How to change the keyboard on Android

You can change the Android keyboard by going to Settings > System > Language & input. On a Samsung Galaxy device, go to Settings > General management > Default and keyboard list.

One of the best core features of Android is the ability to download and install a wide variety of virtual keyboards. You are not limited to the keyboard that comes pre-installed on your Android phone. Let’s find a new keyboard and start typing.

The best android keyboards

To change the keyboard on Android, you will first need a keyboard to change. There are tons of different keyboard apps to choose from on the Google Play Store. We have three recommendations to get you started.

gboard

Google’s Gboard is probably the Android keyboard to beat. What makes it great? It has many built-in Google features, such as Google Translate. The Emoji Kitchen feature is super fun and really useful. Plus, swipe typing and autocorrect are reliable.

downloads: Gboard: the Google keyboard

microsoft hotkey

Swiftkey’s claim to fame is its ability to learn your writing style so you don’t have to struggle with autocorrect as often. The keyboard has many customization options, both in settings and in appearance. It’s a pretty similar experience to Gboard in general, but it’s owned by Microsoft rather than Google.

downloads: Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

simple keyboard

Gboard, Swiftkey, and probably any keyboard pre-installed on your Android device are pretty packed with features. Stickers, GIFs, backup and sync, web search, translations, etc. If you want a super simple and straightforward keyboard that works, the aptly named Simple Keyboard is a great choice.

downloads: Simple keyboard

How to change your default keyboard on Android

All Android devices can change the default keyboard, even Amazon Fire tablets. We’ll show you how to change it on Samsung Galaxy phones and Android devices in general, including Google Pixel phones.

Change the keyboard on a Samsung Galaxy phone

First, let’s swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal the Quick Settings tiles. Tap the gear icon to open Settings.

Next, go to “General Administration”.

Select “List of keyboards and defaults”.

Make sure to turn on the keyboard you want to use, then tap on “Default keyboard” and choose the keyboard app you want to use.

You can tap the keyboard name in the list to go to the settings for that keyboard.

That’s all! Your keyboard will now be the app you selected. You can use these steps any time you want to change the application.

Change the keyboard of your Android phone

First, swipe down from the top of the screen once or twice to reveal the gear icon shortcut to Settings.

Scroll down to “System”.

Select “Languages ​​& input” at the top.

Now tap on “On-Screen Keyboard”.

Turn on the keyboards you want to use. Tapping on the keyboard name will take you to the settings for that keyboard.

If you have a keyboard enabled, it will be the default. Read the next section to learn how to switch between multiple keyboards.

How to use multiple keyboards on Android

What if you don’t want to be restricted to a single keyboard? Android allows you to easily switch between multiple keyboards on the go. First, you’ll need to make sure you have multiple keyboards enabled in settings, as we demonstrated in the previous section.

Now you can just enter a text box to bring up the current keyboard. Tap the keyboard icon that appears on the left or right side of the navigation bar.

Next, select the keyboard app you would like to use.

You can do this anytime you want to swap keyboards! It’s very easy to juggle a few different keyboards for different situations.

How to make the keyboard bigger on Android

One of the benefits of a virtual keyboard is the ability to customize it to fit your hands. Many Android keyboards have size options. We’ve got a full guide to doing this on Gboard and we’ll show you how it works with Swiftkey below.

Open the Swiftkey app and select “Layout & Keys”.

Select “Resize” at the top of the screen.

Tap on the text box if the keyboard does not appear. Use the handles to adjust the size horizontally and vertically. You can also scroll the entire keyboard up or down on the screen with the middle button.

Touch “OK” to save the changes.

That’s all! Now you have a completely personalized keyboard for your hands.

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