Emoji Keyboard on Xiaomi: everything you need to know about the built-in keyboard with emoji

If you are the owner of a Xiaomi smartphone on the basis MIUI, You may have noticed a strange program called the Emoji Keyboard, which at first glance looks like a take on a standard keyboard, but with an emphasis on emojis and stickers. Is that really true? And why does this keyboard even exist if Xiaomi already has built-in text input tools?

In practice, the Emoji Keyboard is not just another keyboard, but part of the ecosystem. MIUI, It's designed to make it easier to work with emojis, gifs, even some quick-access features, but there's a lot of myths around it, from saying it's "spyware," to telling you to immediately remove it as unnecessary ballast. In this article, we will understand what is Emoji Keyboard on Xiaomi, how it works, how it differs from Gboard or a standard keyboard. MIUI, And is it really worth removing.

Spoiler: If you're actively using messengers or social media, this keyboard may be more useful than it looks, and if you don't, you can always turn it off without harming the system.

What is the Emoji Keyboard on Xiaomi and why is it necessary?

Emoji Keyboard is a branded keyboard from Xiaomi, built into the firmware MIUI verb MIUI 12 and newer. Unlike the standard keyboard, it specializes in fast access to the keyboard:

  • 😊 Emoji and emojis – with categorization (faces, animals, food, etc.) and support for the latest Unicode updates.
  • 🎭 Stickers and GIFs – integration with the Xiaomi base and popular messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
  • ⚑ Quick commands – for example, sending a location or a quick browser search.
  • πŸ” Search for emoji by keywords (in Russian and English).

It's basically a simplified version of the keyboard, where visual content is prioritized over text input, for example, when you type a message on Viber or Instagram, it automatically prompts relevant emojis to the words you type, which is convenient if you communicate frequently through emojis, but can annoy those who prefer minimalism.

It is important to understand that the Emoji Keyboard is not a virus or a browser. MIUI, which:

  • πŸ”„ Updated with firmware (does not require manual installation from Play Market).
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Does not collect user data beyond what is permitted in the privacy settings MIUI.
  • πŸ”§ Can be disabled or replaced with another keyboard (e.g. Gboard or SwiftKey).

However, it has disadvantages – we will talk about this later.

πŸ“Š What keyboard do you use on Xiaomi?
Emoji Keyboard (built-in)
Gboard by Google
SwiftKey
Another.
I don't know what I have.

Differences between Emoji Keyboard and Standard Keyboard MIUI

Many users confuse the Emoji Keyboard with the standard keyboard MIUI (It is also known as the Mi Keyboard, but there are key differences between the two:

FunctionEmoji KeyboardStandard MIUI keyboard
Principal appointmentQuick access to emojis, stickers, gifsFull text input with support for gestures and voice typing
Interface.Simplified, with an emphasis on visual contentClassic layout with number series and symbols
Support for topicsLimited choice (light/dark)A variety of topics, including customization of flowers
Voice inputAbsent.Yes (via Google Voice Typing)
Integration with messengersDeep (emoji tips, stickers)Basic (text only)

The main advantage of the Emoji Keyboard is that it automatically prompts the emoji when you type in text, for example, if you write "funny," the keyboard will immediately suggest emojis. πŸ˜‚ or 🀣. In the standard keyboard. MIUI for this you need to manually switch to the tab with emoji.

On the other hand, the Emoji Keyboard lacks many of the features of the standard keyboard:

  • πŸ”  No Swipe (Gestural Input) Support).
  • 🎀 No voice dialing.
  • πŸ“± No synchronization of the dictionary between devices.

It is more likely to complement the main keyboard than replace it.

πŸ’‘

If you are missing an emoji in the Emoji Keyboard, try updating your firmware MIUI β€” New versions add fresh sets of emojis from Unicode.

How to turn on or off the Emoji Keyboard on Xiaomi

By default, the Emoji Keyboard can be disabled, especially if you use a third-party keyboard (such as Gboard).

Emoji Keyboard Enablement:

  1. Open Settings β†’ System and device β†’ Language and input.
  2. Click on the Virtual Keyboard β†’ Keyboard management.
  3. Turn on the switch opposite the Emoji Keyboard.
  4. Go back and select Current Keyboard, then tick Emoji Keyboard.

Disable the Emoji Keyboard:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. Find the Emoji Keyboard in the list and select it.
  3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Stop first).

If the Disable button is not available, then the keyboard is a system component.

  1. Install another keyboard (such as Gboard) from the Play Market.
  2. In the input settings (language and input), make it the default keyboard.
  3. The Emoji Keyboard will no longer appear.

β˜‘οΈ Checking the Emoji Keyboard

Done: 0 / 4

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 or X-ray) POCO X3 Pro) The Emoji Keyboard can be deeply integrated into firmware, in which case it cannot be removed without root rights, but you can simply ignore it by choosing a different keyboard.

Emoji Keyboard Security: Does it Collect Data?

One of the most common questions is, "Can Emoji Keyboard spy on the user?" The answer is no, but with reservations.

Like any keyboard, the Emoji Keyboard has access to what you type.

  • πŸ”’ It doesn’t send your messages to Xiaomi servers (unless the cloud sync feature is enabled, which is disabled by default).
  • πŸ“‘ Data about the input text can only be used to improve the prompts (for example, to suggest relevant emojis).
  • 🚫 In the settings MIUI You can completely disable the collection of statistics: go to Settings β†’ Memory. β†’ Privacy β†’ Special permits β†’ Access text input and uncheck the Emoji Keyboard.

By comparison, Google’s Gboard collects much more data (including your input history) if you don’t turn off the options in its settings. Emoji Keyboard is more β€œlocal” in this regard – it is not tied to your Mi Account account and does not sync data between devices.

However, if you’re paranoid about privacy, it’s best to use open source keyboards like AnySoftKeyboard or FlorisBoard.

How to check what data is collected by Emoji Keyboard?
Open the Settings. β†’ Annexes β†’ Emoji Keyboard β†’ Permissions. Here you'll see what features the device has access to, for example, if the Internet permission is disabled, the keyboard won't be able to send data to the servers.

Emoji Keyboard Problems and How to Solve Them

Despite its simplicity, the Emoji Keyboard sometimes fails, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

1.The keyboard does not open or disappears

  • πŸ”„ Reset the device.
  • πŸ“± Check if it is included in the settings. β†’ Language and input.
  • πŸ—‘οΈ Clear the app's cache: Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ Emoji Keyboard β†’ Clear the cache.

2. Emojis or stickers are not working

  • πŸ”½ Update the firmware MIUI (Sometimes, emoji databases are updated only with a new version of the system).
  • 🌐 Check your internet connection – some stickers are downloaded from Xiaomi servers.
  • πŸ”§ Reset the keyboard settings: Settings β†’ System and device β†’ Additionally. β†’ Resetting application settings.

3.The keyboard brakes or lags

  • 🧹 Clear the application data (together with the cache).
  • πŸ“‰ Turn off animations in MIUI: Settings β†’ The phone. β†’ Version. MIUI (Click 7 times to open to Developer, then turn off Windows animation).
  • πŸ”‹ Check the battery power – on some Xiaomi models, the keyboard can slow down at a charge level below 15%.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The Emoji Keyboard stopped working at all, it may be due to a firmware error, in which case only a rollback to the previous version or waiting for a patch from Xiaomi will help.

Should you remove the Emoji Keyboard from Xiaomi?

It depends on how you use your smartphone, and here are the pros and cons of deleting:

Remove the Emoji Keyboard if:

  • 🚫 You don’t use emojis or stickers in principle.
  • πŸ“± You have another keyboard (like Gboard) that covers all your needs.
  • πŸ”‹ You want to save a few megabytes of memory (although the savings are minimal).
  • πŸ›‘οΈ You are concerned about privacy (although the risks are minimal).

Do not remove if:

  • 😊 You actively communicate through emojis on WhatsApp, Telegram or social networks.
  • 🎨 You like integration with GIFs and stickers MIUI.
  • πŸ”„ You don’t want to mess with settings after accidentally deleting (some models can’t restore it without resetting the system).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global or MIUI Europe Emoji Keyboard is a system application, which means that it can only be disabled, but not completely removed without root permissions. ADB or third-party utilities, this can cause malfunctions in other system components (for example, a standard keyboard). MIUI).

If you decide to get rid of it, the safest way is to simply turn off the keyboard in the settings and forget about its existence.

πŸ’‘

Emoji Keyboard is not a critical component MIUI. Disabling or deleting it will not affect system stability if you use an alternative keyboard.

Emoji Keyboard Alternatives for Xiaomi

If you don’t have enough Emoji Keyboard functionality (or too much), consider the alternatives:

keyboardPlusesCons
Gboard (Google)Voice input, Swipe support, integration with Google SearchData is collected by the Emoji Keyboard
SwiftKey (Microsoft)Smart tips, synchronization between devicesSometimes it slows down on weak smartphones
FleksyMinimalist design, gestures for editingPlugins with emoji paid
AnySoftKeyboardOpen source code, high confidentialityFewer functions for emojis

If you need a keyboard specifically for emojis, pay attention to:

  • 🎨 Kika Keyboard – more than 8000 emojis and stickers.
  • πŸ€– Chroom – keyboard with AI prompts and advanced emojis.
  • πŸ“± Bitmoji Keyboard – for fans of personalized avatars.

Before installing an alternative, be sure to disable the Emoji Keyboard in the settings so it doesn’t conflict with the new keyboard.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the Emoji Keyboard on Xiaomi

Can I transfer the settings of the Emoji Keyboard to another Xiaomi smartphone?
No, the Emoji Keyboard doesn't support synchronizing settings between devices. If you change your smartphone, you'll have to reconfigure it, and the alternative is to use cloud-saving keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey.
Why aren’t there new emojis from the latest Unicode update?
It depends on the version. MIUI. Xiaomi updates the emoji database only with the release of large firmware (for example, MIUI 14 β†’ MIUI 15). If you need fresh emojis, try updating the system manually through Settings. β†’ The phone. β†’ Updating the system.
Can I use the Emoji Keyboard on a Xiaomi tablet?
Yes, but with reservations. 5/6 The Emoji Keyboard works correctly, but can be displayed in a mobile format (not optimized for the big screen.
How to get Emoji Keyboard back if I deleted it through ADB?
If you removed it through ADB Or Titanium Backup, you can restore the keyboard in two ways: Reset the phone to factory settings (remove all data!). MIUI It's on top of the Fastboot (without data loss, but requires an unlocked bootloader.
Does Emoji Keyboard work on custom firmware (like LineageOS)?
Emoji Keyboard is a proprietary component MIUI. It doesn't work on custom firmware (like LineageOS, Pixel Experience), and instead you'll have to use alternatives like Gboard or OpenBoard.