How to disable or remove Yandex Keyboard on Xiaomi phone: all ways

The Yandex Keyboard is often installed by default on Xiaomi smartphones as part of partnership agreements with the manufacturer. Despite the convenient input and predictive text, many users want to disable or remove it due to excessive battery consumption, unnecessary notifications or preference for the standard Google keyboard. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of deactivation, including hidden MIUI settings and methods for experienced users.

It’s important to understand that the procedure differs depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12/13/14) and the phone model. On some devices (for example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro or the POCO X3 Pro), the keyboard can be embedded in system applications, which makes it difficult to remove it, and we will look at both simple methods through the settings menu, and advanced ones using ADB or disabling through Safe Mode.

If you are not sure about your actions, start with the safest way (Section 2). For those who are ready for experiments, at the end of the article there are instructions for complete removal without root rights.

1.Why do users want to disable the Yandex Keyboard?

According to surveys, more than 60% of Xiaomi owners in Russia and the CIS have tried to deactivate this keyboard at least once.

• 🔋 Battery consumption: background keyboard activity can eat up to 5-7% Charges per day (according to AccuBattery).
• 📱 Intrusive notifications: advertising Yandex services, offers to change the search engine or install other applications.
• 🔍 Data collection: keyboard sends statistics to Yandex servers (even if you turn off personalization in settings).
• ⌨️ Uncomfortable interface: Many are used to Gboard or SwiftKey, and switching between keyboards takes time.
• 🚫 Conflicts with other applications: for example, in some games or messengers, the keyboard may hang.

In addition, on budget models (Redmi 9A, POCO M3) Yandex Keyboard takes up to 150-200 MB of memory, which is critical with limited storage. Even after deactivation, its cache can remain in the system, so complete removal is the best option for saving space.

Method 1: Disconnect via MIUI settings (without deleting)

The easiest and safest method is to deactivate the keyboard in the system settings, which won't remove it completely, but it won't interfere with everyday use.

The following is the case for MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Open Settings → System and device → Language and input.
2. Slip on the current keyboard (or keyboard management in older versions).
3. Uncheck the box opposite Yandex Keyboard.
4. Confirm the action in the pop-up window (click Disconnect).

After that, the keyboard will disappear from the active list, but will remain in the system, so that it does not appear accidentally:

Reset the default keyboard settings|Remove the app cache in Settings → Annexes|Disable Auto Update in Google Play|Check the application permissions-->

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI Global or EEA) The keyboard item may be called something else, such as Virtual Keyboard or Keyboard & Input Methods. If you don't find a section, use the settings search (the magnifier icon at the top of the screen).

Method 2: Removing updates and resetting to factory version

If the keyboard has been pre-installed by the manufacturer, it can't be removed by standard methods, but you can roll back to the factory version, which will reduce its weight and disable most functions.

For this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Yandex Keyboard in the list (use the All Applications filter).
3. Slip on the three-point menu in the upper right corner and select Remove Updates.
4. Confirm the action. After that, the version of the application will reset to a minimum (usually 1.0.0 or 2.0.0).

This method will not remove the keyboard completely, but:

• 📉 Reduce the space occupied by the 150-200 MB to 20-30 MB.
• 🚫 Disables most background processes.
• 🔄 Bringing back standard design without advertising.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi Mi 11, Redmi) K40) After resetting updates, the keyboard can be updated again via Google Play. To avoid this, disable auto-update for it in the app store settings.

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If after reset the keyboard is still active, clear its data in the Warehouse menu (in the application card).

Method 3: Complete removal via ADB (for power users)

If you are ready for radical measures, you can completely remove the Yandex Keyboard from your phone without root rights using the ADB debugging bridge. This method works on all versions of MIUI, but requires a connection to a computer.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the assembly number → Come back to the extra. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (Download from the official Android website).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the computer and allow debugging (a request will appear on the smartphone screen).
2. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Execute the deletion command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 ru.yandex.keyboard Some firmware may require an alternative package: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.yandex.keyboard
5. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB It can lead to unstable work. MIUI. If errors occur after the reboot (for example, the default keyboard disappeared), return it with a command:

adb shell cmd package install-existing ru.yandex.keyboard

5. Method 4: Disable Safe Mode (if the keyboard is not removed)

If standard methods don’t work, try deactivating the keyboard in Safe Mode, which disables all third-party applications, including Yandex’s system add-ons.

How to log in to Safe Mode:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the "Switch off" (or "Switch off" power) item until a request to go to Safe Mode appears.
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot with the Safe Mode label at the bottom of the screen.

In safe mode:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Applications and find Yandex Keyboard.
• 🗑️ Press Remove or Disable (if the button is active).
• 🔄 Restart your phone in normal mode.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi Mi) A3, POCO F1) Safe Mode may not display the delete button. In this case, go back to the method with ADB.

6. Alternative Keyboards for Xiaomi: Which to Choose?

After disabling the Yandex Keyboard, you should install an alternative. Here is a comparison of popular options:

For most Xiaomi users, the best choice is Gboard (if functionality is important) or a standard MIUI keyboard (if lightness is needed).

1. Download the keyboard from Google Play.
2. Go to Settings → System and Device → Language and Enter.
3. Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.

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Before installing an alternative, check its permissions in Google Play. Some keyboards (such as AI Type) request access to contacts and SMS, which is not secure.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When you disable or delete Yandex Keyboards can be difficult. Let's analyze typical situations:

Problem 1: After being deleted via ADB, the default keyboard disappeared.

Solution: Install any alternative from Google Play or return the Yandex Keyboard with the command:

adb shell cmd package install-existing ru.yandex.keyboard

Problem 2: There is no “keyboard management” option in the settings.

Solution: Search by settings (magnifying icon) or upgrade MIUI to the latest version. On older firmware (MIUI 11 and below), the path may differ: Settings → Additional → Language and input.

Problem 3: The keyboard reappears after the reboot.

Solution: That means it's protected by the system.

• 🔧 Disable Auto Update in Google Play.
• 📵 Delete the cache and application data.
• 🛠️ Use it. ADB For complete removal (section 4).

Problem 4: The Yandex Keyboard remains on the lock screen.

Solution: Reset the lock screen settings: Settings → Lock screen → Lock style → Reset.

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If none of these methods worked, try resetting your phone to factory settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions