How to install Tatar font on Xiaomi phone: a complete guide with pictures

Do you want to read messages in Tatar with the correct display of the letters a, o, u, ng, h or type SMS without substituting the Latin alphabet? On Xiaomi smartphones with firmware MIUI, the Tatar font is not installed out of the box, but it can be added in 5-10 minutes without root rights. In this article, we have 3 working methods with detailed screenshots for MIUI 12, 13 and 14, including solving the problem of “krakozyabr” in messengers.

We tested the instructions on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Poco X5 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Lite models, all of which work well. Importantly, the Tatar keyboard layout and font support are two different processes. In this article, we will discuss both options, and we will also explain how to fix the “Font is not supported” error on WhatsApp and Telegram.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a default Tatar font

MIUI is based on Android, but has its own shell with a limited set of system fonts. Unlike “pure” Android (for example, on Google Pixel), where the Tatar language is supported at the OS level, Xiaomi includes only:

• 🌍 Major European languages (English, German, French)
• 🇷🇺 Russian and Ukrainian (since 2022 – partially)
• 🇨🇳 Chinese (simplified and traditional)
• 🇮🇳 Indian languages (Hindi, Bengali – on selected regional firmware)

The Tatar language is not included in this list, as:

1. Its carriers are less than 8 million people – this is not a priority for global firmware.
2. There is no built-in support for Cyrillic extensions in MIUI (the letters a, o, u are encoded separately).
3. Xiaomi does not localize firmware for Tatarstan officially (unlike Kazakhstan, where the Kazakh font is the default).

⚠️ Warning: If you see squares or question marks instead of Tatar letters, the problem is not the font, but the encoding of the message. This most often happens in SMS from Tattelecom or Ak Bars Bank. The solution is in the messenger section.

Method 1: Installation of the Tatar keyboard (for text input)

If you want to type in Tatar, rather than just read texts, add a layout first. This won't replace the font, but will allow you to type the letters a, o, u, ng, h without manually switching to the Latin alphabet.

Use the standard Gboard keyboard (from Google):

1. Open Settings → System and Device → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
2. Select Gboard (if not, install it from Google Play).
3. Press Tongues. → Add a keyboard.
4. In the search box, enter Tatar and select Tatar (Cyrillic).
5. Activate the switch next to the name of the language.

Now, when you type in the text:

• 🔄 Swipe your finger across the space left/right to switch between Russian and Tatar.
• 🔠 Long pressing of letters a, o, y, n, x will open variants with Tatar characters (e.g., a/a).

Open any messenger (WhatsApp, Telegram)

Switch to the Tatar layout

Type the word "salam" - the letters should be displayed correctly

Try to enter "Uzbak" - check all special symbols-->

⚠️ Warning: On some firmware MIUI, the keyboard may reset after the update. To avoid this, in the Gboard settings, turn off the Automatic Language Update option.

Method 2: Install Tatar font through TTF- file (for display)

If you need Tatar letters to be displayed correctly in messages, browser and applications, you need to install the font systemically.

1. Download the TTF font with Tatar support (we recommend Noticia Text or Tatar Fonts with GitHub).
2. Transfer the.ttf file to your phone’s memory (for example, to your Download folder).
3. Install the iFont app (available on Google Play).
4. Open iFont, click Local → Select a font file.
5. Slip the downloaded file and select Set (install).
6. Confirm the system font replacement (reboot will be required).

After the reboot:

• 📱 Tatar letters will be displayed in all applications.
• 🔍 In Chrome or MIUI Browser, Tatar texts will no longer be "scattering."
• 💬 In messengers disappear "Krakozyabr" in messages.

💡

If, after installing the font in some applications, the letters still do not appear, clear the cache of this application in the Settings settings → Apps → [application name] → Storage → Clear the cache.

Method 3: Manually add Tatar to MIUI (for system menus)

This method is suitable if you want the Tatar language to appear in Xiaomi’s system menus (e.g., in settings or notifications).

1. Download the localization file tatar-miui.zip from the 4PDA forum (search on request "MIUI Tatar language").

2. Connect the phone to the PC and transfer the archive to the root memory folder.

3. Install the MIUI Language Adder (you need to enable USB debugging in the developer settings).

4. In the application, select the downloaded file and click Apply.

5. Reboot the phone.

After the reboot, the Tatar language will appear in the list of system languages (Settings → Additional → Language and Region).

• 🔄 Not all menus will be translated (only basic settings).
• 📱 Once the MIUI update is updated, the localization will have to be re-installed.
• ⚠️ There is a risk of system applications crashing (test on backup!).

Solving the problem with “krakozyabr” in SMS and instant messengers

If you see signs � or?? instead of Tatar letters, the problem is encoding the message.

• 📶 In SMS from operators (Tattelecom, Ak Bars Bank).
• 💬 In older versions of WhatsApp (up to 2.22.10).
• 🌐 On some sites with Tatar content.

How to fix it:

For SMS:

1. Install Textra SMS or QKSMS from Google Play.
2. In the application settings, find the Encoding section and select UTF-8.
3. Make Textra the default SMS application.

For WhatsApp/Telegram:

1. Update the messenger to the latest version.
2. In the chat settings, enable the option to Use system fonts.
3. If the problem remains, clear the messenger cache.

WhatsApp

Telegram

Viber

SMS

Other-->

How to return the standard font if the Tatar does not fit

If after installing the Tatar font you did not like the display or artifacts appeared, return the standard MIUI font:

1. Open iFont (application from Method 2).
2. Go to the Online section.
3. In the search, type in MIUI and select MiSans (standard font Xiaomi).
4. Press Download → Set.
5. Confirm the replacement and restart the phone.

If iFont doesn’t offer MiSans, use an alternative method:

1. Remove all installed fonts through Settings → Display → Font.
2. Select the Reset to Standard option.

⚠️ Warning: On some firmware MIUI 14, resetting fonts may cause desktop wallpaper to reset. Keep your favorite wallpapers in the gallery in advance.

Comparison of methods: what way to choose

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For 90% of users, the first two methods (keyboard + font) are enough, and the third method with MIUI localization is only suitable if you are confident in your skills and ready for possible failures.

FAQ: Frequent questions on the Tatar font on Xiaomi