the language is not on the list

The situation when the menu is not Russian, Ukrainian or other required language, typical for phones with China ROM or firmware for specific regions (for example, India or Europe), the problem can be solved in three ways:

1. Installation of the language package via MoreLocale 2

MoreLocale 2 allows you to add missing languages without superuser rights (root). Download it from APKPure (the official Google Play can block installation on some firmware) and follow the instructions:

• 📲 Install. APK-file by allowing installation from unknown sources in security settings.
• 🔧 Run MoreLocale 2 and select Custom Locale.
• 🌐 In the Language field, enter the language code (for example, ru for Russian, uk for Ukrainian).
• 📍 In the Country field, enter the country code: RU, UA, KZ etc.
• ✅ Click Set and confirm the change.

Important: On some MIUI 14 firmware, this application may not work due to security limitations, so move on to the next method.

2.Reflashing to the global version of MIUI

If your phone is originally designed for the Chinese market (China ROM), the only reliable way to get a full list of languages is to install a Global ROM. This requires unlocking the bootloader and using the Mi Flash Tool.

⚠️ Warning: Flashing resets all data on the phone and can result in loss of warranty.On models with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi) 10C or POCO M5) Unlocking the bootloader is more difficult than on Qualcomm.

3.Use of ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If you have experience with ADB, you can manually add a language pack over your computer. Connect your phone to your PC, enable USB Debugging in your developer settings, and follow the command:

adb shell am start -a android.settings.LOCALE_SETTINGS

This will open a hidden menu of languages where additional options can be displayed.

adb shell settings put system system_locales ru-RU,en-US

On MIUI 14 and Android 13+, this method may not work due to new security restrictions introduced by Xiaomi.

Features of changing the language on different models Xiaomi

Despite the general logic of MIUI, some models have unique nuances, and in the table below we have collected key differences:

On Android One devices (such as the Xiaomi Mi A3 or POCO M2 Pro), the language change process is identical to pure Android: go to Settings → System → Language and Input → Languages. There is no MIUI binding, so there is usually no problem with the lack of languages.

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If after changing the language, some system applications (such as Theme or Security) remain in English, clear their cache in the Settings menu → Applications → Application Management.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When changing languages, users often face typical preventable problems:

• 🔄 Phone freezes after language change: This happens if you choose a language with incomplete translation (e.g. Tamil or Bengali on European firmware).Solution: Press the power button for 10 seconds for forced reboot.
• 📵 No Russian on the list: Check if you have firmware installed for India (India) ROM) — It's often Russian-free. Solution: Go to Global or EEA (Europe).
• 🔑 Keyboard not working: Gboard or SwiftKey may be lost after changing the language. Go to the keyboard settings and add the desired language manually.
• 📱 Language resets after update: This is typical for beta versions MIUI. Solution: roll back to stable firmware or wait for the final release.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO C31) If you change language to Arabic or Hebrew, you can change the direction of the text (right to left). To return to normal mode, choose any European language, such as English, then set the desired direction again.

Changing the language in individual applications

The MIUI system language doesn't always affect third-party applications, such as Google Play, Netflix or TikTok, which defines the language by the region of the account or the settings of the app itself.

• 📱 Google Play: Open Google Play Settings (stick on the avatar in the upper right corner). → Account settings → Language: Specify the language you want and save the changes.
• 🎵 YouTube/YouTube Music: Go to profile → Settings. Select General → Language: If you don't have the language, change your Google account region.

Mi Home (for Xiaomi smart devices):

1. Open the application and tap the gear icon (settings).
2. Select the App Language (which may be called App Language).
3. If there is no language, update the app to the latest version.

For Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp apps, the language changes automatically according to the system settings. If it hasn't changed, clear the app's cache or reinstall it.

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The language in Xiaomi system applications (e.g. Camera, Gallery, Security) is always tied to the MIUI language. Third-party applications can ignore system settings.

Additional tips and life hacks

Here are some useful tricks that will make it easier to work with language settings on Xiaomi:

• 🌐 Rapid switching of languages: B MIUI 14 has a function for quick switching between two languages through the notification panel. → Additionally. → Language and input → Quick switching.
• 📲 Language for specific applications: On Android 13+ You can assign different languages to individual applications. → System system → Language and input → Application languages.
• 🔍 Search by settings: If you don’t know where the desired menu item is in an unfamiliar language, use the search in settings (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner).
• 📱 On Google Assistant models, you can say, “OK Google, change your language to Russian” to open the menu.

If you can’t, reset your phone to factory settings via Recovery Mode (press Power + Vol+ when the phone is off).