How to turn on T9 on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: all ways to activate auto-replacement

Why the Redmi Note 8 may not work on the T9 and how to fix it

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 often face a problem: when typing does not work auto-replace (T9), although the function should be active by default. The reasons may lie in resetting keyboard settings, updating MIUI or even accidentally disabling the option manually. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to enable T9 — from standard settings to alternative solutions for those who have the problem persists.

It’s important to understand that the T9 on Android smartphones works via an integrated keyboard (usually Gboard or Mi Keyboard).If you use third-party typing apps (like SwiftKey or Fleksy), the settings may differ. We’ll look at options for both, and we’ll also give you recommendations for optimizing auto-replacements for easy typing.

Before you start settings, make sure your Redmi Note 8 has the current version of MIUI installed. In older firmware (below MIUI 12), the keyboard menu interface may differ. If you are not sure about the version, check it in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Method 1: Enabling T9 in a standard MIUI keyboard

By default, the Redmi Note 8 uses the Mi Keyboard, and to activate auto-replacement (T9), follow the following steps:

1. Open any application where you can type text (such as Messages or Notes).
2. Tap the input field so that the keyboard appears.
3. Click on the gear icon (⚙️) in the upper right corner of the keyboard to open the settings.
4. Select Text Input or Keyboard Settings (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
5. Find the Auto Replacement or Text Prediction section and turn on the slider.

If your MIUI version doesn’t explicitly mention “T9,” look for options with the names:

• 🔄 Auto-replacement – Corrects typos automatically.
• 📝 Predicting text – suggests words over the keyboard.
• 🔍 Input hints – shows options for completing words.

Is the Auto Replacement slider on?

Is Prediction of Text Activated?

Is the required input language selected (Russian/English)?

Is the keyboard updated to the latest version?

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Once activated, try typing — if the T9 still doesn’t work, move on to the next method, sometimes helping to reboot your smartphone or reset your keyboard settings (we’ll talk about this below).

Method 2: Configure T9 in Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Many Redmi Note 8 users prefer Gboard over the standard Mi Keyboard due to more accurate prediction and advanced features. If you use this keyboard, you can turn on the T9 like this:

1. Open the phone settings.
2. Go to System and Device → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
3. Select Gboard from the list of installed keyboards.
4. Press Text Entering → Auto Replacement.
5. Activate the slider and adjust the sensitivity of the corrections (medium or high is recommended).

Gboard also has additional options to improve the T9:

• 🌐 Multilingual input – allows you to switch between languages automatically.
• 📚 Dictionary – Add specialized words (such as jargon or names).
• 🔄 Gestures – set up swipes for quick input (similar to T9, but with a finger movement).

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If the T9 in Gboard is not working properly, try to clear the application data. Go to Settings → Apps → Gboard → Storage → Clear the data. After that, the keyboard will have to be reconfigured, but auto-replace will work more accurately.

Important detail: Gboard's T9 function is called Auto Replacement, but it depends on Prediction of Text on. If the second option is disabled, word prompts won't appear.

Method 3: Reset keyboard settings to factory

If none of the previous methods worked, the problem may be a keyboard failure, in which case a factory reset will help. Here's how to do it for the Mi Keyboard and Gboard:

For Mi Keyboard:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Mi Keyboard in the list and select it.
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

For Gboard:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Gboard.
2. Select Warehouse. → Clear all data.
3. After reset, re-activate the keyboard in the Language and input.

Once reset, all user words and settings will be deleted, but the T9 will start to work as new. If the problem persists, perhaps the firmware itself is to blame, we will discuss this in the next section.

Method 4: Update MIUI and keyboard

In older versions of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 11 and below), the T9 function may not work as well due to software errors. If your Redmi Note 8 hasn't been updated in a long time, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check Updates and install available patches.
3. After the update, restart the device.

If the MIUI update didn’t help, check the keyboard version:

• For Gboard: Open Google Play, find the app and update it.
• For Mi Keyboard: Updates come with firmware, but you can try reinstalling it through Settings → Apps → Mi Keyboard → Remove updates (if the button is active).

After the update, check the T9. If the problem persists, it may be the conflict with other applications that we will talk about later.

Method 5: Checking for conflicts with other applications

Sometimes T9 is not working because of third-party programs that interfere with the text input process.

• 🛡️ Antiviruses (Avast, Kaspersky, 360 Security).
• 🔧 Optimizers (Clean Master, DU Speed Booster).
• 🔒 Managers of rights (for example, Shizuku or ADB-tool).
• 📱 Launchers (Nova Launcher, POCO Launcher).

To check if one of these T9 apps is blocking, follow the following steps:

1. Go to Settings → Apps.
2. Sort the list by Permissions and find apps with access to Special Features or Overlays on top of other apps.
3. Turn off suspicious programs and check for T9.

If you turn off an application, add it to the blacklist or remove it, and check if you have modified firmware (such as custom ROMs like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) that may not work properly.

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The most common culprits in conflicts with T9 are optimizers and antiviruses with keyboard protection. Turn off these options in the application settings.

Alternative solutions: third-party keyboards with improved T9

If standard methods didn't work, consider installing an alternative keyboard. Some offer more advanced auto-replacement algorithms than the Mi Keyboard or Gboard. Here are the best options for the Redmi Note 8:

To install one of these keyboards:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Activate it in Settings → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
3. Launch the keyboard app and go through the initial setup (usually offer to choose the language and style).
4. Enable Auto Replacement and Text Prediction in the new keyboard settings.

Third-party keyboards often offer more flexible T9 settings than standard solutions, such as SwiftKey, where you can adjust auto-replace sensitivity or add your own dictionary.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When setting up the T9 on the Redmi Note 8, users often make mistakes that interfere with the correct operation of auto-replacement, and here are the most common ones and how to solve them:

⚠️ Note: If you use multiple keyboards at the same time, T9 Android sometimes confuses settings between the two. Solution: Keep only one keyboard active in Settings → Language and input.

Error 1: The Internet is turned off when the keyboard is first started.

Many keyboards (including Gboard and SwiftKey) require a network connection to download language packets and dictionaries. Without that, the T9 will not work well or at all. Solution: connect to Wi-Fi or mobile internet and restart the keyboard.

Mistake 2: Too aggressive auto-replacement.

If T9 corrects even well-written words, check the sensitivity settings. In Gboard, it does this: Settings → Text Input → Auto-Replacement → Sensitivity. Set Low or Medium.

Error 3: Incorrect input language.

T9 works only for the language you choose. If you type in Russian but the keyboard is set to English, auto-replacement won't work. Solution: make sure the keyboard bar selects the language you want (usually displays the country flag in space).

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If the T9 started to perform worse after the MIUI update, try rolling back the keyboard to the previous version. To do this, download the old version's APK from a reliable source (for example, APKMirror) and install it manually.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About the T9 on the Redmi Note 8