How to completely remove the Emoji keyboard on Xiaomi: all working methods

The emoji keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones often comes up unexpectedly, whether after a MIUI update or because of a glitch in the settings. Instead of the usual layout, you see huge emojis, gifs and stickers that prevent you from typing. Worse, standard removal through the app menu doesn't always work - the system can block the uninstallation or return the keyboard after a reboot.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to remove the Emoji keyboard on Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark devices, including hidden MIUI settings, ADB commands, and radical measures like factory resets. Also, we’ll find out why the keyboard returns on its own and how to avoid it. If you’ve tried to turn it off through the menu, but failed, here’s a solution.

Why does the Emoji keyboard appear on its own?

In MIUI, the keyboard with an emoji (com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou.xiaomi or com.miui.emoji) can be activated automatically for several reasons:

• 🔄 Update system after installing the new version MIUI (especially global or European firmware) keyboard can reset to factory settings, where the emoji layout is enabled by default.
• 📱 Reset application settings. If you cleared the cache or data for all applications through Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points. → Resetting settings, it could have brought back the Emoji keyboard.
• 🤖 Conflict with Gboard or other keyboards. MIUI Forced to switch to a standard keyboard if a third-party keyboard (such as Gboard or SwiftKey) is unstable.
• 📦 Pre-installed software: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro) the Emoji keyboard is embedded in the firmware as a system application and is not removed by standard methods.

Before you start deleting, check which keyboard is active.

1. Open any field to enter text (for example, in Messages or Notes).
2. Touch the keyboard icon in the bottom panel (usually an emoji or globe icon).
3. If you look at the name of the active layout, if you have the word "Emoji" or the Sogou logo, it's the problem.

Method 1: Disable the Emoji keyboard via MIUI settings

The easiest way is to deactivate the keyboard in the application management menu, which won't remove it completely, but hides it from the list of layouts available.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps (or System Processes if you don't see the keyboard in the main list).
3. Find an app called Emoji Keyboard (or Emoji Keyboard), Sogou Input (for older versions of MIUI), com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou.xiaomi (full name of the package).

Shut down.

Remove updates

Delete

Disable the application

If the Disable button is not available (shaded), then the keyboard is system. In this case, proceed to Method 2.

⚠️ Note: If you turn off all keyboards on your device, the system can block text input. Make sure you have at least one alternate layout installed (e.g., Gboard).

Method 2: Removal via ADB (for system applications)

If the Emoji keyboard is stitched into firmware and doesn't shut down in the standard way, Android Debug Bridge (ADB) will help.This method requires connecting the phone to a computer, but is guaranteed to remove even system applications.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB (You can download from the official website).
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to unlock the developer menu, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to your computer and allow debugging (a request will appear on the phone screen).
2. Open the command prompt (Win + R → enter cmd) and go to the folder with ADB (or add it to the environment variables).
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Run the command to remove the Emoji keyboard (select the right one): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou.xiaomi or for newer versions of MIUI: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.emoji
5. Reboot your phone (adb reboot).

If the team returned the error DELETE_FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR, So the application is protected from removal. In this case, try an alternative command:

adb shell pm hide com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou.xiaomi

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB It can lead to unstable work. MIUI. Before executing commands, make a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Method 3: Reset keyboard settings to factory

If the Emoji keyboard appears after an update or crash, it can be returned to its original state without completely resetting the phone, which does not delete the application, but resets all its settings, including forced activation.

How to reset:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Emoji keyboard (as in Method 1).
3. Open the application page and click Storage.
4. Choose Clear Data and Clear Cache.
5. Reboot the phone.

After the reboot, MIUI may suggest you choose the keyboard again, select an alternative (e.g. Gboard) and opt out of using the Emoji keyboard.

If this doesn't work, it goes deeper -- maybe the keyboard is activated at the firmware level, and Method 4 will help.

💡

Before resetting your keyboard settings, export your custom dictionary (if you use Gboard or SwiftKey). → Dictionary → Exports.

Method 4: Remove via Safe Mode

If the Emoji keyboard doesn’t turn off due to conflict with other apps, try removing it in Safe Mode, which only runs system applications, allowing you to bypass locks.

How to get into Safe Mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button and hold it until the MI logo appears.
3. Once the logo appears, release the power button and immediately press Volume Down.
4. Hold the volume down until the phone boots up. The bottom left corner should show the Safe Mode sign.

Further action:

• Go to Settings → Applications and find the Emoji keyboard.
• If the Remove button is active, press it.
• If the button is inactive, try to Disable or Clear the data.
• Restart your phone in normal mode.

In Safe Mode, some system applications can be removed without ADB, but after a reboot they are sometimes restored. If the keyboard is back, use Method 2 (ADB).

Method 5: Completely reset your phone (last resort)

If none of these methods work, it's a factory reset, which is a radical solution, but it's guaranteed to remove all user settings, including the forced-activated Emoji keyboard.

Important: Before resetting, make a backup copy!

• 📱 Save your contacts to your Google Account or export them to a.vcf file.
• 📸 Transfer photos and videos to your computer or the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud).
• 🔑 Write down passwords from Wi-Fi and apps (or use a password manager).

How to perform the reset:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Select Erase All Data (or Reset to Factory Settings).
3. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.
4. Wait until the process is complete (the phone will reboot automatically).

After discharge:

• 🔧 When you first set up, do not restore data from a backup. MIUI — This could bring back the Emoji keyboard.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) After resetting, the Emoji keyboard can return if it is sewn into the firmware. In this case, immediately after setting up the phone, use Method 2 (ADB).

Table: Compatibility of methods with Xiaomi models

If your model is not in the table, focus on the MIUI version:

• 📱 MIUI 14 and newer: Emoji keyboard is most often system, required ADB.
• 📱 MIUI 12–13: You can try disabling or resetting your settings.
• 📱 Old versions (MIUI 11 and below: usually removed by standard method.

What if the Emoji keyboard returns after being deleted?

If you successfully removed the keyboard, but it reappears after a reboot or update, the problem lies in the automatic recovery of system applications.

• 🔄 Turn off automatic app updates: Go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Settings. Turn off Auto-Update applications.
• 📦 Freeze the application (root rights required): Use applications like Titanium Backup or App Quarantine to freeze the Emoji keyboard, preventing it from running without removing it completely.
• 🔧 Install custom firmware: On forums XDA Developers or 4PDA firmware MIUI without any pre-installed keyboards, MIUI EU or Pixel Experience.
• 🛡️ Blocking through hosts: If the keyboard is updated through Xiaomi servers, you can block its domains by adding to the file /etc/hosts (root): 127.0.0.1 api.io.mi.com 127.0.0.1 app.mi.com