How to change the keyboard on the Xiaomi smartphone

Changing the standard text input tool is one of the most effective ways to personalize the Android smartphone interface for your own needs. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often face the desire to replace the preinstalled keyboard with a more functional counterpart that offers advanced autocorrection, design themes or voice input.

The replacement process does not require root rights or complex manipulation of system files, making the procedure accessible even to inexperienced users. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS have a flexible system for managing input methods, allowing you to instantly switch between several applications.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm for installing, activating and fine-tuning a new printing tool. You will learn how to protect the device from potential threats when using third-party software and what parameters should be changed first for maximum comfort.

Selecting the optimal application for text input

Before starting the technical part of the replacement, you need to decide on the choice of the application itself. The standard Google Play Store offers hundreds of options, but not all of them guarantee stable operation and data security. The market leader is traditionally considered Gboard, which is characterized by high speed and excellent support for multilingual input without the need for manual switching.

For visual users, SwiftKey or Facemoji are great choices, offering extensive theme libraries, the ability to create your own backgrounds from the gallery, and advanced typing analytics. It is important to pay attention to the permissions that the program requests when installing.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid installing little-known keyboards from unverified developers, as they may have access to all the text you type, including passwords and bank card details.

There are also dedicated solutions like Hacker's Keyboard that emulate the layout of a physical PC, which is critical for programmers or system administrators working remotely.

📊 Which keyboard do you like better?

Gboard (Google)

SwiftKey (Microsoft)

Yandex.Keyboard

Standard Xiaomi

other

Installation process and initial activation

After downloading the selected APK-If you have a file or an application installed through a store, the system doesn't activate it automatically. This is for security reasons, to prevent malware from accidentally replacing system components. You need to manually allow the new input method to work on the device.

To do this, go to your Xiaomi’s main settings menu.Look for a section that could be called “Advanced” or “Advanced Settings,” depending on the version of the MIUI shell. This is where key peripheral input control options are hidden.

Inside the settings menu, look for Language and Enter. This shows the current default keyboard and the list of available methods. Click on Keyboard Management or similar to see a list of installed but inactive applications.

☑️ Activation of the new keyboard

Download the app from the Play MarketGo to Settings → Additionally.Select Language and EnteringInsert the new annex switchboard

Done: 0 / 4

In the list that opens, find the name of the app you just installed and put the slider in the active position. The system will issue a security risk alert, as the third-party app will access the input data. Confirm the action by clicking "OK" or "Allow".

Set up a priority input method in the system

Simply turning on the keyboard is not enough – you need to tell the system that this is the default tool to be used when typing in any field.Without this step, the device will continue to use the standard Sogou or Google keyboard, ignoring the new installation.

Go back a step in the Language and Enter menu. Find the current keyboard (sometimes called the default keyboard). When you click on this, you will open a dialog box with the active application selection.

Select the name of your new input tool from the list. From now on, any time you touch the text field in messengers, browsers or notes, the interface of the selected program will automatically pop up. If this does not happen, try restarting the device.

Setup parameter	Standard value	Recommended value	Impact on work
Input method	Sogou / Gboard	User-selected	Defines the print interface
Autocorrection	Included.	By choice.	Corrects errors on the fly
Vibrant response	Included.	Short (5-10 ms)	Tactile recoil when pressed
Keyboard sound	Included.	Off.	Audio support of input

In some versions of HyperOS firmware, the path to settings can be slightly changed. If you don't find the right item, use the search bar at the top of the settings screen and type in the "keyboard" request.

What to do if the selection button is not active?

If the keyboard selection is inactive (shaded in grey), make sure you pre-activate the switchboard in the Keyboard Management section. Without this step, the system blocks the choice of input method.> Fine-tuning the print and dictionary settings After successful activation, it is recommended to conduct a deep adjustment to adapt the tool to your printing style. Most modern keyboards have intelligent learning systems that analyze the frequency of use of words and user's usual phrases. Go to the settings of the keyboard application itself (usually through the gear icon on the toolbar or through the menu section, you can adjust the size of such a language, or the space of the system). Visual customization not only makes you happy, but it also helps you see the key boundaries better, which reduces the number of typos. Many applications allow you to adjust the transparency of the background or add animations of pressing. ⚠️ Note: When you activate Cloud Dictionary or Sync, your dial data can be transmitted to the developer's servers. If privacy is critical, use incognito mode or turn off network functions. Remember to configure language packets. For Russian, it is important to check for the presence of the "E" layout and the ability to quickly swipe between languages over the space, which greatly speeds up typing in a multilingual environment. During operation, users may encounter a situation where the new keyboard stops appearing or does not work correctly. This is often due to an aggressive energy saving system. MIUI, It can kill the background processes of applications to save battery life. To prevent the forced shutdown of the input service, add the application to the exceptions» → «All apps, find your keyboard, and select Activity Control or Autostart, set a "No Limits" value for background activity, which ensures that the system doesn't force you to shut down the input process, even if you haven't used typing in a long time. Also check for updates to the app itself in the store. If the keyboard crashes or freezes, try clearing its cache» → «Clear cache. Don't confuse it with data cleanup, as it will remove your learned dictionary and personal settings. 💡Xiaomi’s aggressive energy saving is the main reason for unstable third-party keyboards, so setting up battery resolutions is mandatory. Using third-party input tools always carries potential data leakage risks, as the keyboard technically has access to everything you type. While big companies value reputation, there is always risk, especially when using free apps with dubious reputations.Modern Android operating systems have a Safe Input mechanism. When you log in to the password or payment data field, the system automatically switches to the secure system input method, ignoring third-party keyboards. Check the list of applications that have access to special features and text input regularly. If you stop using any keyboard, immediately delete it or turn it off in the system settings to minimize the attack surface. Watch the permissions that the application requests when updating. If a simple keyboard suddenly begins to require access to contacts, geolocation or microphone without obvious need, this is an alarm signal that requires removing the application. Why does Xiaomi not switch the button on the screen? Often users forget that to switch between active keys when updating. To return to factory settings, just go back to the Language and Input menu → Current Keyboard and choose Sogou Keyboard or Gboard (if it is system) and remove a third-party application for this, it is not necessary, just change the priority. Does changing the keyboard affect the speed of the phone? Modern Xiaomi smartphones have enough performance to handle complex animations and predictive analysis of third-party keyboards without visible delay. Slowdown can be observed only on very old models with minimal RAM.