Where to look for a clipboard in a Xiaomi smartphone: hidden menus and chips MIUI

The clipboard on Xiaomi is one of those features that users only remember when it suddenly stops working or behaves strangely. Unlike the iPhone or “pure” Android, where the copy history is either absent or hidden in the depths of settings, the MIUI firmware offers advanced capabilities to manage copied text, images and links. But here’s the paradox: many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi do not even suspect that their smartphone is keeping the history of the clipboard, let alone where to find it and how to set it up.

In this article, we will not only show you the standard clipboard access path (which varies depending on the version of MIUI), but also reveal hidden features, from synchronization between devices to recovery of deleted items. And also find out why sometimes the clipboard itself clears after a reboot, a common problem that Xiaomi does not mention in the official documentation.

Standard method: where the clipboard is stored in MIUI

In most versions of MIUI 12-14, the clipboard history is integrated into the Xiaomi keyboard (aka Mi Keyboard or POCO Launcher Keyboard for POCO devices), which means that access to copied data only occurs when you type in text, such as in a messenger or browser.

1. Open any application where you can type text (such as WhatsApp or Notes).
2. Tap the input field so that the keyboard appears.
3. In the top panel of the keyboard, find the icon 📋 "Clipboard (or "Clipboard"). Press it.
4. A list of the latest copied items will open: text, links, sometimes even small images (if supported).

⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party keyboard (Gboard, SwiftKey), Xiaomi clipboard history will not be available, in which case either switch to a standard keyboard in the settings, or look for the history in the keyboard application itself (Gboard, for example, has its own buffer).

In some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), the clipboard icon can be hidden behind the button. ⋯ (three points) in the upper right corner of the keyboard. MIUI 14 The clipboard history is sometimes duplicated in Settings → Additionally. → Clipboard, but this path doesn’t work on all devices.

Alternative Access Methods: Hidden Menus and Gestures

If the standard method didn’t work, try these options, and they are especially useful for owners of older models (Redmi 5, Mi A2) or custom firmware devices:

• 🔍 Search by settings: open Settings, enter "clipboard" or "clipboard" in the search bar. The system can give a direct link to the hidden menu.
• 📱 Quick Access Gesture: on some versions MIUI You can tap the input field twice to open the buffer history (you need to include in Settings). → Special facilities → Gestures).
• 🔄 Sync with Mi Account: If you are logged in to Xiaomi account, the copied data can be automatically saved to the cloud. → Xiaomi account → Cloud. → buffer.
• 🛠️ Developer Mode: In rare cases, the clipboard history is hidden behind the Settings option → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap) → For developers → buffer.

On POCO F3 and other POCO Launcher devices, the clipboard history can be hidden in the Settings → System → Additional. If none of the methods worked, it is possible that your version of MIUI does not support an advanced clipboard – this is true for budget models (Redmi 9A, Redmi 8).

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If the clipboard is empty, try copying any text (such as this paragraph) – sometimes the story is only activated after the first copy.

Why Xiaomi’s clipboard is clearing itself

One of the most common user complaints is that the clipboard is reset after a reboot or after a few hours.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI For the global market (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) clipboard history may be disabled by default due to privacy policy GDPR. To activate it, go to Settings. → Confidentiality → Additionally. → Buffer history and switch on the switch.

If the problem persists, check if you have any cleanup applications (Clean Master, Security by Xiaomi) that often automatically delete the clipboard history as "unnecessary data." Add the MIUI keyboard to the exclusions.

How to enable the synchronization of the clipboard between devices

One of the most useful features of MIUI is the ability to synchronize the clipboard between smartphones, tablets and even laptops (via Mi PC Suite).

1. Make sure that both devices have one Xiaomi account authorized.
2. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
3. Find the clipboard (or “Clipboard Sync”) and turn it on.
4. On the second device, repeat the same actions.

Once activated, copied text on one device will be available on another within seconds.

• 🔗 Synchronization works only with text (images and files are not transmitted).
• 🕒 Data is stored in the cloud for up to 30 days, then automatically deleted.
• 🛡️ For security, sensitive information (passwords, card numbers) is not synchronized.

If the synchronization is not working, check:

• Internet connection (synchronization is done through the cloud).
• No VPN or firewalls blocking access to Xiaomi servers.
• Update the firmware (on MIUI 13 and older, synchronization is more stable).

Authorization to Mi Account on both devices|Synchronization enabled in Mi Cloud|Stable Internet connection|Updated version MIUI-->

How to Clear the Clipboard History and Why It Matters

While the clipboard history is convenient, it can be a source of sensitive data leakage, such as if you copied passwords, document numbers or private messages, they remain in history until they are manually deleted or replaced with new entries.

1. Open the clipboard history (as described in the first section).
2. Click on the icon. 🧹 "Purify" or ⋮ → Delete everything.
3. Confirm the action.

Some devices (Redmi Note 11, Xiaomi 11T) have an auto-clean option that deletes old records after a predetermined period of time (1 hour to 7 days).

Settings → Privacy → Clearing the clipboard → Automatic cleaning

⚠️ Note: If you use a clipboard to temporarily store important data (such as backup codes for two-factor authentication), do not turn on auto-cleaning).

Also remember that clearing the clipboard history on one device does not remove it from the cloud if sync is enabled. To erase the data completely, go to Mi Cloud → Clipboard → Delete everything.

Third-party applications for advanced clipboard management

If standard MIUI capabilities are not enough, you can install specialized applications that offer:

• 📋 Unlimited history (as opposed to the last 20 to 50 entries in the MIUI).
• 🖼️ Support for images, files and links.
• 🔍 History search (useful if you have copied a lot of text).
• 🔒 Encryption of confidential data.

The best options for Xiaomi:

Before installing, check the application permissions — some request access to SMS, contacts, or location that is not required to work with the clipboard.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even in the latest versions of MIUI 14, users are experiencing clipboard bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

• 🚫 The clipboard does not open: reinstall the keyboard MIUI through settings → Annexes → Application management → Keyboard (click "Reset").
• 🔄 History is not updated: clear the keyboard cache in the same settings or restart the device.
• 📱 Sync is not working: log out of your Xiaomi account and log in again, then check your Mi Cloud settings.
• 🔒 Clipboard blocked: if you see the message "Access denied", check Settings → Confidentiality → Permissions for keyboard.

If the clipboard stopped working after the MIUI update, try rolling back to the previous version of the keyboard.

1. Download. APK-File of the old version of the Mi Keyboard from APKMirror.
2. Remove the current keyboard through Settings → Apps.
3. Install the downloaded APK by pre-allowing installation from unknown sources.

⚠️ Attention: Installation of third-party APK-files may disrupt the system. Before doing so, back up your data through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions