How to turn off the T9 on Xiaomi Android: Deep keyboard setting

Many Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners are confronted with the intrusive behavior of a virtual keyboard that constantly tries to guess a word by changing it as it pleases. This process, often referred to as the T9, is actually a complex system of autocorrection and predictive typing. In standard conditions, it is designed to speed up printing, but often leads to curious errors or simply annoys users who are accustomed to complete control over the characters they enter.

Disabling this feature is not a trivial task, since Android shell manufacturers, including MIUI and the new HyperOS, hide the necessary switches deep in the settings menu. Moreover, different device models can pre-installed different input engines, from the classic Gboard from Google to proprietary MI Keyboard or third-party solutions like SwiftKey. Understanding which engine is active on your device is the first step to solving the problem. In this guide, we will discuss in detail all possible options for disabling auto-replacement and text prediction.

It is important to understand the difference between completely turning off the keyboard and simply deactivating smart functions. Turning off the T9 does not remove the keyboard from the system, but only eliminates the automatic replacement of typed letters with words from the device’s vocabulary. This allows you to quickly print emojis, voice input and other useful options, while eliminating unwanted edits of text. Below are detailed instructions for various use cases.

Differences between autocorrection and predictive set

Before you get to the settings, you need to clearly distinguish between the concepts, because they are often located next to each other on the smartphone menu, but they are responsible for different processes. Autocorrection is a feature that automatically replaces the entered word with another if the algorithm thinks that you have made a mistake. For example, when you type "provide" the system will correct this to "hello." This behavior can be completely disable, leaving the right to choose for the user.

On the other hand, predictive typing (or text prediction) only offers word variants over the keyboard, but does not replace text without your confirmation. Many users confuse these features by trying to turn off one when annoyed by another. In the Xiaomi shell, settings can be grouped, but for fine adjustments, it is better to understand their purpose. Disabling prediction is useful for those who type specific terms, codes or use non-standard vocabulary.

There is also a third level of intervention, which is learning the keyboard. Even if you turn off instant autocorrection, the system can still remember the words and phrases you often use to suggest them in the future. To completely "sterile" typing may require cleaning your personal vocabulary, which is especially true if another person has used a smartphone or if there are random typos that now pop up constantly during printing.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling all input assistance features can significantly reduce print speed, especially on the larger screens of the Redmi Note or Xiaomi Mix series smartphones, where hitting small keys without prompts requires high accuracy.

In modern versions of Android, which run MIUI 13, 14 and HyperOS firmware, the algorithms have become more aggressive: they analyze the context of a sentence, not just a single word, which means that even a properly written word can be changed if it does not fit into the grammatical structure of the previous text according to the rules laid down by the developers of the input engine.

Setting up the Gboard keyboard on Xiaomi

The most common keyboard on Xiaomi devices is Google’s Gboard, which offers flexibility in settings and a user-friendly interface, although the paths to settings aren’t always obvious. To start setting up, you’ll need to open any application that requires text input, such as a message or note, to activate the input panel.

When you have a keyboard, look for a gear in the top row of icons, or press the comma if the menu is hidden. In the window that opens, we're interested in Settings, and inside it, Text Correction. This is where all the levers of T9 behavior control are concentrated. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the application, but the logic remains the same for all Poco and Redmi devices.

In the text correction section, you'll see a few switches. We're primarily interested in Autocorrection. By putting this slider in "Off," you'll prevent the system from changing words without your knowledge. However, if you're annoyed by key cues, you also need to find the Hit or Prejudgment item and deactivate it, which will make the string above the keyboard empty or hide it completely.

The feature “Replace by characters” is a feature that often interferes with typing texts containing emoticons or special signs, as the keyboard tries to replace the sequence of characters (for example:) with emojis. If you prefer to type everything manually, this option is also better to turn off in the same correction menu.

For users who value minimalism, Gboard offers a "getting stuck Keyboard" mode, or change in height, which indirectly affects the perception of T9, as the hint area becomes less noticeable.

Autocorrection management in MI Keyboard

On Chinese firmware or older Xiaomi models, the MI Keyboard is often found, which is less flexible than the Gboard, but has its own customization features. The process of disabling the T9 here looks different and requires care, since menu items can not be named obvious. To enter the MI Keyboard settings, you need to go to the general settings of the smartphone.

In the main settings menu, look for the Additional settings (or Advanced settings) section. Within this section, select Language and input. This shows a list of all available input methods. Click on MI Keyboard to open its specific settings. If this item is not in the active methods list, it is possible that the keyboard is disabled at the system level.

In the MI Keyboard settings menu, go to the Settings tab (cog icon). Find Autocorrect. Unlike Gboard, there may not be a separate word prediction switch, so turning off autocorrect often solves two tasks at once. If Intelligent input is available, it is also recommended to turn it off to completely stop intrusive edits.

It's worth noting that MI Keyboard has its own vocabulary that updates regardless of the system, so if you've been using this engine for a long time, simply undoing autocorrects may not remove all the hints if they're sewn into the basic update vocabulary, in which case the effective method would be to clean the application data through the application management menu in the Android settings.

Users who cannot find the right items should check whether the mode is "Simplified" or "For the elderly" in the settings of the keyboard itself, as in these modes, some T9 functions can be forced on by the interface developers to make life easier for inexperienced users.

Disable T9 through Android system settings

There's a universal way to get to any keyboard settings, bypassing the search for icons on the input screen. This method is especially useful if the keyboard is buggy or not displaying the settings button. The path lies through Xiaomi's deep system settings. Open the Settings app and select the Additional Settings section.

In the list that opens, look for Language and Input. This is the center for managing all the text functions of your smartphone. Click on Keyboard Management or Current Keyboard. Here you will see an active input method. When you click on your keyboard name (like Gboard), you will be taken to its system settings menu, which duplicates what is called from the print interface, but often contains additional hidden options.

In the keyboard management system menu, you can also turn off a specific input engine completely. If you want to temporarily remove T9 by switching to another method, do it here. However, to keep working, you better configure the current keyboard. Some versions of MIUI also have an error correction switch that works globally for all text fields.

If you use third-party keyboards like Yandex or SwiftKey, the path through the system settings will be similar, but the internal settings menu will open already in the interface of the application itself. Android 12, 13 and 14 make their adjustments to the location of items, so look for the phrases "Text correction" or "Text correction" in any menu associated with input.

You don't have to restart your device or close your apps. You just have to go back to the text input field and check the result. If T9 is still working, maybe a particular application (like Telegram or WhatsApp) has its own auto-replace settings that take precedence over the system settings.

Cleaning the dictionary and resetting keyboard settings

Sometimes, just switching the switches doesn't help, because the keyboard keeps the learned words that it keeps offering, and then you have to clean up the user's dictionary, and it's a radical but effective method that brings the keyboard back to its factory state in terms of vocabulary. Go to Settings -> Apps -> All Apps.

Find your keyboard (Gboard, MI Keyboard, etc.) and click on it to open the app information page. Select Memory or Storage. Here you will see two buttons: Clear cache and Clear everything (or Reset) and we are interested in clearing all data. This action will delete learned words, theme settings, clipboard history and personalized dictionaries.

Once the data is cleaned, the keyboard will behave like the first time you turn on your phone, it will no longer know your usual words and abbreviations, which will temporarily reduce the efficiency of printing, but is guaranteed to remove intrusive replacements based on the old history, a technique that is especially useful if the T9 began to behave inadequately after the Xiaomi firmware update.

⚠️ Before clearing the keyboard data, make sure you remember passwords from important accounts if you are used to storing them in the clipboard or auto-complete the keyboard itself, as this information will be irretrievably lost.

In some cases, removing unused languages helps. If you have 5 languages connected but only Russian and English are actively used, removing the extra will reduce the base for autocorrect errors. Go to the keyboard settings, Languages section, and remove all unnecessary options.

Solving T9 Problems in Specific Applications

There are times when the system settings are changed, T9 is turned off, but in a particular application (such as the Chrome browser or the bank application), autocorrection continues to work. This is because some applications have their own built-in input fields or dictate their own text formatting rules, in which case the system switches can be ignored.

To solve this problem, check the settings of the application itself. For example, in the Chrome browser you can go to the settings, select Special Options and try to disable the input enhancement features, if any. In messengers like Telegram or Viber, you should check the Chats -> Replace text sections, where you can set your own auto-replace rules that work on top of the system ones.

💡

Use Incognito mode in your browser or guest mode in apps to check if the problem with T9 persists. If T9 does not work in guest mode, then the problem is in the accumulated cache or profiles of the main user.

You should also look at third-party launchers or design themes that can implement their own text input modules. If you use a custom MIUI theme, try switching to the standard "Classic" theme and checking the keyboard behavior. Often visual modifications break the standard Android feature paths.

If the problem is only seen in one particular application, try clearing its cache. Go to Settings -> Apps, find the problem app and click Clear Cache.This won't delete your in-app data, but can reset conflicting interface settings.

Alternative keyboards without the obtrusive T9

If Xiaomi and Gboard are not working on the right thing, or if the settings interface is too confusing, the best way to do this is to use an alternative keyboard. There are many solutions that focus on minimalism and no extra smart functionality, and that dramatically changes the smartphone experience.

One of the best alternatives is Simple Keyboard. It's an open source project that only weighs a few kilobytes. It doesn't have autocorrect, no word prediction, no internet access, no advertising. It just types in the characters you click. It's perfect for anyone who wants to turn off the T9 completely on Android and forget about the problem.

Another popular option is FlorisBoard or Hacker's Keyboard, which is particularly popular among programmers and system administrators, because it offers a layout similar to a physical PC keyboard and allows you to completely disable any hints, installing such applications through the Google Play store or alternative directories like F-Droid.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party keyboards, Android security will alert you to the potential risk of data interception, a standard warning for any application with access to text input. Choose only proven high-ranking and open source keyboards to minimize risks.

Once you have installed a new keyboard, remember to activate it in the Language and Type settings and choose the default method, and you can not remove the old keyboard, but simply disable it so that you can return to it if necessary, which gives you flexibility and full control over the device.

💡

Installing a dedicated keyboard like the Simple Keyboard is the only way to get rid of the T9 permanently if the MIUI/Gboard system settings are not flexible enough.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)