How to return the Russian language on the smartphone Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Have you bought a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone with Chinese firmware or accidentally changed the interface language to an incomprehensible one? Don't panic - you can return Russian even without knowing English or Chinese. In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios: from standard settings to flashing the device if the standard methods do not work.

The problem with the lack of Russian language on Xiaomi occurs most often in three cases: 1) the phone was purchased on Chinese platforms (AliExpress, Taobao) with local firmware, 2) the user accidentally chose the wrong language when first turned on, 3) after the MIUI update, regional settings were lost.

In 90% of cases, it takes 2-3 simple steps to get the interface back, but if your model doesn’t support Russian out of the box (for example, Xiaomi 13T Pro for the Chinese market), you will need additional manipulation.

Important: Before you change your settings, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone, which depends on which way it works. If you have Global ROM, Russian is already installed, you just need to activate it. If you have Chinese versions of China ROM or EEA ROM, you will either have to install a language pack or reflash the device.

1. Standard method: changing the language in the settings

If your Xiaomi has a Global ROM, but for some reason the language is lost in English or another, you can return Russian in 30 seconds:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select Additional settings.
3. Slip on Languages & Input.
4. Click Languages → Add language.
5. Find Russian (Russia) and select it.
6. Drag Russian to the first position in the list.

If you see hieroglyphs instead of English inscriptions, use the visual hint:

• 📱 Step 1: Find an icon with a gear on your desktop (⚙️) — It's the settings.
• 🔍 Step 2: Scroll down to the point with the icon of the globe (🌐) — These are additional settings. → Language and input.
• 🇷🇺 Step 3: In the list of languages, look for the Russian flag or inscription (this is "Russian" in Chinese).

What if Russian isn't on the list? That means you have Chinese ROM installed, and then you move on to the next section, which requires either a language package or a full flashing.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 12S Ultra, Mix Fold 2) even after changing the language, some system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Browser) can remain in Chinese.

Installation of language package (for China ROM)

If you don’t have Russian in your settings, but you don’t want to reflash your phone, you can either install the language pack via the Mi App Store or manually, which works on 80% of Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO models with Chinese firmware.

Instructions:

1. Open the Mi App Store (an icon with a blue square and a white letter "A").
2. Search MoreLocale 2 or Set Edit.
3. Install the application and open it.
4. Choose Russian (Russia) and apply the changes.
5. Reboot the phone.

If the Mi App Store is not available or the app is not available, download it. APK-A language pack file from a trusted source (such as APKPure) and install it manually:

• 🌍 MoreLocale 2 adds support for 200+ language.
• 📱 Set Edit – changes the system’s regional settings.
• 🔧 Locale & Language – an alternative with a simple interface.

Download APK from an official source

Allow installation from unknown sources

Make a backup copy of the data

Charge your phone at least 50 times%-->

Warning: Installing third-party language packs can cause some system applications (such as Mi Pay or Mi Home) to run unstable.If there are glitches after installation, uninstall the package and consider flashing it.

3. Reflashing to the global version of MIUI

If the previous methods didn’t work, the most reliable method is to reflash the phone to the global version of MIUI (Global ROM), which is guaranteed to bring back Russian and add support for Google services, but the process requires caution: if you do the wrong thing, you can lock the bootloader or turn the phone into a brick.

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (en.miui.com/unlock). This will require a Mi Account and a wait of 7-15 days (the time depends on the model).
2. Download the global firmware for your model from the MIUI Download website.
3. Install the Mi Flash Tool on your computer.
4. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the phone is off).
5. In the Mi Flash Tool, select the downloaded firmware and press Flash.

Important nuances:

Alternative: If unlocking the bootloader seems difficult, you can install custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu or PixelExperience) via TWRP. These firmware supports Russian and does not require waiting to unlock. However, they are warranty-free and may contain bugs.

4. Reset to factory settings

If the Russian language was previously in the system, but disappeared after an update or crash, a hard reset will help. This method will delete all data from the phone, so make a backup copy first.

How to reset your settings:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press Volume Up + Power before the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation, power button for selection).
4. Confirm the reset (Confirm).
5. After the reboot, select Russian at the initial setup stage.

If the menu does not contain Russian, focus on English inscriptions or icons:

• 🔄 Reboot - reboot.
• 🧹 Wipe Data - Resetting settings.
• 📦 Install Update – Install Update.

💡

If after resetting the phone requires you to enter the Mi Account, and you do not remember it, use the official Mi Account Unlock Tool utility or contact the service center. Self-attempts to bypass the lock can lead to complete loss of access to the device.

5. Solutions for specific models

Some Xiaomi smartphones have unique features when changing language.

Redmi Note 10/11/12

On these phones, Russian is usually available out of the box, but may disappear after updates.

1. Update MIUI to the latest version via Settings → System Update.
2. If the language does not appear, install MoreLocale 2 (see section 2).

POCO F3/F4/F5

POCO devices often have a Global ROM, but with a regional limitation, to unlock all languages:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in the settings).
2. Enable OEM Unlock in Settings → For Developers.
3. Install Xiaomi.eu via TWRP.

Xiaomi 12/13 Series

The flagship models for the Chinese market (China ROM) do not support Russian at the system level.

• Installation Xiaomi.eu (unofficial firmware with support for Russian).
• Use MoreLocale 2 + manual font replacement (partial solution).

💡

On phones with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi 10C, POCO M4 Pro), unlocking the bootloader can be difficult. For such models, it is recommended to use the language pack method or contact the service.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

When trying to return the Russian language, users often face typical problems.

The language has changed, but some applications are in Chinese.

This is normal for China ROM. System applications (Mi Browser, Mi Video, Themes) may not be translated.

• Remove unnecessary Chinese apps through Settings → Apps.
• Install alternatives from Google Play (e.g. Chrome instead of Mi Browser).

Error: "No point 'Languages' in the settings"

That means you have a stripped-down firmware for corporate clients or special regions.

• Update MIUI to the latest version.
• If the update doesn’t work, go through the Global ROM.

Error: “After reset, a Mi Account that is not required”

This is a Mi Account Lock solution.

• If your phone is yours, enter a linked account.
• If the phone is purchased by hand, ask the seller to delete the account via account.xiaomi.com.
• In extreme cases, contact the Xiaomi service center with a check for the purchase.

⚠️ Note: On phones with HyperOS (new shell instead of a new one) MIUI, debuted in 2023) the path to language settings may be different.Look for System settings → Language & region. If there is no Russian, install Xiaomi.eu with HyperOS support.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions