How to remove the pop-up keyboard on Xiaomi Redmi: a step-by-step algorithm

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where a standard on-screen keyboard suddenly breaks off from the bottom edge of the screen and turns into a floating window.This system behavior, known as floating mode, can be extremely uncomfortable when typing long messages or entering passwords. Instead of the usual full-size input field, the user gets a small panel that blocks the content and interferes with the view.

The reasons for this interface transformation can be both random gestures and specific configurations of the MIUI shell or HyperOS. Fortunately, you can return everything to normal in a few seconds using the built-in functions of the Android operating system. In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible ways to deactivate this mode, from simple swipes to deep cleaning of the application cache.

You have to understand that the pop-up panel is not a virus or hardware malfunction, but a standard one-handed function. However, if it is activated spontaneously, it requires tampering with the settings. Below are proven methods that will help you force the keyboard to the bottom of the display and restore comfort to the device.

The mechanism of operation of the floating mode in MIUI

The floating keyboard feature was introduced by Xiaomi developers to improve ergonomics on large-diagonal screens. When the device is in horizontal orientation or when the user activates the corresponding gesture, the system automatically switches the layout to a compact view, which allows you to control the input of text with the thumb of one hand, without reaching the opposite edge of the screen.

But gesture recognition algorithms sometimes work too aggressively, and a random touch of a certain zone or a micro-shift of a finger can be perceived by the system as a command to float, and as a result, the keyboard pops up when the user didn't plan to, for example, while playing or watching a video, and understanding this mechanism is important to prevent accidental activations in the future.

It's worth noting that the behavior of the keyboard depends on the default Gboard or MIUI Keyboard model, which has been reworked in recent versions of HyperOS shells, but the basics remain the same. If you accidentally activate this mode, the system remembers the last state for the current application, which can create the illusion of sticking to the mode.

⚠️ Warning: Prolonged use of floating mode can lead to erroneous character input due to reduced button area, so it is recommended to return the standard view at the earliest opportunity.

Users often confuse a floating keyboard with a split keyboard, which is a completely different feature: splitting is only for tablets or multitasking modes, whereas a floating window is a separate interface layer. It is important to distinguish between these states, since the methods of disabling them may vary slightly depending on the version of the software.

Quick shutdown via swipes and gestures

The fastest way to remove a pop-up keyboard on Xiaomi Redmi is to use special control gestures, which do not require logging into deep settings menus and works instantly in any application, usually by doing one of the following steps to return the keyboard to its place.

Try swiping from the center of the floating keyboard window down to the bottom of the screen. In many versions of MIUI, this action is perceived as a command to land the panel. If a simple swipe does not help, look at the bottom of the floating window: there may be a thin strip or marker that you need to "pull" the interface down.

An alternative method is to use a concealment button, and a floating bar often has a down arrow icon or a special sign to roll, and pressing it may not remove the keyboard completely, but it will return it to its standard fixed state, and in some cases, you need to double tap the free area of the screen outside the keyboard to refocus the system and redraw the interface.

• 📱 Make a confident swipe from the center of the keyboard strictly down to the frame of the smartphone.
• 🖱️ Find and press the “Swipe” button or the down arrow on the input panel itself.
• 🔄 Turn the device horizontally and back again – this often resets display modes.
• 👆 Touch the area outside the text field to remove the input focus.

If none of the gestures worked, it is possible that the settings of a particular application do not allow changing the size of the input window, in which case you need to switch to software methods of disabling through the system menu Settings.

Gboard keyboard settings on Xiaomi

Since Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones use Google’s Gboard as their primary keyboard, the main settings are there. To remove the pop-up keyboard permanently, you need to prevent the system from switching to this mode automatically.

On the top of the keyboard, find the gear icon (Settings). If it's not there, click on the four-square icon or three dots to reveal the additional menu. In the menu that opens, select Settings, and then find the Preferences or Additionals section, and that's where the key switches are hidden.

Inside the preferences menu, you need to find the option associated with the Floating Keyboard or One-Hand Mode. Make sure the switch opposite the Floating Keyboard Enable is off. It is also worth checking the One-Hand Mode settings, as they often duplicate the floating window functionality and can activate it when the device is tilted.

In addition, you can adjust the keyboard behavior when you turn the screen in this section. If you are not using horizontal orientation for typing, disabling the option to Show keyboard in landscape orientation will also help to avoid accidental transitions to non-standard display modes, this is especially true for models with narrow screens.

⚠️ Note: After changing settings in Gboard, it is recommended to completely close the application in which you configured the keyboard through the Task Manager so that the changes take effect correctly.

Control through Android system settings

If the settings inside the keyboard itself fail, check the system limitations set by the MIUI or HyperOS shell. The system may force certain modes to improve accessibility. Go to the main Settings menu of your Redmi smartphone.

In the options list, look for the Additional Settings (or Advanced Settings) section. We are interested in the Language and Entering subsection. This section shows all the input methods you have installed. Click on the name of your active keyboard (such as Gboard or MIUI Keyboard) and the system window for managing that particular service will open.

From the menu that opens, select Keyboard Settings (this will open the already familiar Gboard menu, but through the system gateway). Make sure that all experimental features are disabled in the Additional section. Sometimes an Android update may reset these settings or include new features by default, so checking this section is mandatory after each major software update.

Also in the Language and Input section, check for third-party keyboards that you don't use. Sometimes conflict between multiple active input methods can cause strange interface behavior, leave only one basic method on, and temporarily turn off the rest for diagnosis.

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If after all the settings, the keyboard still “floats”, try to change the theme in the Themes app to a standard one – some custom themes may conflict with the system input windows.

Cleaning the cache and resetting the input settings

When the software settings are in the correct state, but the keyboard continues to behave inadequately, the problem may lie in accumulated cache errors or corrupt configuration files. In this case, the effective solution is to force the data of the keyboard application to be cleaned. This action is safe and will not delete your personal word vocabulary, but reset all display settings.

To do this, go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Find your keyboard (like Gboard) in the list. Click on it to open the app card, and select Memory or Storage. In the menu that appears, click Clear Cache and then Clear Everything (or Reset Settings).

Once reset, the keyboard will disappear or appear as standard when any application is next launched. The system can request permission to display the keyboard — be sure to tick Allow. Now that you start typing, the keyboard will use standard settings without any floating effects.

This method is the most radical of the software methods, but it is guaranteed to eliminate software glitches caused by system updates or application conflict. If this does not work, the problem may be deeper, for example, in the damage to the system files of the shell.

• 🗑️ Cleaning the cache removes temporary files that may have caused the display to fail.
• ⚙️ Data reset returns all keyboard settings to factory values.
• 🔄 Rebooting the device after reset is mandatory to initialize the clean state of the system.
• 📝 Personal vocabulary of words is usually saved by synchronizing your account.

⚠️ Before clearing your data, make sure your Google account is synced so you don’t lose your history of frequently used words and autocorrect settings if they aren’t stored in the cloud.

Frequent Questions and Problem Solving (FAQ)

Even after completing all the instructions, users may have additional questions related to the nuances of the various Redmi and POCO models. Below are the answers to the most popular queries that will help eliminate residual text entry problems.

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A comprehensive approach, including checking gestures, Gboard settings and cleaning the cache, allows you to solve the problem of pop-up keyboard in 99% of cases without the need to flash the device.