How to change the sound of the keyboard on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The sound of the keyboard on Xiaomi smartphones is a small but important detail that affects the comfort of using the device. For some users, standard clicks seem too loud or annoying, others want to personalize the phone to their own style. Fortunately, the manufacturer provides several ways to change the sound when typing, from basic settings to install third-party tunes.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from standard options in the MIUI menu to the use of special applications and system files. You will learn how to turn off the sound completely, replace it with another system version or download a unique melody. We will pay special attention to the nuances for different models - Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T and others, and also analyze the typical errors that can occur in the process.

If you want to not just change the sound, but make it really unique — for example, install voice or a tune from a game — the article has instructions for this, as well. The main rule is that before any manipulation of system files, be sure to back up data, as improper actions can lead to keyboard failures.

1. Standard keyboard sound settings in MIUI

To start with, the simplest way is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which are suitable for all modern Xiaomi smartphones, including models based on MIUI 13/14 and later. You do not need root rights or third-party applications.

To change the sound of the keyboard through system settings:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Select System Sounds (some firmware may call Other Sounds).
4. Find the keyboard sound option and tap it.
5. In the menu that opens, select one of the available sounds (usually 3-5 variants) or turn off the sound completely by moving the slider.

Note: on some models (e.g. POCO F4), the path may be slightly different. If you don't find Keyboard Sound, try Settings → Additional → Special Features → Sound Effects.

A standard set of sounds usually has:

• 🔊 The classic click is a short, sharp sound, similar to a mechanical keyboard.
• 🎹 Soft tonal is a more muted and melodic variant.
• 💥 Percussion is a sound with a light bass, resembling the press of a button.
• 🚫 No sound - complete shutdown of the escort.

⚠️ Warning: Some firmware (e.g., MIUI Global for the European region) may have limited sound choices. If you have only 1-2 options, that means the manufacturer has cut down on the functionality for your version of the software.

2. Change the sound through the keyboard settings (Gboard, SwiftKey and others)

If you use a third-party keyboard — like Google's Gboard or Microsoft's SwiftKey — the typing sound is customized directly to its settings, which is convenient because it allows you to flexibly manage the sound without changing system files.

For Gboard (the most popular alternative to Xiaomi’s standard keyboard):

1. Open any field to enter text (such as Notes) to make the keyboard appear.
2. Slip the gear icon (⚙️) in the top menu of the keyboard.
3. Select Settings → Sound when pressed.
4. Activate or deactivate the sound, and select the volume.

SwiftKey is a little different:

1. Launch the keyboard and click on the three-point icon (⋮).
2. Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration.
3. Turn on or off the keys and vibration.

The advantage of third-party keyboards is that they often offer more sound options than the standard MIUI. For example, in Gboard you can choose from 10+ tunes, including sounds from older phones or game consoles.

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If you want to make the keyboard sound different from the system, install the third-party keyboard and set it separately, which will keep the unique sound even after the MIUI update.

3. Installation of custom keyboard sounds (without root)

If you don't like standard sounds and third-party keyboards don't offer the right options, you can set your own tune, and you don't have to get root rights, you just have to use special apps from Google Play.

One of the most popular solutions is the Zedge app, which allows you to download and set user-generated notifications, alarms and keyboards.

1. Install Zedge from Google Play.
2. Open the app and go to the Sounds section.
3. In the search bar, type a query, such as a keyboard sound or a mechanical keyboard.
4. Select the sound you like and click Download.
5. After downloading, tap the gear icon next to the sound and select Set as → Keyboard Sound.

Other useful applications for custom sounds:

• 🎵 Ringtone Maker – allows you to crop audio files and set them as keyboard sounds.
• 🔧 Notification Sounds is a collection of unique sounds, including retro tunes.
• 🎼 MTP Ringtones is a set of mechanical typewriter style keyboard sounds.

⚠️ Warning: Not all sounds from third-party apps work correctly with the system keyboard MIUI. If the sound hasn't changed after installation, try restarting your phone or using another keyboard (e.g., Gboard).

Download the app for sounds (Zedge, Ringtone Maker)

Select a sound no longer than 1-2 seconds

Check the file format (MP3, WAV, OGG supported)

Set the sound through the app menu

Restart the phone if necessary.-->

4. Manually modifying system sounds (for advanced users)

If you're willing to go further and want to replace the keyboard sounds at the system file level, you can do it without root rights, but with some limitations.

This will require:

1. File Manager with access to system folders (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Audio file in.ogg format (recommended bitrate - 64-128 kbit / s, duration - up to 1 second).
3. ADB (for copying files without root)

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate USB Debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers).
2. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
3. Place your audio file (such as keypress.ogg) in the folder with ADB.
4. Open the command line in this folder and execute the commands: adb devices adb shell su (if there is root) cp /sdcard/Download/keypress.ogg /system/media/audio/ui/KeypressStandard.ogg chmod 644 /system/media/audio/ui/KeypressStandard.ogg reboot
5. After restarting, check if the keyboard sound has changed.

If you don't have root rights, you can't directly replace system files, and you can use a workaround.

• 📁 Create a folder /sdcard/media/audio/ui/ and put your sound in there with the name KeypressStandard.ogg.
• 🔄 Reboot phone — Some versions of MIUI pick up sounds from this folder.

5. Using design themes to change sounds

Few people know, but in MIUI, keyboard sounds can be tied to the theme of the design, which means that when you change the theme, some system sounds automatically change, including key clicks, which is the safest method, since it does not require manual intervention in files.

How to change the sound of the keyboard through themes:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon).
2. Go to My Topics → Installed or find a new topic in Recommended.
3. Select a theme marked "Includes sounds" (usually specified in the description).
4. Click Apply and wait for the installation to be completed.
5. Check the sound of the keyboard – it must change to the one that is laid in the theme.

Some popular themes with unique keyboard sounds:

If the sound hasn’t changed after applying the theme, try:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 🎨 Re-apply the theme (sometimes sounds are not picked up the first time).
• 🔊 Check if the theme sounds override the setting of a third-party keyboard (e.g., Gboard).

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Design themes are the safest way to change the sound of the keyboard, as they do not require manual editing of system files and work on all Xiaomi models.

6. Problem Solving: Keyboard sound doesn't change

Sometimes, even after all the manipulations, the keyboard sound remains the same, and this may be due to firmware, application conflicts, or errors in the file system, and we'll look at the typical problems and their solutions.

Problem 1: The sound does not change after the system files are replaced.

• 🔹 Make sure the file has the correct name: KeypressStandard.ogg, KeypressSpacebar.ogg, or KeypressDelete.ogg (for different keys).
• 🔹 Check the path: the sounds must lie in /system/media/audio/ui/.
• 🔹 If you have MIUI 14+, try putting files in /product/media/audio/ui/ — newer versions may have different paths.

Problem 2: The sound disappears after the MIUI update.

• 🔹 Updates often reset custom sounds. After the update, repeat the file swap procedure.
• 🔹 Use a backup of sounds (save them to the SD- map or cloud).

Problem 3: The third-party keyboard ignores system sounds.

• 🔹 In keyboard settings (e.g. Gboard), turn off the option to Use System Sounds.
• 🔹 Set the sound directly in the keyboard settings (see Section 2).

Problem 4: The sound is distorted or interrupted.

• 🔹 Check the file format – it should be.ogg with a bitrate not higher than 128 kbit/s.
• 🔹 Make sure the sound is less than 1 second long.
• 🔹 If you use MP3, convert it to OGG using Audacity or online converters.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with MIUI for Russia (version RU), system sounds may be blocked due to security policy, in which case the only way out is to use a third-party keyboard or design themes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about keyboard sound on Xiaomi