How to copy and paste text on Xiaomi: 7 working ways

Copying and pasting text on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple operation, but many users face unexpected difficulties: the keyboard does not show the “copy” button, the clipboard is suddenly cleared, and in some applications the function works differently than in standard ones. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of copying / pasting on devices with MIUI 12–14, including hidden chips and solutions to typical problems.

Xiaomi's firmware features built-in text tools that often go unnoticed. MIUI 14 has an extended clipboard with the history of the last 20 copied fragments, and in some models (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ Xiaomi 13 Ultra, which supports gesture copying without highlighting, we tested all methods on current devices and collected only working solutions.

Standard method: isolation + keyboard

This is a basic method that works in all versions. MIUI It is suitable for copying text in the browser, instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), notes and other programs.

Algorithm of action:

• 📱 Press and hold your finger on any word in the text you want to copy. In 1-2 seconds, a blue selection frame with two sliders around the edges will appear.
• ➡️ Drag the sliders to cover the desired fragment. MIUI 14 The highlight works more accurately than in previous versions - you can capture even individual characters.
• 📋 A button bar will appear above the highlighted text. Press "Copy" (sometimes hidden under the icon). ⋮).
• 🖊️ Go to the input box (such as in a chat or search bar), press and hold your finger until the menu appears, then select "Insert".

If the "Copy" button does not appear:

• 🔄 Try to remove the secretion and repeat the action - sometimes it works the second time.
• 📱 Make sure you click on the editable text (in some apps, such as Instagram, text in pictures doesn’t stand out).
• 🔧 Check if the clipboard is disabled in the keyboard settings (more about this in the section about problems).

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V MIUI 14: Smart allocation: If you click on an address or phone number, the system will automatically prompt you to copy the entire address, even if only a part of it has been allocated.

2. Copying by gesture (for the purpose of MIUI 13–14)

Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi has added gesture support for text work, a method that is handy if you often copy large snippets or want to speed up the process.

How it works:

• 👆 Twice touch the text with three fingers and hold it. The system will automatically highlight the entire paragraph.
• 📋 In the menu that appears, select "Copy".
• 🖊️ To insert, touch the input field twice with three fingers - the text will be inserted automatically.

Gesture control doesn't work in all applications, and here's where it's exactly supported:

If the gestures don't work:

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi 9A) Signal is disabled by default. To enable it, go to Settings. → Additional functions → Gestures → Copy text and activate the switch.

3. Exchange buffer MIUI: history and quick insertion

V MIUI 12-14 has a built-in clipboard manager that saves the history of copied snippets. This is handy if you need to paste text that you copied a few actions ago.

How to use:

1. Copy the text in any way (selection or gestures).
2. Open the field to enter (for example, in WhatsApp or Google Docs).
3. Press and hold your finger in the input field until the menu appears.
4. Select the "Buffer of Exchange" (or icon) 📋).
5. In the list of the latest copies, select the desired fragment - it will be inserted automatically.

Features of the exchange buffer in MIUI:

• 📜 It can be saved up to the last 20 fragments (in the MIUI 14 - up to 50 when activating the extended mode).
• 🔒 Sensitive data (passwords, card numbers) are automatically deleted after 5 minutes.
• 🧹 Cleared when rebooting your phone (unless sync with Mi Account is enabled).
• 🚫 Does not work in banking applications and some messengers (for example, Signal).

Insert buffer history|Activate synchronization with Mi Account|Limit the retention of sensitive data|Cleaning old records (if necessary)

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How to turn on the extended clipboard:

1. Go to Settings. → Additional functions → buffer.
2. Activate the "Switch Buffer History" switch.
3. To sync between devices, turn on "Synchronize with Mi Account".

4. Copying text from the screen (OCR) into MIUI

If the text on the screen cannot be highlighted (for example, in the image, PDF or a secure application, use the built-in OCR-Xiaomi's scanner, which is available on all devices. MIUI 12 and newer.

Instructions:

• 📸 Take a screenshot of the screen with the text (at the same time press Volume down). + Nutrition).
• 🔍 Open the screenshot in the gallery and click on the Text icon (or Extract Text) in the bottom menu.
• 📋 The system automatically recognizes text. Click on the desired fragment and select "Copy".
• 🖊️ Insert text in any input field.

OCR into MIUI It supports more than 20 languages, including Russian, English, Chinese and even Japanese, and the accuracy of recognition depends on the quality of the image:

• 📸 For the best result, take screenshots in good lighting.
• 🔤 Avoid slanting or blurred inscriptions.
• 📄 V PDF-First, increase the size of the file.

If the function OCR doesn't appear:

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 10C, POCO M4 Pro) OCR-The scanner is disabled by default. To activate it, go to Settings. → Annexes → gallery → Text recognition and enable the option.

Standard allocation|Three-finger gestures|buffer MIUI|OCR (screen-recognition)|Another way.-->

5. Copy text from protected applications

Some applications (banks, encrypted messengers, games) block standard copying of text, in such cases, a workaround through developer mode or third-party utilities will help.

Method 1: Incorporating debugging by USB (power-user)

This method requires a connection to a PC and only works on unlocked bootloaders:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI).
2. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → For Developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and use the command: adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS This will temporarily disable copy blocking in some applications.

Method 2: Using the Gboard keyboard

The Google Gboard keyboard has a built-in clipboard that sometimes bypasses the limitations:

• 📥 Install Gboard from Google Play.
• 🔧 Go to the keyboard settings and turn on "Clipboard".
• 📋 Copy text via the Gboard menu (long-click on the input field) → 📋).

Method 3: Screenshot + OCR

If previous methods have not worked, take a screenshot and use it. OCR (described in section 4).

6. Copy and paste problems on Xiaomi: solutions

Even on new devices (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) And so, users are getting bugs when they're working with text, and these are the most common problems and solutions:

If none of these methods helped:

• 🔄 Reset the keyboard settings: Settings → System system → Language and input → Virtual keyboard → Reset.
• 📲 Clear the cache of an app that doesn’t have copying (like WhatsApp or Chrome).
• 🔧 Update the firmware to the latest version MIUI — In new assemblies, bugs with a clipboard have been fixed.

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If the copying problem only occurs in one application (like a banking one), it’s likely not a phone bug, but a limitation of the app itself, in which cases workarounds may violate the service’s security rules.

7. Alternative applications for working with text

If embedded tools MIUI You don't like it, try third-party tools, and they offer advanced features like cloud sync, formatting, translation, and even editing copied text.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📋 Clipboard Manager — saves unlimited snippets, supports tags and search history. Plus: works without the Internet.
• 🌐 Copy Bubble adds a floating icon for quick access to the clipboard. Plus: easy to multitask. Minus: shows ads.
• 🔍 Text Fairy (OCR) — plug-in MIUI. Plus: it recognizes text with a photo better than the standard OCR. Cons: Requires manual language tuning.

How to choose the appropriate application:

• If you need a buffer history, Clipboard Manager.
• If you often copy text from images, Text Fairy.
• If you want quick access to the latest copies, please visit Copy Bubble.

Safety warning:

⚠️ Note: Clipboard apps may have access to your personal data (passwords, messages) Install only proven high-rated utilities and read reviews. Avoid programs with suspicious permissions (e.g. access to high-rated utilities) SMS or contact).

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Copying Text on Xiaomi