How to increase the keyboard on Xiaomi: full size settings

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to change standard text input settings, which may be due to age-related hyperopia, specific physiological features, or simply a desire to improve the comfort of using the device as a whole. Standard settings offered by the MIUI or HyperOS operating system out of the box, do not always meet the individual needs of the user, requiring manual adjustment.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to increase the keyboard on Xiaomi to make typing as convenient as possible. You will learn not only about basic size sliders, but also about the hidden functions of scaling fonts, changing the height of the panels, and even about system methods that affect all elements of the interface.

We'll focus on Google's built-in solution, Gboard, because it's the de facto standard for most of the Chinese manufacturer's devices, but we'll also touch on third-party solutions if you don't find the standard functionality enough, and understanding the logic behind these settings will allow you to flexibly manage your screen space.

Basic size settings for the Gboard keyboard

The most obvious and frequently used way to change the dimensions of the virtual input panel is in the application's own settings. Xiaomi smartphones pre-installed Gboard, which has the widest customization functionality. To get to the desired menu, you need to open any application that requires text input, and call the keyboard itself.

When you see the character bar, you can look at the top line of the tools, and there's a gear icon that opens the settings menu, and if that icon isn't there, click on the four-square icon or the right arrow to reveal the additional options, and what you're looking at in the list is the Settings section, and inside that is the keyboard Settings.

And this is where the keyboard height slider is, and by moving it around, you can visually measure the changes in real time, and there are different percentages available that allow you to stretch the panel down to half the screen, or shrink it down to a minimum, and this is ideal for anyone who wants to change the input area without touching the rest of the system.

It's worth noting that changing the height automatically scales the size of the buttons themselves, which is often the main goal of the user. However, if you want to change the font size on the buttons, rather than their physical height, you should look for a separate option in the same menu or in the "Preferences" section, the flexibility of these settings allows you to adjust the interface to any finger size.

Changing the system font and scaling

If the height adjustment of the panel did not give the desired result, and the text on the buttons still seems too small, you should consult the system settings of the display. In the shell of MIUI and the new HyperOS, a powerful font rendering engine is implemented that affects all interface elements, including the keyboard. To access these settings, go to the Settings of the smartphone.

In the settings menu, look for the Screen (or "Display") section. Inside this section, select Text Size and Fat. Here you'll see a slider that changes the scale of the fonts throughout the system. As you zoom in, the letters on the Gboard keys will also get larger, which will improve readability.

⚠️ Attention: Excessively increasing system fonts can cause text in some applications to start bumping into other interface elements or cropping.

Also, the menu also often features the option of Element Size (or "Display Size"), which affects not only the text, but also the size of icons, buttons and other graphics, and uses this feature in conjunction with keyboard height settings to achieve the best visual result, and the screen will be more informative for people with reduced vision.

It is important to understand the difference between DPI (pixel density) and simple scaling of the font. In standard settings Xiaomi user is working with scaling, which is a safe method. Deeper changes require access to the developer menu, which we will talk about in the next sections.

Use of one-handed mode

One-handed input is often thought of as a way to compress the keyboard for easy control of the big screen with one hand. However, this mode has a flip side that can be useful in finding an answer to the question of how to increase the keyboard on Xiaomi. When activated, the keyboard shrinks and shifts to the side, but its relative size relative to the finger grip area changes.

To activate this function, press the Space key or click the settings icon (often looks like four squares or an arrow), then select the hand icon. The keyboard will shift to the right or left. Although the physical size of the buttons in the pixels may decrease, for some users, this format is more convenient, since all the keys fall within the reach of the thumb without having to intercept the device.

You can also find the floating keyboard in Gboard settings, which lets you untie the input panel from the bottom edge of the screen and move it around the display, and it doesn't increase the size of the buttons directly, but it gives you freedom of positioning. You can make the keyboard smaller, but you can place it in the most comfortable zone for your eyes, which subjectively increases the comfort of use.

One-hand mode is particularly relevant for models with screen sizes larger than 6.5 inches. It can be difficult to reach the center of the screen. By combining one-hand mode with system-wide font enlargement, you can find a unique balance between the size of the buttons and the convenience of their location. Don't be afraid to experiment with these settings in safe mode.

Settings for people with disabilities

The Android operating system that powers Xiaomi smartphones has a powerful accessibility feature pack, designed for people with visual or motor impairments, but can be useful for anyone who wants to maximize controls. Go to Settings -> Advanced Settings -> Special features.

We're interested in the Visualization or Magnification section here, and some versions of MIUI have Screen Enlargement, which works like a magnifier, and you can triple tap it to make any area, including the keyboard, huge, and it's a temporary solution, but it's extremely effective for typing complex text once.

You can also find contrast and color inversion settings in the feature menu, and although they don't change size, the high contrast color combination makes the key boundaries clearer, making it visually easier to find the right characters. For people with low vision, this may be even more important than the physical size of the buttons.

Alternative keyboards with flexible scaling

If standard Gboard doesn't seem flexible enough, Google Play offers a variety of alternatives. Third-party developers often implement features that become standard years later. One of the leaders in customization is the Yandex keyboard or Microsoft SwiftKey.

The Yandex keyboard, for example, has the Adaptive Size feature, which automatically adjusts the height of the panel to the user's error rate. If you miss frequently, it will suggest you increase the size. SwiftKey has the ability to fine-tune theme, where you can manually set the percentage of keyboard height in 1% increments, which gives you more accurate control than the standard 5-10% in Gboard.

⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party keyboards, be sure to check the permissions they request.The keyboard has access to everything you type, including passwords.Use only verified apps from known developers.

The alternative keyboard is installed via the Settings -> Additional -> Language and input menu. Once you install the app from the Play Market, you need to activate it and select it by default, which will allow you to forget about the problem of small button size, since many "light" keyboards are focused on convenience and large layout by default.

Advanced Methods: Developer Menu and DPI

For power users who aren't afraid to experiment with system parameters, there's a method for changing the density of DPI (Dots Per Inch), which determines how many pixels per inch of the screen, and by changing it, you can make the system think that the screen is less resolution, which will lead to a global increase in all elements, including the keyboard.

To access these settings, activate the developer menu. Go to Settings -> About Phone and quickly click 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version). Once you have a notification that you have become a developer, go back to the main settings menu, go to Advanced Settings -> For Developers.

In the list, find Minimum Width (or "Smallest width"). Remember or write down a reference value (like 392 or 411) to be able to go back. Reducing that number (like 20-30 units) will increase the scale of the interface. This is the most powerful way to zoom in on Xiaomi, affecting absolutely all elements of the system.

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Before changing the DPI, make sure to write down the original numerical value. If you set the setting too low, the interface can become unreadable, and it will be difficult to return everything back without resetting the settings.

Using this method requires caution. Too low a DPI can make some interface elements non-clickable or off-screen. However, if you get the right value, you can achieve the perfect font and button size that is not available by standard methods. This is a professional approach to customizing Android.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Integrated approach to setup: combine height change in Gboard, system font and, if necessary, DPI to achieve the perfect result.