Xiaomi’s keyboard is not just a typing tool, but a range of features, from auto-replacement to voice input. However, users sometimes experience a virtual keyboard suddenly disappearing from the screen or no longer appearing when they click on text fields, ranging from accidental shutdowns in settings to system failures after a MIUI update.
In this article, we will look at all the possible ways to turn on the keyboard on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, from standard methods through the settings menu to alternative solutions using gestures or third-party applications. We will focus on the typical errors that lead to the disappearance of the keyboard, and give a checklist to diagnose the problem. If you find that the keyboard does not appear in messengers, browser or search, here you will find working solutions.
1. Standard method: Enable via MIUI settings
The most reliable way to return the keyboard is to activate it in system settings, which works on all versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5.
Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen) and go to Additional → Language and Enter. Here you will see a list of all the keyboards installed. If there is no tick next to the Gboard (Google keyboard) or Xiaomi Keyboard, tap the field to activate it. After that, check the work in any text field.
- 🔹 For MIUI 14: The path may be different - look for Settings → General settings → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
- 🔹 For older versions (MIUI 11-12): The section is called System and Device → Language and input.
- 🔹 If the keyboard is not in the list: Press Keyboard Management and turn on the desired manually.
Once activated, it is recommended to restart the phone, which will help you apply the changes without delay. If the keyboard does not appear, move on to the next method.
Check if Do Not Disturb mode is activated | Make sure your phone is not in power saving mode | Update MIUI to the latest version |Reboot your device-->
2. Quick activation through the notification panel
MIUI has a hidden feature that allows you to quickly switch keyboards without diving deeply into settings, a technique that is especially useful if the standard keyboard suddenly disappears, but alternatives are installed on the system (for example, SwiftKey or Microsoft Keyboard).
Swipe down to open the notification bar and then open it again for full disclosure. Find the keyboard icon (usually an icon with an "A" or a miniature keyboard) and tap it, and the menu for selecting the active keyboard opens. Choose the one you want and check it in any chat or search box.
⚠️ Note: If the keyboard icon is not on the notification bar, you can add it manually. To do this, click on the pencil icon (Edit) in the upper right corner of the panel and drag the keyboard element into the active zone.
This works in 80% of cases where the problem is caused by a temporary display failure, and if the keyboard does not appear even after switching, the cause may be a system conflict or a disabled input service.
3. Introduced through gestures (for MIUI 13/14)
The latest versions of MIUI have a gesture-based keyboard control feature, which is especially useful if the physical buttons on the screen don't respond, to activate the keyboard with a gesture:
- Open any text box (for example, WhatsApp or Telegram).
- Swipe your finger from the bottom up on the bottom of the screen (where the keyboard is usually located).
- If the gesture didn’t work the first time, repeat the movement with a slight delay.
This method only works on devices with full-screen gestures (setting is included in Settings → Screen → Full-screen display). If the gestures are disabled, the keyboard will not respond to the swipe.
The standard Xiaomi keyboard|Gboard (Google)|SwiftKey|Microsoft Keyboard|Another.-->
4. Resolving system failure problems
If the keyboard is missing after updating MIUI or installing a new application, the cause may be a conflict of system services, in which case resetting the keyboard settings or clearing the cache will help.
Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management and find the Xiaomi or Gboard Keyboard in the list. Open its settings and follow the following steps:
- 🧹 Click Clear cache (this won’t delete your data, only temporary files).
- 🔄 Select Resetting if the option is available.
- 🚫 Click Stop, then open the keyboard again through the text field.
If the problem persists, try rolling back the keyboard update. To do so, in the same app menu, click on the three dots in the top corner and select Remove Updates. After that, restart the phone.
⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3, Redmi 9A) Keyboard reset may result in the input language returning to English. check the language settings in advance in Settings → Additionally. → Language and input.
5. Installation of an alternative keyboard
If Xiaomi’s standard keyboard refuses to work, the best solution is to install a third-party one, with the most popular options being Gboard (from Google), SwiftKey (from Microsoft), and Fleksy, which offer advanced features such as text prediction, design themes, and voice input.
To install an alternative keyboard:
- Download the app from Google Play (like Gboard).
- After installation, open any text field and hold your finger on the input area until a pop-up appears.
- Select Change of Keyboard and activate a new one.
| keyboard | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|
| Gboard | Google integration, voice input, real-time translation | High consumption of memory |
| SwiftKey | Predicting words accurately, synchronizing between devices | Advertising in the free version |
| Keyboard Xiaomi | Minimalist design, low energy consumption | Limited settings |
Important: On devices without Google services (for example, on Chinese firmware), Gboard and other apps from the Play Market may not install. APK-Files from verified sources or reflash the phone to the global version MIUI.
6.Reset all settings (last chance)
If none of these methods work, the last thing you can do is reset your phone to factory settings, and this will bring all system settings back to their original state, including keyboard settings, but before you do that, you have to:
- 📱 Create a backup of data through Settings → The phone. → Backup.
- 🔋 Charge your phone at least 50%.
- 📝 Write down the username and password from the Mi Account (required to unlock after resetting).
To reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset and select Erase All Data. Once the reset is done, the phone will return to factory settings and the keyboard should work.
⚠️ Note: On models with a locked loader (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) Reset may result in a password requirement from Mi Account.Make sure you remember the login details or the phone will be locked!
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Resetting is a last resort, and before using it, try all other methods and back up the data.