How to increase the keyboard on Xiaomi: system settings and secret chips

A small keyboard on Xiaomi makes it difficult to type quickly and accurately? Are you constantly mistaken when typing because of tight buttons? The problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones with a screen of 6.5 inches or more - fingers simply do not fit on standard keys. Fortunately, MIUI has several ways to increase the size of the keyboard without losing functionality.

In this article, we’ll look at all the methods you can use, from the standard Gboard and MIUI Keyboard settings to hidden developer and third-party options, and learn how to scale the keyboard on Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, and other devices running MIUI 12-15, and how to avoid common sizing errors that lead to input failures.

Importantly, not all methods are equally effective. For example, on the POCO F4 with MIUI 14, the system keyboard behaves differently than on the Redmi 10C with MIUI 13, and we've noted the nuances for each version of the firmware so that you don't waste time on useless manipulations.

1. Enlarge the keyboard via the MIUI Keyboard settings

The easiest way is to take advantage of the built-in options of the standard MIUI keyboard, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones that do not have Gboard or other alternatives installed.

To resize:

1. Open any field to enter text (for example, in Messages or Notes).
2. Touch the gear badge (⚙️) on the keyboard to open its settings.
3. Go to Size and layout (or Display and layout in English).
4. Move the slider Keyboard Size to the right for enlargement.

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Lite), this section may be called "Model Customization." If there is no slider, then your version of MIUI Keyboard does not support scaling, in which case move on to the following ways.

💡

If the keys become too large and go outside the screen after resizing, return the slider 70-80%. The optimal size is when the buttons occupy ~60% of the width of the display.

2. Scaling in Gboard (keyboard from Google)

Gboard is a popular alternative to Xiaomi's standard keyboard, and it offers more customization options to increase the size:

1. Open Settings → System → Language and input.
2. Select the Virtual Keyboard → Gboard.
3. Go to Topics. → Keyboard setting.
4. Find the keyboard height option and move the slider to the right.

Gboard also has a One-handed mode that compresses the keyboard to one edge of the screen, which is convenient for larger smartphones like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or the likes of the smartphone. POCO F5 Pro. It's activated by a long press on the gear icon (⚙️) keyboard.

Note that in some versions of Gboard, the keyboard height option is hidden to unlock it:

Install the latest version of Gboard from Google Play|Open any input field and click on the Gboard (G) icon) → Three points. → Settings|Go to Labs and activate experimental functions|Return to the main settings – the option Keyboard height should appear-->

3. Use of the regime for the visually impaired (universal method)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use system accessibility features, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones, but has a side effect: not only does the keyboard increase, but the entire interface increases.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Special Opportunities (or Accessibility).
2. Select Magnification (magnification).
3. Activate the option Short zoom and set the scale ratio to 1.3x or 1.5x.
4. Return to Special Options → Font and Display Size.
5. Increase the size of the display by 1-2 divisions.

And then you do that, and the keyboard gets bigger, and with that, you change the app icons, the fonts on the menu, and other elements, and to get it back, reset it in Special Options.

4.Hidden developer settings for fine-tuning

For advanced users, there’s a way to resize the keyboard through the developer’s options.This doesn’t work on all models, but on Xiaomi 11T, Redmi K50 and other flagships, the odds are high.

How to turn on the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and click on it 7 times in a row.
3. Enter the password from your Mi Account if required.

Now open Settings → More → For developers and find:

• 🔍 Minimum width (dp) – increase the value to 420-450 (standard: 360).
• 🔍 The scale of the element - set 1.2x or 1.3x.
• 🔍 Transition animation – turn off so that the keyboard opens faster.

💡

Changing Minimum Width (dp) affects all applications, not just the keyboard. If some programs start to glitches after editing, return the value to standard (360).

On the POCO X3 Pro and other devices with MIUI 12.5, these settings may not be available, so try upgrading to the latest version.

5. Third-party keyboards with flexible size setting

If the built-in methods don't work, install an alternative keyboard.

To install a third-party keyboard:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → System → Language and input.
3. Select Virtual Keyboard → Keyboard Management.
4. Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.

On Xiaomi with MIUI 14+, a security alert may appear when installing third-party keyboards. This is normal - confirm the action, since all popular keyboards (such as SwiftKey) are checked by Google Play Protect.

6. Manual editing of configuration files (for experienced)

If you're willing to take risks, you can manually edit the system files that make up the keyboard size, a method that requires root rights and is only suitable for advanced users.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /system/usr/keyboard/ (the path may vary depending on the model).
3. Find the file. keyboard_config.xml Open it in the text editor.
4. Find the lines with the parameters key_height and keyboard_height.
5. Increase your values by 20–30% (e.g., from 50dp to 65dp).
6. Save the file and restart the smartphone.

Standard settings MIUI|Gboard|Special features|Third-party keyboards|I haven't tried anything-->

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can cause keyboard crash or even bootloop (cyclical reboot).Before making changes, back up the file and make sure you have access to the file. TWRP repair.

On Xiaomi 12S Ultra and other flagships with MIUI 13/14, this method may not work due to DM-Verity protection, in which case you will need to disable the firmware signature verification, which will void the warranty.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change the size of the keyboard, Xiaomi users encounter common errors.

• 🔄 The keyboard is reset after rebooting → Clear the app's cache MIUI Keyboard in settings (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → keyboard).
• ⚠️ Buttons overlap each other. → Scale down in Special Features or return standard Gboard settings.
• 📱 The keyboard will not open after the changes → Reset the keyboard through Settings → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
• 🔍 No option "keyboard size" → Update. MIUI Up to the latest version or install Gboard.

On Redmi 9A and other budget models, sometimes resetting keyboard settings helps:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three Dots (⋮) → Application Resetting

If the problem persists, check if the keyboard conflicts with other applications (such as launchers like Nova Launcher or HyperOS Launcher).

💡

On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 and later, some keyboard settings have been moved to Settings → Additional → Special features → Keyboard settings. If you don’t find an option, check this section.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions