Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often feature large displays, which is great for viewing content but creates typing problems. The standard keyboard can seem too small, especially for people with large fingers or visual impairments. Type errors, key swipes and general inconvenience become a serious barrier to comfortable work.
Fortunately, the Android operating system and the MIUI shell (HyperOS) provide a variety of personalization tools. You can change not only the font size, but also the height of the input panel itself, as well as switch to alternative solutions. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to help you customize the perfect keyboard.
Standard settings of the Gboard and MIUI keyboard
The first thing to do is check the built-in capabilities of your current keyboard. Most Xiaomi users use Google's standard Gboard or Xiaomi Keyboard. These apps have flexible settings hidden in the depths of the menu. To begin, open any application that requires text input to call the panel.
Click on the gear icon or the three-dot icon on the keyboard toolbar. In the menu that opens, look for the Settings or Preferences section. This is where the size sliders are located. Note that the interface may vary slightly depending on MIUI 13, 14 or HyperOS.
If you use a standard Xiaomi keyboard, go to your phone's settings. Find the "Additional" or "Language and Enter" section, where you can activate zoom mode or select a theme with larger buttons, and users often miss the opportunity to change the height of the panel, which is a critical parameter.
⚠️ Note: When increasing the height of the keyboard, the top row of buttons can overlap some of the text in the input field, so watch for the positioning of the cursor.
Remember, the changes take effect instantly. Experiment with sliders to find a balance between the size of the buttons and the available screen space. 10-15% Becomes the optimal solution.
Change in font size and panel height
The most effective way to make the keyboard bigger is to increase the height of the keyboard, which stretches all the buttons vertically, making them more user-friendly to press, and in Gboard, this is done through the settings menu, where you select Settings and then Preferences.
In the options list, find the keyboard height, and as you move the slider to the right, you'll see how the button size changes in real time, and you'll want to set the value between "Average" and "High" so you don't take up half the screen.
The size of the font on the buttons deserves special attention. Although this does not change the physical area of the key, large characters are easier to read» → «Preferences» → «Key font size. There's also an adjustment slider available.
☑️ Setting the size of the keyboard
It's worth noting that changing the height of the panel affects the horizontal (landscape) mode. If you often type while holding your phone horizontally, check how the new settings look in that position.
Use of themes with large buttons
If standard height settings aren't enough, a custom theme is a great solution. The Gboard and Xiaomi Keyboard theme store offers hundreds of options designed specifically to improve readability. Some themes only change colors, while others overhaul button geometry.
To find the right design, go to the theme store of your keyboard. In Gboard, this is done through the icon with four squares on the panel, and then select the item "Theme Store." In the search bar, type in queries like "Large keys," "Big buttons" or "Large font."
Set up a theme and apply it. The visual change can be significant: some themes add extra space between buttons, which reduces the number of typos, and this is especially true for models with narrow screens, where every millimeter counts.
| Type of topic | Impact on size | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Standard. | Basic size | Pre-installed |
| High Contrast | Improved readability | Gboard Store |
| Big Keys | Enlarged buttons | Third-party topics |
| Minimalist | Often reduces size | The shop that |
Remember that third-party themes may contain ads or require additional permissions. Always check the theme ranking and downloads before installing to keep your device safe.
Set up system font and scaling
The global resizing of Android interface elements will also affect the keyboard, a system method that will enlarge all text elements in the operating system. → Screen. → Text size and display.
Here you'll see two major sliders: one for font size, the other for interface size (scale), and increasing the value of the second slider will make navigation buttons, application icons, and the keyboard larger.
But it has its nuances: With the scaling up of the app interface, some elements can go off the screen or overlap, so use this method carefully when you take small steps.
Hidden opportunities of the developer
After changing the system settings, it is recommended to restart the device, which will allow all services and applications to correctly recalculate the size of the elements and apply new zoom parameters.
Alternative keyboards for the visually impaired
If Xiaomi’s standard tools don’t work, look for third-party apps from the Google Play Market, and there are specialized keyboards designed to meet the needs of people with poor eyesight or motor impairments.
One of the most popular is the Big Button Keyboard, which replaces the standard input panel with an interface with huge, brightly colored buttons, perfect for older people or those just learning smartphones.
Another great option is Microsoft's SwiftKey. This keyboard is famous for its clever text prediction and flexible height setting. In the "Setting and keys" → "Height" section, you can choose the maximum value, which often exceeds the standard limits of Gboard.
⚠️ Note: When installing a third-party keyboard, the system can warn of the potential risk of data collection.
After installing the new app, remember to activate it. Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Language and input, select Keyboard Management, and turn on the switch next to the new app. Then select it as the default input method.
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Use the function “Key voice” in the settings of special features, so that the phone pronounces the name of the letter when pressed – this will help to avoid errors when printing.
Comparison of popular methods of increasing
The variety of customizations can be confusing, and to choose the best option, you need to understand the differences between them. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, which depend on the particular smartphone model and personal preferences.
Using the height slider in Gboard is the safest and most stable method, it doesn't require any additional software to be installed, and it doesn't affect other applications, but it's limited to the maximum value that the developer has set.
Changing the theme is a quick way to refresh the interface and zoom in a little bit, but quality themes are often paid, and free themes can contain ads, and the theme only affects the look, not the physical area of the click.
System scaling has a global effect, but it can disrupt the layout in some applications. It's "heavy artillery" that's worth using if other methods haven't worked. Combining techniques (like theme + height) often yields the best result.
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The best strategy is to start by adjusting the height in Gboard, then try a major theme, and only change the system scaling as a last resort.
Don't be afraid to experiment with setting combinations. You can set a large theme and increase the height of the panel at the same time, which will give maximum comfort when printing.