How to permanently disable T9 in WhatsApp on Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide

Auto-replace and correct words using T9 technology on WhatsApp on Xiaomi smartphones is often a source of irritation: the messenger stubbornly replaces your words with the “right” options, and the MIUI or Gboard keyboard adds unnecessary prompts. The problem is compounded by the fact that auto-correction settings are hidden in different menus, from system parameters to the settings of the keyboard itself. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to disable T9 specifically in WhatsApp, including hidden MIUI 14/15 chips and workarounds for older versions of the firmware.

It's important to understand that WhatsApp doesn't have its own auto-replacement system, it depends on the keyboard installed on Xiaomi, so decisions will affect the settings of the Gboard (Google Keyboard), the standard MIUI keyboard, and the system settings of the language. If you use third-party keyboards like SwiftKey or Fleksy, the instructions will have to be adapted to their interface.

Before you start, check the version of MIUI on your device: Settings path → About phone → MIUI version. This affects the availability of certain menu items. For example, in MIUI 14 and later, the keyboard settings are placed in a separate Keyboard application, and in older versions they are hidden in Settings → Additional.

1. disable auto-replacement in Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Gboard is the most popular keyboard on Xiaomi, and its autocorrect settings are the most flexible. To turn off the T9 specifically for WhatsApp, follow the following steps:

Open WhatsApp and tap the message input field to make the keyboard appear.
Press the gear icon (⚙️) in the top panel of Gboard (near the input field).
Select Settings → Correction of text.
Turn off the sliders: 🔄 Auto-replacement (the main culprit of problems with the system) T9) 📝 Showing hints (removes sentences of words) 🔤 Automatic capital letters (if disturbing)

Settings → Dictionary

Personal dictionary

⚠️ Note: If the WhatsApp keyboard continues to correct words after disabling auto-replace, check the input language settings. Sometimes Gboard resets settings for specific languages. Go to Gboard Settings → Languages and select the default language (e.g. Russian (Russia)), then re-turn off auto-replacement.

Auto-replace disabled |word prompts disabled |Useless words removed from dictionary |Default input language checked-->

If you use multiple languages on Gboard, you'll have to turn off auto-replacement for each individual, for example, when switching from Russian to English, the settings may differ, so to avoid this, leave only one input language or create a custom style of the keyboard with the correction disabled.

2.Setting up the standard MIUI keyboard

Standard keyboard MIUI (Xiaomi Keyboard has less flexible settings, but auto-replacement can also be turned off. MIUI 12–15:

Open Settings → Keyboard (or find the Keyboard app in the app menu).
Go to the keyboard settings → Text correction.
Turn it off: 🔄 Auto-replacement 📌 Word hints 🔡 Automatic capital letters (optional)

Dictionary

Keyboard training

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI (especially on the Redmi Note 8/9) Keyboard settings may be reset after system updates. To avoid this, back up your settings through Settings → The phone. → Backup.

MIUI version	The Way to Keyboard Settings	Features
MIUI 14/15	Settings → Keyboard or separate application Keyboard	There is a section Learning the keyboard with the possibility of resetting
MIUI 12/13	Settings → Additional → Language and input → Current keyboard	Settings are hidden deeper, you may need to choose the default keyboard
MIUI 11 and older	Settings → System and device → Language and input	There is no separate section for learning keyboard

If a standard MIUI keyboard doesn’t allow auto-replacement to be completely disabled, consider installing an alternative keyboard (like SwiftKey or AnySoftKeyboard).

💡

If the MIUI keyboard still corrects words after disabling autoreplace, try resetting it: Settings → Apps → App management → Keyboard → Storage → Clear data. This will delete all saved words, but solve the problem with stubborn correction.

3. disabling system auto-replacement in MIUI

Sometimes WhatsApp auto-replacement doesn't work because of the keyboard, but because of MIUI system services that analyze text input to turn it off:

Go to Settings → Special Options → Autocomplete Services.
Disable all services related to the Keyboard or Text Input.
Go back to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Find MIUI System Services (or MIUI Daemon) and open and disable the Change Text permission.

⚠️ Note: Disabling system services may affect other functions, such as voice input or predictive dialing in other applications. If you experience problems after these actions, return the settings back.

Another hidden parameter is learning the system, and MIUI analyzes your writing style and adjusts auto-replacement to suit it, so it can reset that data.

How to turn off T9:

Install SwiftKey from Google Play.
Activate it in Settings → Language and input → Current keyboard.
Open SwiftKey Settings and go to Correction → Auto-replacement.
Turn off Auto Replacement and Word Prediction.

AnySoftKeyboard

Advantages:

🔧 Open source (no hidden data collection)
📱 Lightweight and fast
🛠️ Support for plugins for advanced functions

How to turn off T9:

Set the keyboard and activate it.
In the settings, go to Text Corrections.
Turn off Auto Replacement and Dynamic Learning.

Fleksy

Advantages:

🚀 Fastest keyboard (according to tests) XDA Developers)
🎭 Unique gestures for editing text
🔒 No data collection on input

How to turn off T9:

Install Fleksy and select it in the settings.
Go to Settings. → Auto-replacement.
Turn off all options related to correction and prediction.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party keyboards, WhatsApp may issue an unsafe input warning (due to text access) This is standard behavior for all messengers. To remove the warning, confirm that you trust the keyboard, in the dialog box.

5. Reset WhatsApp settings (if nothing helps)

In rare cases, the problem with auto-replacement on WhatsApp is not the keyboard, but the app's cache or settings.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Find WhatsApp and select Warehouse.
Click Clear Cache and Clear Data (⚠️ This will delete chat history if there is no backup!).
Restart the phone and check the keyboard.

If you do not want to lose chats, use an alternative method:

In WhatsApp, go to the ⋮ → Settings → chat → Backup and create a backup.
Remove the app and install it again from Google Play.
Restore chats from backup when you first start.

⚠️ Note: Once reinstalled, WhatsApp may request a re-assignment to the phone number. SIM-card or recovery code if two-factor authentication is enabled.

💡

Resetting WhatsApp is a last resort, and make sure to back up chats before you do so, otherwise you’ll lose all of your chats, including your media.

6. Manual editing of system files (for advanced)

If all of the above methods fail, you can edit system files, which is only suitable for users with root access or unlocked bootloader, and the wrong actions can cause the keyboard or the entire system to fail!

Instructions for MIUI based on Android 10–13:

Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer with superuser rights.
Go to /system/usr/keylayout/ or /data/data/com.android.inputmethod.latin/files/
Find Generic.kl or qwerty.kl files (responsible for keyboard layout).
Create a backup copy of the file, then open it in the text editor.
Find the lines with the parameters: key 113 AUTO_CORRECT key 114 SPELL_CHECK And comment on them by adding # at the beginning of the line.
Save the file, reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Editing system files can cause bootloop (load looping) or reset the keyboard to factory settings.Be sure to have custom recovery (e.g., before you act, TWRP) re-establishment.

How do you get it back if something goes wrong?

If the keyboard stopped working after editing system files: 1. Boot to TWRP (hold Power + Volume Up when turned on). 2. Restore the backup of the /system partition or reflash MIUI through Install → Select ZIP. 3. If there is no backup, download the original firmware for your model from the Xiaomi site and run it through Fastboot.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

When you turn off T9 in WhatsApp on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems.

Problem.	Reason.	Decision
Auto-replacement is activated after restarting	Resetting keyboard settings by MIUI	Turn off optimization in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization for Keyboard
The keyboard does not save the settings	Conflict with other applications (e.g. Textra or Chroom)	Remove conflicting apps or reset their settings
WhatsApp Auto Replacement Works, Other Apps Don’t	WhatsApp uses a separate dictionary for chats	Clear WhatsApp data or reinstall it
There is no “Auto-Replacement” item in the keyboard settings	Installed an outdated version of Gboard or MIUI Keyboard	Update the keyboard via Google Play or Settings → Apps

If none of the methods worked, check:

📱 Version MIUI: on certain firmware (for example, MIUI for the global market, keyboard settings are limited.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

Can I turn off T9 for WhatsApp only and leave it on other apps?

No, auto-replace settings apply to all applications globally, but you can use different keyboards for different tasks, like installing a Gboard with auto-replacement disabled for WhatsApp and leaving a standard MIUI keyboard for other applications. To quickly switch between keyboards, hold the keyboard icon on the notification panel.

After the auto-replacement shutdown, the emoji and GIFs on WhatsApp disappeared.

It's not about settings. T9. Chances are you've disabled text prediction, which is also responsible for emoji prompts. Go back to your keyboard settings and turn on: 😊 Emoji Tips (in Gboard: Settings) → Prediction of text → Emoji tips) 🎬 Hints GIF (into MIUI Keyboard: Settings → Additionally. → Multimedia tips)

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro doesn't have an Auto-Replacement option in the keyboard settings.

This problem is common with MIUI 12.5 on some Redmi models. Solutions: Update the keyboard via Google Play (if Gboard is used). Install an alternative keyboard (e.g. SwiftKey). Reset the keyboard settings: Settings → Apps → Keyboard → Storage → Clear the data. If nothing helps, check if the child version of MIUI (e.g. China) is installed. In this case, a global version may need to be firmware.

How to turn off auto-replacement for a specific language (e.g., English only)?

In Gboard and SwiftKey, you can configure auto-replacement for each language: Open keyboard settings. Go to Languages → [Select language] (e.g. English (US)). Turn off Auto-Replacement and Prediction for that language only. The standard MIUI keyboard does not have this option — you have to turn off auto-replace globally or use a third-party keyboard.

Will this manual work on POCO F3 or Black Shark?

Yes, all of the methods described are relevant for POCO and Black Shark, as they work on MIUI (or its modifications like POCO Launcher). Except for Black Shark with proprietary JoyUI firmware, where keyboard settings can be located in Settings → Game features → Keyboard. Otherwise, the logic is the same: disabling auto-replacement in the keyboard and resetting system services.