Android Keyboards and Predictive Text

Your device has an onscreen keyboard for messaging, email, and note-taking. It’s a pretty smart keyboard. It can predict what you want to say and suggest words using the predictive text feature. It also has alternate letters for foreign languages. And, of course, you can add fun emojis as well as pictures and videos. Most Android devices come with Gboard, the virtual keyboard from Google. Gboard also includes Glide typing, which allows you to type by sliding your finger to the letters you want to type without having to lift your finger.

To show the keyboard, tap anywhere text can be typed (text box, notepad, password entry field, etc.). To hide the keyboard, tap the Hide Keyboard (down arrow in the lower left) button.

Keyboard options, like predictive text, Auto-Correction, and Theme colors, can be toggled on or off in Settings. The easiest way to reach keyboard settings is:

1. At the top-left of the keyboard, tap Open features .
   
2. Tap Settings .

Predictive text help make typing faster

The keyboard displays predictive text just above the keyboard as you type. Predictions are based on commonly used word combinations. It also adapts to common words, names, and phrases that you use. You’ll find predictive text whenever the keyboard is displayed (Messages, Gmail, etc.). To insert a word shown in predictive text, touch it. If the suggested word is bold, touching the word, space bar, or period will insert the word.

Once you’ve completed inserting a word, related emojis may display if there is one that matches your word. Like the celebration emojis below. Tap one to insert and spice up your message!

Alternate characters

Some letters have alternatives that you can access with a touch and hold. For instance, touch the “E” and pause. The number “3” and alternative “E” choices will display. Release immediately to insert the highlighted number or letter. Or, slide your finger to the desired character and lift your finger to insert it into your text.

Glide Typing

Swiping from one letter to another without lifting your finger will build a word with those letters. When the predictive text shows the word you are looking for, release your finger to insert the word.

Move your cursor

It can be a pain to move the cursor to a specific place in a line of text. Gboard gives you the ability to move the cursor right or left within a line of text. Tap to place the cursor in the line of text you want to edit, then touch the spacebar and immediately move your finger left or right. The cursor will move within the textbox.