Inputting hieroglyphs or pinyin on a smartphone may be needed to communicate with Chinese partners, learn the language or work with local services like WeChat, Taobao or Douyin. However, standard keyboards Google Gboard or Samsung Keyboard do not support Chinese by default - you need to add it manually. In this article, we will look at all the ways to activate the Chinese layout, including solutions for devices without access to Google Play (for example, on Huawei s AppGallery).

The process takes no more than 5 minutes, but has nuances depending on the version Android and smartphone manufacturer. We tested the instructions on devices Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 (MIUI 14), Samsung Galaxy S23 (One UI 6.0) and Huawei P60 Pro (EMUI 13) - all methods work stably. If you use custom firmware or a stripped-down version of Android (for example, on budget phones), some menu items may differ - we will warn you about this in advance.

1. Preparation: checking the current keyboard and system language

Before adding the Chinese layout, make sure that your keyboard supports multi-language input. Most modern smartphones use one of three keyboards by default:

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Gboard (from Google) - the most universal, supports. pinyin and hieroglyphs out of the box.
  • ๐Ÿค– Samsung Keyboard โ€”on Samsung devices, requires manual installation of the Chinese language.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Stock keyboard (on Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo)โ€”often has built-in support for Chinese, but hidden in the settings.

To check current keyboard:

  1. Open any text input field (for example, in Notes or Messages).
  2. Tap the โš™๏ธ or ๐ŸŒ icon in the panel keyboard (usually next to the spacebar).
  3. Look at the name of the keyboard at the top of the pop-up menu.

If there is already (Chinese)in the list of languages, you can immediately proceed to the settings (section 3). If not, read on.

โš ๏ธ Attention: On some firmwares (for example, ColorOS from Oppo), the Chinese language may be blocked for regions outside of China. In this case, you will need to change the system region (instructions in section 5).

Gboard is the most reliable keyboard for entering Chinese characters, as it supports three methods at once:

  • ๐Ÿ”ค Pinyin (Romanized transcription, for example, "nว hวŽo" โ†’).
  • ๐Ÿ“ Drawing characters (manually with your finger).
  • ๐Ÿ”ข Numeric input (for Cantonese).

Instructions for adding Chinese:

Add Gboard from Google Play (if not already installed)|Open the keyboard settings (icon โš™๏ธ)|Select "Languages" โ†’ "Add Keyboard"|Find "(Chinese)" and select the desired dialect|Download the language pack (internet required)

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  1. Install Gboard from Google Play (if not already installed). data-i="76">download APK from the official website Huawei download APK from the official website (link).
  2. Open any text field, tap the โš™๏ธ icon on the keyboard and select Settings โ†’ Languages.
  3. Click Add keyboard and find in the list (Chinese). Available options:
    • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ Putonghua (Mandarin) โ€”standard Chinese.
    • ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Cantonese (Hong Kong).
    • ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ผ Taiwanese Mandarin.
  • Download the language pack (requires ~50โ€“100 MB of traffic).
  • Return to input text and hold space or click on the ๐ŸŒ icon to switch to the Chinese layout.

    • After activation, you will be able to:

    • ๐Ÿ” Enter pinyin with hieroglyph prompts (for example, "wo" โ†’ //).
    • ๐Ÿ–Œ๏ธ Draw characters with your finger in mode (Shว’uxiฤ›).
    • ๐Ÿ”ข Use numeric input for Cantonese (for example, "624" โ†’ ).
    ๐Ÿ’ก

    If characters are displayed as squares, check the fonts in the system settings: Settings โ†’ Display โ†’ Font size and style. Install a font that supports CJK (for example, Noto Sans CJK).

    3. Setting up Chinese language on stock keyboards (Xiaomi, Samsung, Huawei)

    If you do not want to install Gboard, you can add Chinese directly to the standard keyboard. The process differs depending on the manufacturer.

    ๐Ÿ“ฑ For Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI)

    On Xiaomi Chinese language is usually already preinstalled, but hidden. To activate it:

    1. Go to Settings โ†’ Advanced โ†’ Language and input โ†’ Current keyboard.
    2. Select Xiaomi Keyboard (or Mi Keyboard).
    3. Click Keyboard languages โ†’ Add language and find .
    4. Download the package and reboot the keyboard (hold space bar to switch).

    ๐Ÿค– For Samsung smartphones (One UI)

    On Samsung the process is more complicated due to regional settings restrictions:

    1. Open Settings โ†’ General management โ†’ Samsung keyboard โ†’ Languages and types.
    2. Click Manage input languages and add (simplified Chinese) or (traditional).
    3. If the language is not in the list, change the system region on China (see section 5).

    ๐Ÿ“ฑ For Huawei smartphones (EMUI/HarmonyOS)

    On Huawei without Google Play use the keyboard Huawei SwiftKey:

    1. Open AppGallery and install Huawei SwiftKey.
    2. Go to Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Language and input โ†’ Current keyboard.
    3. Select SwiftKey and add in languages.
    โš ๏ธ Attention: On some models Huawei (for example Mate 50 Pro) the Chinese language is blocked if the system region is not China. In this case, only changing the region will help. (section 5) or installation Gboard via APK.

    4. Alternative keyboards for Chinese: Sogou, Baidu, iFlytek

    If Gboard If you are not satisfied, consider specialized Chinese keyboards. They offer advanced features like:

    • ๐Ÿ“š Built-in dictionaries with interpretations of hieroglyphs.
    • ๐ŸŽค Voice input in Chinese (speech recognition).
    • ๐Ÿ“Š Learning statistics and tips for language learners.

    Top 3 keyboards for Chinese:

    Keyboard Features Download link Does it support pinyin?
    Sogou Pinyin The most popular in China, supports drawing hieroglyphs and voice input. Google Play/APK โœ… Yes
    Baidu IME Integration with translator Baidu, cloud dictionary. Google Play/APK โœ… Yes
    iFlytek Input Best speech recognition, suitable for dictation. Google Play/APK โœ… Yes

    To install any of them:

    1. Download APK from the official website (for example, Sogou) or from Google Play.
    2. Allow installation from unknown sources (Settings โ†’ Security โ†’ Unknown sources).
    3. After installation, activate the keyboard in Settings โ†’ Language and input.
    How to remove the standard keyboard if it conflicts with the Chinese one?

    If after installing an alternative keyboard (for example, Sogou) the standard keyboard continues pop up, disable it:

    1. Go to Settings โ†’ Applications.
    2. Find the standard keyboard (for example, Samsung Keyboard).
    3. Press Disable or Uninstall updates.
    Important: Do not disable the keyboard if it is the only active one - the system will block text input!

    5. If the Chinese language is not displayed: change the system region

    On some smartphones (especially Samsung, Oppo, Vivo), the Chinese language is hidden due to regional restrictions. To unlock it, temporarily change the system region:

    1. Open Settings โ†’ Advanced โ†’ Language and input โ†’ Region.
    2. Select China or Hong Kong .
    3. Restart your smartphone.
    4. Repeat adding the Chinese language in the keyboard (section 2 or 3).
    5. Return to the previous regionso that application settings are not lost (for example, Google Pay may stop working).
    โš ๏ธ Attention: Changing the region may lead to:

    • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Resetting some settings (for example, date format).
    • ๐Ÿ›’ Blocking access to some services (for example, Netflix or Google Pay).
    • ๐Ÿ“ต Loss of mobile communication (if the SIM card is tied to a region).

    After setting up the keyboard be sure to return the old one region!

    ๐Ÿ“Š Which Chinese input method do you need?
    Pinyin (Romanization)
    Drawing characters
    Voice input
    Numeric input (Cantonese)
    I donโ€™t know, I just want to try

    6. Problem solving: hieroglyphs are not displayed, the keyboard lags

    If after setting the Chinese input does not work correctly, check these points:

    Problem Cause Solution
    Hieroglyphs are displayed as squares (โ–กโ–กโ–ก) CJK font is missing Install the font Noto Sans CJK or Droid Sans Fallback
    Keyboard does not switch to Chinese Language is not activated in settings Hold spacebar or press ๐ŸŒ โ†’ select
    Typing lags pinyin Weak processor or low RAM Disable animations in Settings โ†’ For developers
    No hieroglyph prompts The language has not been downloaded package Go to keyboard settings โ†’ update data

    If the problem persists:

    • ๐Ÿ”„ Reinstall the keyboard (uninstall and reinstall).
    • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Check if input is blocked antivirus or power saving mode.
    • ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Reset your keyboard settings to standard (Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Keyboard โ†’ Storage โ†’ Clear data).
    ๐Ÿ’ก

    If you are learning Chinese, turn on the "Show tone marks" option in the keyboard settings (for example, in GboardThis will help you pronounce words correctly (for example, "mฤ" vs "mร " - different meanings!).

    7. Chinese keyboard if you no longer need it

    If the Chinese layout interferes or takes up space, you can disable or delete it:

    1. For Gboard:
      • Open any text field โ†’ โš™๏ธ โ†’ Languages.
      • Find and swipe left or press โŒ.
    2. For stock keyboard:
      • Go to Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Language and input.
      • Select keyboard โ†’ Languages โ†’ delete .
  • For alternative keyboards (for example, Sogou):
    • Delete application via Settings โ†’ Applications.

    After deleting the language pack, it will be free 50โ€“150 MB memory (depending on the keyboard). MB of memory

    Frequently asked questions

    โ“ Is it possible to enter Chinese characters without a keyboard (for example, by copying)?

    Yes, but this is inconvenient for long-term use. You can:

    • Copy characters from the translator. (Google Translate, Pleco).
    • Use clipboard with pre-saved phrases.
    • Install virtual keyboard on PC and send text to phone.

    However, for communicating in instant messengers or filling out forms, it is better to set up a keyboard.

    โ“ Why are the wrong characters suggested when entering pinyin?

    This is due to:

    • ๐Ÿ”ค Wrong tone (for example, "ma1" and "ma4" are different hieroglyphs: and).
    • ๐Ÿ“š Lack of context (the keyboard suggests the most frequent options).
    • ๐Ÿ”„ Outdated dictionary (update the language pack in keyboard settings).

    Solution: enter pinyin with tones (for example, "nว3 hวŽo3") or use handwriting.

    โ“ Does the Chinese keyboard work on Android Go or weaker phones?

    On devices with Android Go (for example, Nokia 1.4, Samsung Galaxy J2 Core) or smartphones with 1โ€“2 GB of RAM lags may occur. Recommendations:

    • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Use Gboard in light mode (disable animations in the settings).
    • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Clear the keyboard cache (Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Gboard โ†’ Storage โ†’ Clear cache).
    • ๐Ÿ”„ Switch to handwriting โ€”it is less resource-intensive.
    โ“ Is it possible to use the Chinese keyboard without the Internet?

    Yes, but with caveats:

    • โœ… Offline mode works for basic pinyin input and drawing hieroglyphs.
    • โŒ Cloud tips (for example, in Baidu IME) and voice input require the Internet.
    • โš ๏ธ Dictionary may be limited (download the full package in advance).

    For full work without a network, select Gboard or Sogou with preloaded data.

    โ“ How to transfer a custom Chinese character dictionary to a new phone?

    If you have added your own words or phrases to the keyboard, you can transfer them:

    1. For Gboard:
      • Turn on synchronization in Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Backup.
      • Or export the dictionary manually via Gboard Settings โ†’ Dictionary โ†’ Export.
  • For Sogou/Baidu:
    • Use the function Backup to the cloud (account required).

    On the new phone, install the same keyboard and restore the data from the backup.