How to turn on the keyboard sound on Xiaomi smartphones: the full guide

The audio of keyboard taps is one of the little things that makes using a Xiaomi smartphone more enjoyable. For some, it's nostalgia for button phones, for others, additional tactile feedback, and for others, it's just a way to add personality to the device. However, in recent versions of MIUI (especially 14-15), the keyboard's audio settings are hidden so deeply that even experienced users spend 20-30 minutes searching for them.

In this article, we will not only show you where the sound on the standard Xiaomi keyboard is turned on, but also analyze the nuances for popular third-party applications (Gboard, SwiftKey), and explain why sometimes the sound disappears after a system update.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have default keyboard sound?

Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones often come with keyboard sound effects disabled, for three reasons:

📱 Battery savings: even minimal beeps consume extra 2-3% Charge per day with active typing.
🔇 Minimalist approach: in China (the main market of Xiaomi) users prefer quiet devices without unnecessary sounds.
🎵 Systemic sound conflict: in some versions MIUI 12-13 Keyboard sound could be superimposed on notifications, creating a cacophony.

In addition, on models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K60 Ultra) the default keyboard sound is turned off because of the audio driver's performance, and this is due to optimizing power consumption when using a dark theme.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for POCO (for example, POCO F5 or POCO X5 Pro) the path to the keyboard settings may be different. If you don't find the right item on the menu, check the shell version in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

How to turn on the sound on the standard Xiaomi keyboard (MIUI Keyboard)

If you use the built-in MIUI Keyboard, follow this instruction. Note: on some models (e.g. Redmi Note 12), the path may be slightly different due to customization of firmware for different regions.

Open any application where you can type text (such as Messages or Notes).
Tap the input field to make the keyboard appear.
Click on the gear icon (⚙️) In the top row of the keyboard is quick access to settings.
In the menu that opens, select Sound and Vibration (or Sound & Vibration in English).
Activate the Keypress Sound switch when pressed.
If desired, you can also turn on the vibration (Vibrate on keypress).

If there is no gear icon on the keyboard, go to the phone settings along the way:

Settings → Additional → Language and input → Current keyboard (MIUI Keyboard) → Settings → Sound and vibration

Make sure that the volume of the media is not at zero.|Check if the "Do Not Disturb" mode is on"|Update the keyboard in Google Play (if it is) MIUI Keyboard for global version)|Restart your phone if the sound doesn’t appear after turning on-->

Customize the sound in Gboard and other third-party keyboards

If you use Gboard or other alternatives like SwiftKey, the path to audio settings is different. Let's take a look at each popular keyboard.

Gboard (Google Keyboard)

🔹 Open any text field and call the keyboard.
🔹 Click on the icon with three dots (⋮) top-row.
🔹 Select Settings → Pressed sound.
🔹 Activate the slider and select the melody (available 3 options: Classic, Modern, No Sound).

SwiftKey (Microsoft)

🔹 Go to SwiftKey Settings via the gear icon on the keyboard.
🔹 Go to Sound and Vibration.
🔹 Turn on the sound of the keys and select volume (from 10% to 100%).
🔹 You can also adjust the vibration and sound when auto-replace words.

On some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11 Lite), the Gboard may conflict with system sounds.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gboard → Permissions → Enable “Changing System Settings”

Standard MIUI Keyboard|Gboard (Google)|SwiftKey| Other third-party |I don't know which one I have-->

Table: Comparison of keyboard sounds on different Xiaomi models

Smartphone model	MIUI version	Standard keyboard sound	Support for third-party sounds	Features
Xiaomi 13/13 Pro	MIUI 14	Quiet click	Yes (via Gboard)	The sound may disappear in Game Turbo mode.
Redmi Note 12 Pro+	MIUI 13 (Global)	Classic "click"	Yes.	In a dark theme, the sound is automatically muted by 20%.
POCO F5	MIUI 14 (POCO)	Not available by default	Only through third-party keyboards.	Manual installation of the sound package is required
Xiaomi 12T	MIUI 13 (EEA)	Melodic sound	Yes.	The sound is synchronized with system notifications
Redmi 10C	MIUI 12.5	Loud click	Limited.	The sound can be distorted when the battery is low.

On models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the keyboard sound can automatically turn off when the performance mode is activated.

What to do if the sound of the keyboard does not work?

If you turn on the sound but it never appears, the problem may lie in one of the following:

🔊 Media volume at zero: Check volume slider (not to be confused with call volume!).
📵 Do Not Disturb Mode: Turn it off in the notification curtain or in Settings → Sound.
🔄 Application conflict: Some battery-saving apps (like Greenify) block keyboard sounds.
📲 Outdated version of the keyboard: Update MIUI Keyboard or Gboard in Google Play.
🔧 Resetting: Sometimes it helps to reset the keyboard settings to factory (keyboard settings) → Additionally. → Reset the settings).

If the problem persists, try clearing the keyboard cache:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Your Keyboard] → Storage → Clear the Cache

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially custom ones like Xiaomi.eu) may not have the keyboard sound because of the system's remote audio files, and only flashing or installing an alternative keyboard will help.

How to get back the sound after the MIUI update?

After major updates (e.g., with the MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) Keyboard system sounds can be reset, which is because Xiaomi is changing the structure of the audio files in the folder. /system/media/audio/ui/. To bring back sound: 1. Install a file manager with root access (e.g. Solid Explorer). 2. Check for KeypressStandard.ogg and KeypressSpacebar.ogg files in the specified folder. 3. If there are no files, download them from the thematic forum (for example, 4PDA) and put it in the folder manually. 4. Reset the device. ⚠️ This method requires superuser rights and can cause a system failure if incorrect actions are taken!

How to change the sound of the keyboard on Xiaomi?

Unfortunately, in the standard MIUI keyboard, you can't change the tap sound, there's only one option available.

Method 1: Install custom sounds via Gboard

Gboard allows you to set custom sounds, but you need to:

Download the audio file in.ogg or.mp3 format (duration no more than 0.5 seconds).
Place it in the folder /sdcard/Android/data/com.google.android.inputmethod.latin/files/.
Rename the file to keypress.ogg.
Restart Gboard.

Method 2: Use of substitute applications

Apps like Chroom Keyboard or Fleksy offer advanced audio settings, including:

🎶 Choice of 10+ preset melodies.
📈 Volume adjustment for each type of key (letters, space, Enter).
🔄 The ability to import sounds.

For Xiaomi models with IR-With a blaster (like the Redmi Note 11), you can use the sounds from the remote control as an alternative:

Settings → Connected devices → remote control → Sound settings → Use remote sounds for keyboard

💡

If you want the keyboard sound to be different from system notifications, set Quiet Mode for notifications in the sound settings, but leave the keyboard sound on. This can be done in Settings → Sound → Additional → Separation of audio profiles (available on MIUI 14+).

Hidden chips of keyboard sound on Xiaomi

Few people know, but MIUI has hidden functions associated with the sound of the keyboard:

🎚️ Dynamic volume: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) The keyboard sound is automatically muted in the dark (22:00 to 7:00). → Screen. → Night mode. → Sound settings.
🎨 Thematic synchronization: If you use themes MIUI, The sound of the keyboard can change with the wallpaper, for example, in the theme "Ocean" the sound becomes more "watery".
🎮 Game mode: In Game turbo mode, the keyboard sound is automatically turned off so as not to distract during play. → Special facilities → Game settings → Sound effects.

On devices with stereo speakers (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K50 Gaming) keyboard sound is played with effect 3D-You can turn it off in the sound:

Settings → Sound → Sound Effects → Disable “Volume Sound for System Signals”

💡

On models that support Dolby Atmos (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro), the keyboard sound may sound distorted if Dolby's settings enable Movie Mode. Select Music or Game profile to work properly.

FAQ: Frequent questions about keyboard sound on Xiaomi

Why does the sound of the keyboard only work in some applications?

This is because some apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) have their own audio settings that can override system ones. Check the audio settings in the messenger itself. Also, the reason may be the battery optimization for a particular application (disables in Settings → Apps → [App name] → Battery → No restrictions).

Can you make the keyboard sound louder than the system notifications?

Yes, but it will require root access or use. ADB-Without root, you can try this: Set up Gboard and turn on the keyboard. In the phone settings, go to Settings. → Sound. → Pressure and set maximum value. → Special facilities → Turn off the volume leveling, which will increase the volume of the keyboard relative to other sounds on the 15-20%.

After the MIUI update, the keyboard sound was gone.

This is a common problem after MIUI 13 → MIUI 14 updates. Try: Reset the keyboard settings (Keyboard Settings → Additional → Reset). Clear the cache of the MIUI Keyboard app (see instruction above). Install Gboard as a temporary alternative. If nothing helps, roll back to the previous firmware version via Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three points → Select an update package.

How to turn off the keyboard sound for only one program?

Unfortunately, in MIUI There is no built-in feature to selectively turn off keyboard sound in individual applications. However, you can use a workaround: Install MacroDroid from Google Play. Create a macro with the condition Launched app [name]. Add the action Change volume → Media → Save the macro and activate it. Now, when you open the selected application, the keyboard sound will automatically turn off.

Is there a difference in keyboard sound between the global and Chinese versions of MIUI?

Yes, and it's substantial: Global version: The keyboard sound is softer, with less amplitude (so as not to annoy European users). Chinese version: Sound is louder and clearer, with a focus on high frequencies (traditionally preferred in Asia). Indian version: Sound has an additional default vibration. If you use custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu), the sound will be closer to the global version, but with the ability to manually tune through TWRP.