Do you type a message on Xiaomi and the words are highlighted in red? Or do you have typos in your browser when you're sure it's spelling? Red accent is not a system bug, but a spell check feature that sometimes works too zealously. In this article, we'll look at why red lines appear on Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, and how to turn them off in scenarios ranging from keyboards to system applications.
The problem is common for all MIUI devices (including the latest MIUI 14/15), but the solutions are versatile and work even on older models like the Redmi Note 4 or Mi A1. It is important to understand that red accentuation can come from three sources: system spell check, keyboard (Google, SwiftKey, Xiaomi) or individual applications (browser, instant messengers).
If you’re in a hurry, you can jump to the quick keyboard solution, and if red lines appear in unexpected places (like Settings or when you type in a password), read the full article: there are nuances.
Quick solution: disabling the keyboard check
In 80 percent of cases, red accents are due to the built-in spelling check in the keyboard. Xiaomi uses either the Google keyboard or the Mi Keyboard by default. You can turn off the error highlighting in 30 seconds:
- Open any field to enter text (such as Messages or Notes).
- Touch the gear badge (⚙️) on the keyboard to open its settings.
- Select Text Correction → Spelling Check.
- Transfer the slider to the Off position. or uncheck the tick from the item Emphasize errors.
For Gboard, the path will be: Keyboard Settings → Text Correction → Spelling Check → Off.. In Mi Keyboard, the option can be called Autocorrect or Entering Tips.
Open the text entry field|Push. ⚙️ keyboard|Go to “Correction of text"|Deactivate “Spelling check"|Restart the keyboard (if necessary)
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Important: Once you turn off spell check, the keyboard will stop giving typos, but auto-replacement and word sentences will remain (unless they are separately disabled). If the red lines are gone, the problem is solved. If not, read on.
Reasons for Red Emphasis on Xiaomi
The red wavy lines under words are not a bug, they're a feature, and they signal that the system thinks the word is wrong, but why does that happen even with the right words?
- 📱 Android Spelling System: Included by default in Settings → System system → Language and input → Spelling check. Uses Google database or third-party dictionaries.
- ⌨️ Keyboard: Gboard, Mi Keyboard or SwiftKey have their own verification algorithms that may conflict with system systems.
- 🌐 Applications: Browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser), instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) or editors (Google Docs) can use their own verification modules.
- 📖 Lack of word in dictionary: Names, jargon, abbreviations or new terms (e.g, NFC, POCO) Often highlighted as mistakes.
- 🔄 Language conflict: If English and Russian are mixed in the text, the system can emphasize "foreign" words.
A critical nuance for Xiaomi: in MIUI 12 and later, the default spell check system is tied to Google services, even if you use proprietary apps, which means that disabling keyboard checks doesn’t always remove the emphasis in the browser or messengers.
Gboard (Google keyboard)|Mi Keyboard (branded)|SwiftKey|Other |I don't know-->
Disabling system spell check in MIUI
If red lines appear in all applications (including browser and settings), the problem lies in the system verification module.
- Go to Settings → Additional settings → Language and input → Spelling Check.
- Choose Off or No (depending on the MIUI version).
- If there is a Spelling Checker Service, disable all available ones (Google, Samsung, if any).
On some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global), the path may differ: Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual Keyboard → Spelling Check. If there is no option, then the check is only managed through the keyboard.
What if the "Spell Check" item is not in the settings?
After disabling the system check, the red lines should disappear in all applications except those that use their own mechanisms (for example, Microsoft Word or WPS Office).
Application-specific solution
Some programs ignore system settings and use built-in verification.
| Annex | Reason for the emphasis | How to clean up |
|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome / Mi Browser | Built-in spelling check of the browser | Open your browser, type chrome://settings. Go to Additional → Languages. Turn off Spelling Check. |
| WhatsApp / Telegram | Use a system keyboard, but can highlight links | Turn off the keyboard check (see section above) |
| Google Docs / WPS Office | Own verification module (not dependent on Android) | In the document menu: Tools → Spelling Check → Disable |
| Messages (SMS) | System check or keyboard | Turn off in the keyboard settings or system check |
Exception: in Mi Browser, on some firmware, the spell check option is hidden deep. If you can't find it through the settings, try:
- Enter the address bar about:config.
- Take the warning.
- Find layout.spellcheckDefault and set 0.
Add words to the dictionary: how to "train" the system
If you don’t want to disable the verification completely, but you need to remove the emphasis under specific words (such as names, brands or terms), add them to the user dictionary:
- 📝 Through keyboard: Touch the underlined word, select Add to the dictionary. Confirm the saving.
- ⚙️ Through Android Settings: Go to Settings → System system → Language and input → Dictionary. Click Add and enter a word.
- 🖥️ For Google Account (Sync on all devices): Open the Google language settings. Select Personal Dictionary and add words.
This solution is useful for nicknames, technical terms (e.g. fastboot, TWRP) or borrowed words (e.g., "steak", "blogger"). Note: words added through the keyboard may not sync with the system vocabulary.
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If a word is highlighted in Google Search or Assistant, it must be added through the personal dictionary of the Google account.
Problems after MIUI update
After major updates (e.g., from MIUI 12 to MIUI 13), spell checking settings may be reset, and newer firmware versions sometimes show bugs that highlight:
- 🔄 Reset: Update may return system check to "On." Check Settings → Language and input.
- 🐞 Keyboard glitch: After updating the Gboard or Mi Keyboard can temporarily emphasize all words.Solution: reinstall the keyboard from Google Play.
- 📱 Firmware conflict: Custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu) sometimes breaks the system check.
- 📲 Installing a third-party keyboard: Try SwiftKey or Fleksy - they have more flexible spell-checking settings.
- 🛠️ Manual editing of system files (for advanced): In file /system/usr/spellchecker You can disable verification services, but this requires root rights and can disrupt the system.
- 🔄 Firmware rollback: If the problem has appeared after the update MIUI, Return to the previous version via Fastboot.