How to quickly call the keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones: 7 working ways

The virtual keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones sometimes refuses to appear at the most inopportune time: when you enter a password, write a message or search in the browser. The problem can arise due to failures in MIUI, application conflict or incorrect gesture settings. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of forced calling the keyboard, from standard to hidden functions of the engineering menu.

The feature of MIUI firmware is that it actively modifies the standard behavior of Android. For example, in some versions, the Gboard or SwiftKey keyboard may not open due to energy optimization. We tested the solutions on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Redmi 10C models — all of which work on MIUI 12-14 and Android 11-14.

1. Standard keyboard call through tap on the input field

In 90% of cases, the keyboard appears automatically when you touch the text field, but if it doesn't, it doesn't:

• 📱 Tap the input field twice with a slight delay (sometimes the first tap is perceived as a choice rather than an activation).
• 🔄 Pull the input field down - on some versions MIUI It forcibly opens the keyboard.
• 🖱️ If you use a mouse through OTG, Click on the field with the right button and select “Show keyboard».

In the models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) Sometimes changing the screen refresh rate manually helps. Go to Settings → Display. → Update frequency and choose 60 Hz instead of 120 Hz – this can eliminate the lags when the keyboard appears.

2. Forced call through the notification panel

MIUI has a hidden feature for quick access to the keyboard through the notification curtain, which works even if the main text field does not respond to taps:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the badge «🔤 Keyboard (can be called "Text Entering" or "Keyboard»).
3. Slip on it - a floating keyboard will open, which can be dragged to any field.

If the badge is not:

1. Open the Settings. → Notification panel.
2. Select “Edit Quick Access Icons”.
3. Find the Keyboard in the list and drag it to the active area.

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On POCO F4 and Redmi K50, the keyboard icon in the curtain is hidden by default. To add it, you may need to reset the notification panel settings in Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Reset the notification panel settings.

3.Using gestures to call the keyboard

MIUI 13/14 adds hidden gestures to control system functions, including keyboards.

• 👆 Swipe up from the bottom edge (on models without navigation buttons) with a delay of 1 second – calls the keyboard in the active application.
• 🤏 The mixing of two fingers on the keyboard (if it is already open) folds it, and the re-mixing turns it back.
• 🔘 Double pressing the Home button** (if you use navigation buttons) – on some firmwares, opens the last used keyboard.

On Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Mix Fold 2, a swipe upward gesture with a hold for 2 seconds opens the keyboard even in locked fields (for example, in banking applications).

4. Reset keyboard settings through system settings

If the keyboard does not appear due to a software failure, resetting its settings will help:

1. Go to Settings → System and Device → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
2. Select the keyboard you use (such as Gboard or MIUI Keyboard).
3. Tap “Reset settings” or “Clear data” (on some models you need to first click “Keyboard management”).
4. Reboot the phone.

On MIUI 14, the path may be different:

Settings → Additional → Special features → Keyboard settings → Reset

Make a backup copy of the user dictionary

Remember the included input languages

Disable autocomplete passwords

Reboot your phone after resetting-->

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9A and POCO M3 Resetting the keyboard through settings can cause the default input language to disappear. After reset, be sure to check the list of active languages in Settings → Additionally. → Language and input.

5. Call the keyboard through the engineering menu (for experienced)

If standard methods don't work, you can force the keyboard to activate through an engineering menu, which is suitable for Xiaomi on Qualcomm processors:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code: ##4636###
2. Select “Phone Information” (or “Usage Statistics”).
3. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Keyboard Settings”.
4. Activate the option “Force show keyboard” (forced keyboard display).

For devices on MediaTek (such as Redmi Note 12 or POCO M5), use the code:

##36446337##

6.Installation of an alternative keyboard

If the standard MIUI keyboard refuses to work, install a third-party keyboard:

• 📲 Google’s Gboard is the most stable alternative, supports gestures and voice input.
• ⌨️ Microsoft’s SwiftKey is good for multitasking and synchronization between devices.
• 🎨 Fleksy – Minimalist keyboard with extended themes.

After installation:

1. Go to Settings → System and Device → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
2. Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.
3. In some cases, you need to turn off keyboard battery optimization in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Battery → Battery Optimization.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with HyperOS (new firmware after) MIUI 14) some keyboards (e.g. SwiftKey) may conflict with system services. Check compatibility on the developer's website before installing.

7. Hardware methods (if nothing helps)

In rare cases, the problem is with a touch screen or input controller, and you can check this out as follows:

• 🔌 Connect. USB-keyboard OTG-Adapter – if it works, the sensor is a problem.
• 🔄 Restart your phone in Safe Mode (hold the power button) → «Restart in Safe Mode. If the keyboard appears, the third-party app is to blame.
• 🛠️ On models with removable battery (for example, Redmi) 9C) Try to remove the battery for 30 seconds – it will reset the controller’s temporary errors.

If the keyboard does not appear even after all the manipulations, the reason may be:

• 🔧 Display plume damage (frequent problem after falls).
• 🔋 Power controller malfunction (keyboard does not receive enough power to display).
• 🦠 Virus in system files (check your phone through Malwarebytes or Dr.Web).

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If the keyboard doesn’t appear in just one app (like Telegram or Chrome), the problem isn’t with the system, it’s with the app itself.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the keyboard on Xiaomi