How to Change Your Keyboard on Android
Admit it, the default keyboard on Android can be pretty dull and boring sometimes. It isn’t surprising that people want to change their Android keyboard.
Look:
The stock keyboards on most devices work well, but there is still room for improvement. They have unnecessary tabs, weird buttons, or they might not have enough customizable features.
Do we all agree on that?
For some people, the primary functions of the default keyboard isn’t enough to satisfy them. Nobody will blame you if you want to make the switch to something more useful.
So, here’s the thing:
If you’re looking for new customization options, design, a different language, new colors, learning how to change your keyboard on Android is pretty simple.
That’s right!
But if you’re not sure where to begin, we’ve prepared a guide that will take you through changing your virtual Android keyboard settings. We’ve got you covered in downloading new ones to your device, changing the language, and any potential security risks that may occur.
Related: Great Keyboards for Dual Language Typing
As a bonus, we’ve included some tips on how to change the color of your keyboard on Android.
So, are you all set?
Without further ado, let’s get started.
How to Change Your Keyboard on Android
If you want to find out how to change your Android keyboard, here are a few quick and easy to remember methods.
Before we start, you need to make sure that you have a different keyboard that is ready for use. If you don’t have one, we recommend using SwiftKey.
For those who don’t know, this app from Microsoft learns your style of writing and allows you to send emojis, GIFs, and other cool stuff. Swiftkey also includes customizable layout, keyboard size, and a ton of different themes that you can use.
Step 1: Go to Settings
Open your app drawer and go to the Settings menu on your device.
Step 2: Tap Language and Input
Look for Language and Input settings on your device and select it.
Step 3: Change Your Android Keyboard Settings
Now, you can set your new keyboard as the one you use. Some phones require you to change the default keyboard to use the new one.
Once you’ve set up your new keyboard, you can skip the next two steps and start using the new one.
Step 4: Go to Your App Drawer
Alternatively, you should be able to find any keyboard that you’ve downloaded in your app list.
Step 5: Tap and Manage Your New Keyboard
Open the new app, and it’ll take you through a few short steps to change the keyboard on your Android device.
Some keyboards will ask for a large number of permissions, including the ability to read your messages (to help with language personalization), so be careful when installing a keyboard from an external source (apps not downloaded from the Play Store).
Downloading a New Keyboard from Google Play
There’s a large number of keyboards on Google Play that come in nearly every style and theme. Just go to the Play Store and type in Keyboard to see for yourself.
Words can only get you so far. (I mean, does anyone type “LOL” anymore?) If you want to shorten your speech even more now, there’s also a broad range of keyboards and overlays that will give you more pictures and emoji’s to use.
Isn’t that cool?
You’ll find branded keyboards for nearly every subject, from sports teams to the latest films. Others focus on functional aspects, offering different features such as voice-dictation or improved text prediction.
In other words, you’re sure to find something to suit you.
Step 1: Download a New Keyboard
Tap on the app you prefer and select Install.
If you haven’t decided on an app to change your keyboard, you can try downloading Gboard from Google Play. It has the speed, customizability, and a few more features that you might be useful for you.
Step 2: Go to Settings
After downloading and installing the new keyboard on your device, open the main Settings menu on your handset or App Drawer.
Step 3: Navigate to Language and Input
Tap Language and Input and go to the list of your current keyboards.
Step 4: Tap Your New Phone Keyboard
From here, you can choose your new keyboard by tapping to select it. You can also manage your different Android keyboard settings from here.
If you can’t set up your new app from here, you can go to your App drawer, open the new virtual keyboard app, and activate it from there.
That should be all you need to download and install keyboards to your device from Google Play.
If you’re overwhelmed by all of the options, you can try one of the best Android keyboards.
How To Change Keyboard Language Settings
Swiftkey is excellent if you’re looking for a keyboard that offers multiple languages.
However, you can also download an app that is specific to the language you want to use. If you need a dual language keyboard, you could search for one on the Play Store, but some will also allow you to use multiple languages as well.
Step 1: Navigate to Settings
Once again, go to the main Settings menu on your handset.
Step 2: Go to Language and Input
Tap Language and Input to open a new menu.
Step 3: Select a Keyboard
Tap the one that you’re currently using.
Step 4: Change Your Keyboard Language
Choose and select a language that you want to use. Your keypad should change immediately.
If You Have Issues with Your Keyboard
If you’re having trouble with a keyboard you’ve just downloaded, it’s probably best to uninstall it immediately. Problems can come in all shapes and forms, but it’s not always malicious.
For example, your keyboard may become unresponsive after your device has had a new update. In most cases, a restart should be enough to sort it out, but otherwise, you might have to wait for the app to get updated, as it could be incompatible with your new OS.
If you’re having trouble with the default keyboard after a new update, this could potentially be the source of the problem. Also, it might be tempting to download a paid one from one of the dark corners of the internet, but you can never be sure of what you’re downloading to your device.
How To Change Keyboard Color on Android
Here’s the thing:
If you’re still using the default keypad on your device, we’ve got bad news for you. To customize the keyboard color, you need to download Gboard, SwiftKey, or other apps that support different colors and themes.
Once you’re ready, we can get started.
First of all, you need to go to Settings > Language and Input and select the keyboard you’re currently using. After that, you can customize the keypad colors and themes as much as you want.
If you’re using SwiftKey, you can change your keyboard color by going to your Apps Drawer and opening the app.
FAQs
How do I change my keyboard on Android back to normal?
Go to Settings, Language and Input, and activate your original keyboard from there. On some phones, you need to switch the default keyboard back to your old one.
Why is my new keyboard not working?
Check your settings and see if you have enabled the new keyboard. If there are still more problems, try clearing the app cache, data, and re-installing the app.
Can I change the color of my default keyboard?
Unfortunately, most keyboards that come with the devices lack customization features. If you want to customize the color or theme, you’ll need to download an app like Gboard or SwiftKey.
Conclusion
What gets more use than your trusty keyboard while you’re using your device? You should now be able to download and install a new keyboard for your Android device in a wide variety of languages to suit you.
Hopefully, you’ll also have a better understanding of some of the common issues that could arise if you download a dodgy keyboard from the Play Store.
If we’ve missed another easy way to change your keyboard, or you’ve found a really good one on the Play Store, let us know in the comments below.
