How to completely remove or disable the built-in keyboard on Xiaomi: a detailed guide

Why users want to get rid of the standard Xiaomi keyboard

The MIUI keyboard is one of the most controversial features of Xiaomi’s firmware, integrated with gestures and themes, and many users complain of intrusive advertising, inconvenient fixers, or conflicts with alternative keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey.

The main reasons for removing the standard Xiaomi keyboard are:

• 📢 Persistent banner ads in the offer bar (even in paid themes)
• 🔄 Automatic replacement of words with incorrect variants (especially in Russian-language input)
• 🐢 Slowing down the system due to background keyboard activity
• 🔒 Conflicts with other keyboards when MIUI It will spontaneously return as the main
• 📱 Incompatibility with some applications (for example, banking or instant messengers)

It's important to understand that completely removing the system keyboard requires superuser rights (root) or ADB commands. Without them, you can only disable it through the settings, but the files will remain in the system. We'll look at both options, from a simple reset to radical methods.

Method 1: Disconnect via Android Settings (without root)

The safest method is to deactivate the keyboard in the system settings, which will not physically remove it, but will make it unselectable, and is suitable for all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models on Android 10-14.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. In the search bar, type in the keyboard or LatinIME (the name of the system keyboard).
4. Select the MIUI Keyboard app (or the AOSP Android keyboard on some models).
5. Click Disable and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: After you turn off, you will need to install an alternative keyboard (such as Gboard), otherwise you will not be able to type in the fields.

Install an alternate keyboard from Google Play| Backup important texts | Check that you have administrator rights (if you plan to ADB) | Battery charge at least 50%-->

Method 2: Reset keyboard settings to factory

If the problem is incorrect work (for example, the keyboard slows down or does not save words), try resetting it. This will not remove it, but can solve some of the problems without drastic measures.

How to reset:

1. Go to Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
2. Select the MIUI (or LatinIME) keyboard.
3. Click Reset Settings (or Clear Data in Application Information).
4. Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

🔹 What will it do:

• ✅ Remove the user dictionary (including saved auto fix errors)
• ✅ Bring back standard themes of design
• ✅ Resets gesture settings and vibrations
• ❌ Will not remove the advertisement (it is sewn into the system application)

💡

If after resetting the keyboard again began to brake, check its cache: go to Settings → Applications → MIUI Keyboard → Memory → Clear the cache.

Method 3: Remove via ADB (without root but with PC)

For those who are willing to go further, there is a method of completely removing the system keyboard via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require root rights, but requires a computer and enabled debugging over USB.

📌 Preparation:

1. Download ADB Tools for Windows/macOS/Linux.
2. Turn on Developer Mode on Xiaomi: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and press 7 times.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.

🖥️ Commands for removal:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.miuiinputmethod.latin

🔹 What the team does:

• 🗑️ Removes the keyboard MIUI for the current user (--user 0)
• 🔄 Save the cache (-k), avoiding system errors
• ⚠️ Does not affect system files (safe for updates)

⚠️ Note: If the keyboard still appears in the list after completing the command, try an alternative command:

pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miuiinputmethod.latin

This won’t delete files, but it will completely disable the app.

Method 4: Removal with root rights (for advanced)

If you have root access (like Magisk), you can physically delete keyboard files, which is the most radical method, but also the most effective.

🔧 Instructions:

1. Install any file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/app/LatinIME or /system/priv-app/MiuiInputMethod (depending on the model).
3. Remove the entire folder or rename it (for example, in the LatinIME_bak).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Deleting system files may result in:

• 🔄 Cyclical reboot (if critical components are removed)
• 📱 Loss of functionality (for example, text input in some system windows will disappear)
• 🔧 Problems with updates (MIUI Can recover files in the next update)

🔹 Recommendation: Before deleting, make a backup folder through TWRP or ADB:

adb pull /system/app/LatinIME LatinIME_backup

Method 5: Hiding the keyboard through MIUI settings (alternative)

If you don't have to completely remove the keyboard, but just hide it from the interface, you can use the Hidden Applications feature in MIUI. This won't disable it, but it will remove it from the selection menu.

How to hide it:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the MIUI keyboard and click on it.
3. Select Hide the app (or Remove from the menu on new versions of MIUI).
4. Confirm the action.

🔹 Limitations of method:

💡

Hiding the keyboard through settings MIUI — It's the safest way, but it doesn't solve any systemic problems. ADB root.

What to do if the keyboard is returned after removal

Many users find that after updating MIUI or resetting the keyboard returns, this is because the system restores standard applications.

🔄 Ways to Prevent Return:

• 📵 Turn off automatic updates MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings → Turn off automatic loading.
• 🔧 Use Magisk modules like Disable MIUI Components that block system application recovery.
• 📱 Install custom Recovery (for example, TWRP) and remove the keyboard through it – this will prevent automatic recovery.
• 🔄 Check the list of apps regularly after updates and re-turn off the keyboard if necessary.

⚠️ Please note: if you have used ADB to delete, but after updating the keyboard returned, repeat the command:

pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.miuiinputmethod.latin

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for Redmi Note 12), the keyboard is protected from being deleted via ADB. In this case, only root or rollback to an older version of MIUI will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Xiaomi keyboard