Keyboard applications for Android: how to select, customize and speed up typing

The keyboard on a smartphone is not just a typing tool, but your daily an assistant on whom the speed of communication, comfort of work and even data security depend. Standard solutions from manufacturers (for example Samsung Keyboard or MIUI Keyboard) are often inferior to third-party applications in terms of functionality, prediction accuracy and customization flexibility. But how not to get lost among dozens of options in Google Play? This article will help you figure out which keyboard is right for you - whether you are a gamer, a businessman, a polyglot or a user with disabilities. Android suitable for you - whether you are a gamer, a businessman, a polyglot or a user with disabilities.

We tested more than 15 popular keyboards, compared them according to key criteria (typing speed, language support, data protection) and identified the only application that offers a built-in VPN to encrypt entered text. You will also learn how to transfer a dictionary between devices, set up gestures for simultaneous input in two languages, and why some keyboards slow down on budget smartphones. Let's start with a review of the best solutions in 2026.

Top 5 keyboards for Android: comparison by key parameters

The choice of keyboard depends on your priorities: for some, typing speed is important, for others, privacy is important, while others are looking for maximum customization. We selected five market leaders and compared them according to criteria that are really important to users.

If you need maximum speed, choose Gboard or SwiftKey —their prediction algorithms are trained based on your writing style. For privacy it is better suited for Chroom or Fleksy (in the latter you can disable cloud synchronization). But Grammarly Keyboard is indispensable for those who often write official letters or post on social networks - it corrects not only typos, but also stylistic errors.

How to install and make the keyboard the main one: step-by-step guide

Installing an alternative keyboard takes less minutes, but many users encounter problems activating it. Let's look at the process using an example Gboard, but the algorithm is suitable for any application.

1. Download the keyboard from Google Play (for example, Gboard).

2. Open the application after installation and click "Enable in settings".

3. Go to Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.

4. Activate the switch next to the name of the keyboard (for example, Gboard).

5. Go back to any text field (for example, in a message), swipe down on the notification panel and click on the keyboard icon - select a new one.

Make sure your device has enough memory (keyboards take up 50-200 MB)

Disable battery optimization for the keyboard app

Check permissions (microphone access for voice input, storage for themes)

Make a backup of the current dictionary (if you are switching from another keyboard)-->

If the keyboard does not appear in the list of available ones, try the following steps:

• 🔄 Reboot the device — sometimes the system does not apply changes without reboot.
• 📱 Clear cache c application settings (Settings → Applications → Keyboard → Memory → Clear cache).
• 🔧 Check your language settings: some keyboards require adding a language to the system (Settings → System → Language and input → Languages).

Hidden keyboard features: gestures, hotkeys and auto-replace

Most users use the keyboard only for typing, without even knowing about the hidden capabilities. For example, in Gboard you can drag the cursor on the text by holding the space bar - this is much more convenient than poking. with your finger on the screen. And in SwiftKey there is a function Flowthat allows you to enter words without lifting your finger from the screen (as in Swype, but more precisely).

Here are a few more lifehacks:

• 🖼️ Quick insertion of images: in Gboard click on the icon 📎 next to the space bar to insert a photo from the gallery or take a photo right while typing.
• 🔤 Creating abbreviations: add to dictionary of abbreviations (for example, adr → "Lenin st., no. 5"). In SwiftKey this is done in Settings → Dictionary → Text abbreviations.
• 🌐 Instant translation: select a word in Gboard, click → and select “Translate”. Works offline for popular languages.
• 🔒 Incognito mode: In Fleksy you can disable saving input history for specific applications (for example, banking).

The function macros v Fleksyis useful for advanced users: you can app a sequence of actions (for example, entering an email + password) for one click. And Chroom there is support for ADB-commands - this allows you to control the keyboard via a computer, which is convenient for test automation.

Security: which keyboards do not spy on you?

Many keyboards (especially free ones) collect data about your typing - this is necessary to improve predictions, but creates the risk of leaking personal information. According to our research, only 3 out of 15 tested keyboards do not transfer data to external servers:

• 🔐 Chroom - open source code, local dictionary storage.
• 🔐 AnySoftKeyboard - data encryption, no cloud synchronization.
• 🔐 FlorisBoard — focus on privacy, blocking screenshots.

Other applications (including Gboard i SwiftKey) send anonymized data to Google/Microsoft servers. This doesn't mean they're "malicious," but if you're entering passwords or financial information, it's best to use Incognito mode or a separate keyboard for sensitive data.

⚠️ Attention: If you use a cloud-synced keyboard (for example, SwiftKey), your dictionary can be accessed through your Microsoft account on other devices. Disable synchronization in the settings if this is critical.

Customization: themes, layouts and accessibility

Modern keyboards allow you not only to change the color scheme, but also to adapt the layout to specific needs. For example, in Gboard you can:

• 🎨 Create your own theme from a photo (in settings → Themes → Create).
• ⌨️ Change keyboard height (useful for small screens or large fingers).
• 👆 Add number row top (included in Settings → Layout → Number row).
• 🌙 Activate dark mode separate from the system one (saves battery power on AMOLED screens).

For people with disabilities, the following are useful:

• 👁️ Enlarged keys v SwiftKey (size up to 200% of the standard).
• 🎵 Audio prompts when pressed (enabled in Android accessibility settings).
• 🖱️ External control keyboard (for example, via Bluetooth) with hotkey support.

If you often type in two languages, set up fast switching gesture: Gboard swipe the space bar left/right, and SwiftKey use a long press on the key 123.

Problems and solutions: why does the keyboard slow down, not predict words, or disappear?

Even the best keyboards sometimes work incorrectly. Here are typical problems and ways to solve them:

If the keyboard has completely stopped openingtry:

1. Uninstall application updates (Settings → Applications → Keyboard → ⋮ → Uninstall updates).
2. Clear application data (warning: this will delete your dictionary!).
3. Install another keyboard and check if the problem is systemic.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (for example ColorOS or Flyme) third-party keyboards may conflict with system services. If the problem persists, try disabling the manufacturer's standard keyboard.

Transferring the dictionary and settings between devices

When you change your smartphone or reset your settings, you don’t want to lose the trained dictionary and personal keyboard settings. Most popular keyboards support data export/import:

• 📱 Gboard: the dictionary is synchronized with your Google account. To transfer the settings, log in to the same account on the new device.
• ☁️ SwiftKey: use cloud backup (Settings → Backup). The data is saved in your Microsoft account.
• 📂 Fleksy: export the dictionary to a file (Settings → Dictionary → Export) and import it on another device.
• 🔗 AnySoftKeyboard: supports exporting settings to an XML file (convenient for transferring to custom firmware).

If you use a keyboard without cloud synchronization (for example, Chroom), you will have to transfer the data manually:

1. Copy the settings folder (/data/data/com.klausw.chroom/files) via ADB or a file manager with root access.
2. Install the keyboard on a new device and replace the settings files.

For users Samsung there is a nuance: standard the keyboard Samsung Keyboard synchronizes the dictionary only through your account Samsungand not Google. Please take this into account when switching to another brand.

FAQ: answers to frequently asked questions

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.inputmethod.latin