I’ve tried a number of cellphone keyboards, ...

It is easy to take nearly all of what our smartphones do as a right. A lot of what was once novel a couple of system with a display screen — that each one the bodily performance of older cellphones needed to be represented digitally, primarily — is now commonplace. You do not take into consideration your

smartphone keyboard
as a result of you do not have to, but it surely’s really one of many extra customizable options of recent Android and iOS gadgets.

Each Android and iOS can help you replace the keyboard that comes preinstalled as a part of your system’s working system with quite a lot of totally different keyboards you’ll be able to obtain out of your app retailer. These can change the look of your keyboard at their most elementary, and essentially change the way you sort and what your keyboard can really do at their most advanced. I just like the default keyboard on my

iPhone 16
and

Pixel 9
nice, however I’ve turn into satisfied there could possibly be a greater possibility on the market, and I’ve determined to have a look at the preferred keyboard choices accessible within the Google Play Retailer and Apple App Retailer to attempt to work out what standards to make use of to select a very good smartphone keyboard, and discover one of the best one for me.

A smartphone keyboard ought to really feel comfy to sort on

Not too cramped, simple to make use of, and correct

A keyboard ought to be comfy to sort on first and straightforward to make use of rapidly, as an in depth second. Meaning keys which are simple to learn and never too crowded, but additionally not so large that you simply lose out on beneficial display screen area having the ability to see no matter you are really typing out.

Each Gboard, Android’s default keyboard, and the iOS keyboard, mimic the half-screen keyboard you may discover on a Blackberry or an adjunct just like the Clicks Keyboard, and if something, what Google and Apple supply is much more spacious than these {hardware} choices. That, mixed with software program that is capable of predict what keys you meant to press whenever you mistype, makes for keyboards that really feel comfy and correct to make use of.

Gboard

Gboard is Google’s default Android keyboard, with built-in Google Translate, swiping to sort, GIFs, and customized emoji.

The overwhelming majority of third-party keyboards work in the identical manner. SwiftKey, which Microsoft acquired in 2016, makes use of the identical format because the iOS and Android default keyboards, with some further options layered on prime. Typewise takes a dramatically totally different strategy, utilizing hexagonal keys and abandoning the normal QWERTY format for one which’s purported to be extra correct for typing with two thumbs.

It takes some time to get used to, and Typewise clearly is aware of not everybody will be capable of adapt as a result of it consists of the choice for a traditional format, however the thought has legs. Options to a conventional keyboard have existed for years, even within the bodily keyboard area — the Dvorak layout being probably the most outstanding various — so Typewise is in good firm.

Typewise Customized Keyboard

Typewise is a third-party keyboard for Android and iOS that includes a distinctive hexagonal format and keyboard interactions designed to make it simpler to sort rapidly with two thumbs.

Hexagonal keys take up more room than regular keys, which leaves much less room for issues like delete and backspace. Typewise will get round that by making swiping on keys take the place of these lacking buttons. You swipe left to delete and swipe proper to undo, and swipe up and down on particular person keys to make them lowercase and uppercase. The entire course of is not essentially extra comfy to sort on at first, however I can positively see the way it may get there in case you’re prepared to take care of the educational curve.

A smartphone keyboard ought to do greater than a bodily one

GIFs, emoji, translation, and different options

Whereas it is attainable to purchase hardware keyboards with issues like built-in timers, phrase counters, or media playback controls, digital keyboards can theoretically do something if you would like them to. On Gboard, that features looking for and inserting GIFs into messages, recording audio messages, typing out emoji, including pictures and information, and translating textual content earlier than you ship it.

The iOS keyboard provides the same set of options. You’ll be able to add issues like Genmoji, Apple’s AI-generated emoji, stickers, pictures, audio messages, and use all kinds of iMessage apps so as to add further performance to your chats.

Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard

Microsoft’s SwiftKey AI Keyboard helps you to sort and swipe to enter textual content, and consists of integration with Microsoft Copilot for producing and rewriting textual content.

Microsoft SwiftKey is a little more restrained, but it surely helped popularize one keyboard function that is now practically anticipated on all smartphone keyboards: swipe typing. SwiftKey, Gboard, and the iOS keyboard all allow you to swipe throughout keys as a substitute of urgent them to enter textual content, leveraging machine studying to guess what you plan to sort.

It has much less of a studying curve than Typewise’s format modifications and might dramatically improve the pace at which you enter textual content with one hand. SwiftKey has different integrations with Microsoft merchandise like Copilot, if you wish to use AI to generate textual content or rewrite your messages, voice typing, and translation instruments.

A smartphone keyboard ought to be customizable

Change the look to suit your temper and elegance

Mechanical keyboards have turn into a significant manner individuals specific their persona and sense of fashion. It helps that they are endlessly customizable: you will get keys in quite a lot of totally different colours and supplies, switches that thunk or click on, and boards with built-in lights and different aesthetic thrives. The identical ought to be true for digital smartphone keyboards. Gboard and the iOS keyboard are pretty restricted on this regard.

They’re going to regulate when your smartphone is in mild or darkish mode, and in Gboard’s case, change shade to match the Materials You shade palette matched to your wallpaper, however that is about it.

SwiftKey has a gallery of various themes that add backgrounds to your keyboard, and Typewise, in the meantime, locks its personalization strategies behind a “Professional” subscription that both prices $1.99 per 30 days, $9.99 per yr, or $24.99 for a one-time, lifetime buy. For probably the most excessive, in-depth customization choices, you will wish to flip to Facemoji. The app consists of an AI assistant in case you assume you want one, however the true draw is all of the methods you should utilize Facemoji to create a customized keyboard.

Facemoji AI Emoji Keyboard

Facemoji is a third-party keyboard that may be absolutely custom-made with totally different fonts, visible results, and backgrounds.

In the event you do not wish to take the time to create your individual keyboard, you’ll be able to choose certainly one of dozens of customized keyboard themes created by the Facemoji “neighborhood.” While you do work up the braveness to make your individual, the app helps you to decide the background of your keyboard, the form and shade of your keys, any visible results (sparkles, clouds, and so on.) that hover over your keys, the font of the textual content in your keyboard, the colour and form of the swipe line whenever you use swipe typing, and extra.

I used to be capable of swap to an over-the-top Studio Ghibli-themed keyboard with a cute cat background and digital beads that bounced round anytime I moved my cellphone however wasn’t typing. It is an excessive amount of for my style, however the truth that it is attainable is de facto cool.

The perfect smartphone keyboard can do lots, however solely whenever you want it

Default keyboards are ok, however there’s one various price recommending

Years of iteration have made the default keyboards on each Android and iOS simple to advocate. There’s much less of a purpose to think about alternate options when each Gboard and the iOS keyboard include a bunch of helpful options built-in and are already very comfy to sort on. In case you are contemplating another, the keyboard that balances simple typing, useful options, and customization choices one of the best is Microsoft SwiftKey. It is superb at correcting typing errors in case you mistype, and usually, it feels premium in a manner that different choices do not.

Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard

Microsoft’s SwiftKey AI Keyboard helps you to sort and swipe to enter textual content, and consists of integration with Microsoft Copilot for producing and rewriting textual content.

For extra smartphone keyboard comparisons, Pocket-lint has additionally taken an in-depth have a look at the professionals and cons of the Samsung Keyboard versus Gboard, together with a guide on how to get the most out of Gboard in case you do determine to apply it to your cellphone.