How to change the keyboard on Android

How changing a keyboard works on Android

Changing your keyboard takes two separate steps, and most confusion comes from mixing them up.

First you turn the keyboard on. This tells Android it is allowed to be used as a keyboard. You can have several keyboards turned on at once. Then you switch to it. This picks which of those keyboards shows up when you tap a text box.

Installing a keyboard app from Google Play does neither of these. Until you turn it on in Settings, it won't appear anywhere when you type.

Menu names change between Android versions and phone brands. The steps below match recent versions of stock Android and Samsung's One UI. If your phone uses slightly different words, look for anything that says Keyboard, Languages & input or On-screen keyboard, or search Settings for "keyboard".

Turn on a keyboard on Pixel and stock Android

These steps work on Pixel phones and on most phones that run close to stock Android, such as Motorola and Nokia. On older versions the menu is called Languages & input instead of Keyboard.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap System.
3. Tap Keyboard. On older versions, tap Languages & input.
4. Tap On-screen keyboard (it may say Virtual keyboard), then Manage on-screen keyboards if you see that option.
5. Turn on the switch next to the keyboard you want.
6. Read the notice Android shows and tap OK.

Turn on a keyboard on Samsung Galaxy

Samsung puts keyboard settings under General management. The exact wording can differ a little between One UI versions.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General management.
3. Tap Keyboard list and default.
4. Turn on the switch next to the keyboard you want.
5. Read the notice Android shows and tap OK.
6. To make it your main keyboard, tap Default keyboard on the same screen and pick it.

Switch between keyboards while you type

Once more than one keyboard is turned on, you can swap between them without going back to Settings.

Tap any text box so a keyboard opens. Look at the bottom of the screen, next to the navigation buttons. You should see a small keyboard icon. Tap it and choose the keyboard you want from the list. On phones that use gesture navigation, the icon still appears in the bottom corner while a keyboard is open.

Many keyboards also have their own shortcut. In Gboard you can press and hold the space bar or tap the globe key to open the same chooser. Samsung Keyboard has a similar option in its settings.

If you don't see the keyboard icon, check that the keyboard is turned on in Settings, and on Samsung look for a setting called Keyboard button on navigation bar.

Why Android shows a warning when you turn on a keyboard

When you turn on a keyboard that didn't come with your phone, Android shows a notice. It says the keyboard may be able to collect the text you type, including personal data like passwords and card numbers, and asks if you want to use it.

This is a standard Android message. It appears for every keyboard you add, including big-name ones from large companies. It doesn't mean the app has done anything wrong. It is Android reminding you that a keyboard sees what you type, so you should only use keyboards you trust.

Before you tap OK, it's worth checking a few things about any keyboard.

• Does it come from Google Play, from a developer you can identify?
• Does its privacy policy say what it sends off your phone and when?
• Does it stay out of password fields?
• Can you delete your account and data if you stop using it?

How to switch back to Gboard or Samsung Keyboard

Going back is the same process in reverse. You can keep the other keyboard turned on and simply switch away from it, or turn it off completely.

To switch for now, open any text box, tap the keyboard icon at the bottom of the screen and pick Gboard or Samsung Keyboard.

To make it the default again on Samsung, go to Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default > Default keyboard and pick Samsung Keyboard. On Pixel and stock Android, go to Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard and turn off the keyboard you no longer want, which leaves Gboard in charge.

To remove a keyboard entirely, uninstall its app like any other app. Android goes back to your built-in keyboard automatically.

Install and turn on Preener AI Keyboard

Preener AI Keyboard is a keyboard for Android 7 and newer that fixes grammar, changes the tone of your message and writes replies right inside the app you're typing in. When you tap Fix, the text is corrected in the box, and Undo steps back one change at a time.

Word suggestions work on your phone. Text is sent to Preener only when you choose an AI action, ask for replies or use voice clean-up, and AI features never run in password fields. You sign in with Google or with a code we email you, and the free plan includes AI help every day.

You don't have to find the menus yourself. The app walks you through two quick switches.

1. Install Preener AI Keyboard from Google Play.
2. Open the app and sign in with Google or an emailed code.
3. Tap Turn on. Android opens your keyboard list. Turn on Preener and tap OK on the standard notice.
4. Tap Switch keyboard and choose Preener from the list.