How to turn on the keyboard on the Xiaomi phone: 5 ways to solve the problem

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones sometimes face unexpected problems, one of the most common: missing the keyboard when you type. Users complain that the on-screen keyboard doesn’t appear in messengers, browsers or searches, even though everything used to work properly. The reasons can range from accidental disconnection in settings to failure after updating the system.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to turn on the keyboard on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, from basic actions to advanced methods for power users. The instructions are relevant for all versions of MIUI 12-14 and models released after 2018 (including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5). If your phone is older, some menu items may be slightly different – we’ll mention this too.

Before you get to the settings, check the obvious: whether the Do Not Disturb mode is activated (it can block pop-ups) and whether a third-party memory cleanup app is installed that forcibly closes the keyboard. Also make sure you click on the input field long enough - sometimes the delay in the keyboard is associated with system optimization.

1. Enable the standard keyboard through MIUI settings

The easiest way to get the keyboard back is to check its status in the system settings, and most often, the problem is solved in literally 2-3 touches.

Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen) and go to the section:

Settings → Additional → Language and input → Current keyboard

Here you will see a list of available keyboards. If there is no tick next to the Gboard (Google keyboard) or Xiaomi Keyboard, tap the right option to activate it.

• 🔹 Gboard is a universal keyboard from Google with support for gestures and themes.
• 🔹 Xiaomi keyboard – standard keyboard MIUI integration into the Xiaomi ecosystem (e.g., quick access to Mi Pay).
• 🔹 Other keyboards – if you’ve installed third-party options (like SwiftKey or Fleksy), they’ll be here too.

If there is no keyboard on the list, it means that the system application has been disabled or removed. №3 (recovery through MIUI).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) The path to keyboard settings may look different: Settings → System and device → Language and input → If you do not find the section, use the search by settings (the magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen).

Reboot the phone.|Check your internet connection (to download the keyboard)|Make sure the input field is active (click on it)|Turn it off. VPN (It can block system services)-->

2. Reset keyboard settings to factory

If the keyboard is on but not working properly (e.g., hangs, doesn't display characters, or resets the language), resetting the keyboard will help, and it won't delete your data, but it will return all settings to the post-purchase state.

For the standard Xiaomi keyboard:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Xiaomi Keyboard (or Gboard if you use it) in the list.
3. Slip the Warehouse → Clear the data and confirm the action.
4. Return to the Language and Entering section and select the keyboard as the main one again.

For Gboard, you can additionally reset settings directly in the application:

1. Open any keyboard (for example, in notes).
2. Put the pin on the gear badge (⚙️) keyboard.
3. Go to Settings → Additional → Resetting settings.

Gboard (Google)| Xiaomi |SwiftKey| Other |I don't know-->

3. Restore the system keyboard via MIUI

If the keyboard has been removed or disabled as a system application, it can be returned without resetting the phone, and for this purpose MIUI has a hidden function to restore standard applications.

Follow the instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show all apps.
3. In the search bar, enter the keyboard.
4. If the results have a Xiaomi Keyboard (disabled), tap it and click Enable.
5. If the app is missing, click Install (the system will download it from the Xiaomi cloud).

On models with MIUI 14 and later (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), system applications are protected from removal, so the keyboard can only deactivate, but not disappear completely. If the buttons Enable no, try upgrading to the latest version.

⚠️ Note: On phones with an unlocked bootloader, system applications can be removed via ADB Or custom firmware, and in this case, you can only restore the keyboard by flashing your phone over Fastboot or Recovery.

4. Installation of a third-party keyboard (Gboard, SwiftKey, etc.)

If the standard keyboard is unstable, the best way to do this is to install an alternative keyboard.

• 📱 Gboard – Google keyboard with gesture, translator and search support GIF. Suitable for most tasks.
• ⌨️ SwiftKey is known for accurate text prediction and customization of topics.
• 🎨 Fleksy – Minimalist keyboard with extensions (for example, quick answers for instant messengers).
• 🔒 AnySoftKeyboard – open source, high security.

To install a third-party keyboard:

1. Download the app from Google Play (like Gboard).
2. After installation, open any input field (e.g., in Notes).
3. Swipe down the notification panel and tap the keyboard icon (usually appears when you first enter).
4. Select a new keyboard from the list and confirm the switch.

If the keyboard does not appear in the list of available ones after installation, check:

1. Application permissions: Settings → Applications → [keyboard name] → Permissions (Must be enabled to display over other windows and Access notifications).
2. Battery Optimization: Add the keyboard to exceptions in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.

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If you don’t have themes or stickers after installing Gboard, update the Google Play Services app in the app store.This will solve the problem of downloading additional features.

5. Solving keyboard issues through Safe Mode

If the keyboard stopped working after installing a new app or update, the culprit may be third-party software, and to check this, run the phone in Safe Mode - it turns off all third-party programs.

How to turn on Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press the option to turn off (or turn off power) for 3-5 seconds.
3. There will be a suggestion to go to safe mode - confirm.

In safe mode, check:

• 🔍 Does the keyboard work in standard applications (Messages, Contacts).
• 📱 If yes, there is a problem in one of the installed applications.
• 🔄 If not, it's a problem in the system. Try resetting the keyboard settings (see method). №2).

To get out of safe mode, just restart your phone. If the problem has gone away, but you don't know which app is to blame, use the exclusion method: delete programs one by one and check the keyboard.

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Safe Mode is the fastest way to diagnose conflicts with third-party apps, and if the keyboard is running in it but not working normally, the culprit is right in the middle of the installed software.

6. Advanced methods: ADB and resetting settings

If none of the previous methods worked, radical measures remain, and they should be applied only as a last resort, as they require technical skills or lead to data loss.

Method 1: Enabling the keyboard via ADB

You will need a computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and the ADB tool.

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (stick 7 times until the message “You’re a developer” appears). Then go back to Settings → Additional → Developer → Debugging on USB.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (Win + R → cmd).
3. Enter the commands in turn: adb devices adb shell pm enable com.miui.miuikeyboard For Gboard use: adb shell pm enable com.google.android.inputmethod.latin
4. Reboot the phone.

Method 2: Reset all settings

If the problem is related to the damage to system files, resetting to factory settings will help.Be sure to back up the data before you do it!

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
3. After restarting, set your phone as new.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro) may require re-assignment of the Mi Account after reset. Make sure to remember the username and password, otherwise the phone will be blocked!

7. Frequent questions and errors

We have collected answers to the most common questions of Xiaomi users related to the operation of the keyboard.

Conclusion: which way to choose?

So let's summarize:

• 🔧 If the keyboard is disabled: check the settings in Language and input (method) №1).
• 🔄 If the keyboard is buggy: reset its settings or clear the cache (method) №2).
• 📥 If the keyboard is removed: restore it through MIUI Or, you can set up a third party. №3 and №4).
• 🛡️ If the problem is in conflict: check in safe mode (method) №5).
• 💻 If nothing helps, use it. ADB or resetting (method) №6).

The first two are 90 percent helpful, and if you're facing a unique problem, let's make a comment on it, and we'll try to add new solutions to it, and remember that regular updates to MIUI and keyboard apps help you avoid these kinds of failures.

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Before radical measures (reset, ADB), always try simple solutions: reboot, clean the cache, check in safe mode. Most often, the problem is solved in 5 minutes.