Changing your keyboard style on your device can help optimize your typing experience. The default keyboard may not be the best fit for your preferences or habits. Fortunately, most devices give you the ability to customize the keyboard layout, themes, and more. Here’s an overview of how to change your keyboard style on common devices.
Check Your Device Settings
The first step is to open your device’s settings app. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard. On Android, go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Virtual keyboard. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Typing. On Mac, go to System Preferences > Keyboard.
In your device settings, look for options related to keyboard or typing. You’ll likely find settings to change the default keyboard app, add additional keyboards, modify keyboard layouts, and customize themes.
Change the Keyboard App
Most mobile devices come pre-installed with a default keyboard app. This includes the iOS keyboard on iPhones/iPads, Gboard on many Android devices, and the Touch keyboard on Windows devices.
If you want to use a different keyboard altogether, you can download and install a third-party keyboard app. Some popular options include:
- SwiftKey
- Swype
- Fleksy
- Grammarly
To change your keyboard app on iPhone/iPad:
- Download the app from the App Store
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards
- Tap Add New Keyboard and select the app
On Android:
- Download the app from the Google Play Store
- Go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Virtual keyboard
- Tap Manage keyboards and enable the keyboard app
On Windows 10:
- Get the app from the Microsoft Store
- Go to Settings > Devices > Typing
- Under Keyboard, select Add keyboard and pick the app
Modify the Keyboard Layout
If you want to stick with your default keyboard but change the layout, most devices also provide options for this.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Edit in the upper right. You can add or remove keyboard layouts here.
On Android, go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Virtual keyboard > Gboard > Languages. Tap Add keyboard to select additional layouts.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Typing, select a language, then options to add additional keyboard layouts.
Some common additional keyboard layouts include:
- QWERTY
- QWERTZ
- AZERTY
- DVORAK
- COLEMAK
Try out different layouts to find one optimized for your typing style.
Modify Keyboard Theme
Most default keyboard apps also let you change the visual theme or appearance.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap on the keyboard name. Choose themes at the bottom.
On Android, go to your Gboard app settings or Languages & Input settings. Look for Theme or Appearance options.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Personalization > Fonts to pick a keyboard theme. You can also customize individual key colors.
Some themes to try include:
- Dark mode
- High contrast
- Retro
- Unicorn
Pick whatever theme works best for your eyes and personality!
Customize Special Character Access
For easier access to special characters and symbols, you can customize your keyboard settings.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and toggle on “Show Lowercase Keys”. This displays quick access to accented letters, symbols, and punctuation.
On Gboard for Android, go to Settings > Glide typing > Show symbol keyboard. This adds a dedicated symbols keyboard.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Typing and toggle on “Show text suggestions as I type” to get suggested symbols. You can also add special characters to the touch keyboard.
Adjust Keyboard Sounds
The tap sounds when typing on a mobile device keyboard can be annoying to some. You can adjust or disable keyboard sounds.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and toggle off Keyboard Clicks to disable the sound.
On Android, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Advanced > Other sounds and vibrations. Toggle off the setting for Touch sounds.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Typing and disable the setting for Play key sounds as I type.
Modify Glide Typing Options
Many default keyboards support glide or swipe typing, where you slide your finger between letters rather than tapping each key. You can customize the glide typing experience.
On Gboard for Android, go to Gboard app settings > Glide typing. You can enable/disable glide typing here and customize gesture options.
On SwiftKey for iOS, go to the SwiftKey app Settings. Under Typing, you can tweak options for your glide typing experience.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings and adjust the shape writing options.
Try adjusting the gesture trail width, prediction options, and speed to get glide typing working just how you like it.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Most operating systems also allow you to set custom keyboard shortcuts for quick access to useful functions.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and customize your Shortcuts.
On Android, go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Advanced > Custom keyboard shortcuts to set shortcuts.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard and customize your keyboard shortcuts.
Some helpful shortcuts could include:
- Select all – Ctrl + A
- Copy – Ctrl + C
- Paste – Ctrl + V
- Undo – Ctrl + Z
Set up shortcuts for whatever functions you use most frequently.
Text Replacement
For frequently used long phrases, you can set up text replacement shortcuts.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement and tap + to create shortcuts.
On Gboard for Android, go to Gboard settings > Dictionary > Personal dictionary and add your text replacements.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Typing > Text services > Add text replacement.
For example, you could create shortcuts like:
| Shortcut | Replacement text |
|---|---|
| omw | On my way! |
| ilu | I love you! |
Text shortcuts save typing time for common phrases.
Adjust Keyboard Height
On larger mobile devices like tablets, you may want to adjust the on-screen keyboard height for easier typing.
On iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and adjust the Keyboard Height slider. This resizes the keyboard for comfort.
On Samsung Galaxy tablets, enable One-Handed Operation (found in Advanced features). Then you can swipe up from the bottom corner to shrink the keyboard.
On Surface tablets, go to Settings > Devices > Typing and adjust the touch keyboard height.
Try a taller keyboard height if you have a case on your device. Shorten the keyboard if you need to see more of the screen.
Split Keyboard
For improved ergonomics on larger screens, you can enable a split keyboard layout.
On iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Split Keyboard and choose either Left or Right side. The keyboard will split in two for thumb typing.
On Galaxy tablets, enable One-Handed Operation and swipe in from the edge to activate the split keyboard. Choose Left or Right side.
On Surface tablets, go to Settings > Devices > Typing and enable the split layout. The lower half will split for hand comfort.
The split layout reduces hand strain for some users. Give it a try!
Prediction and Autocorrect
Most keyboards offer predictive text and autocorrect functions to speed up typing. You can customize these options.
On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and adjust the options under Predictive and Autocorrection.
On Android, go to your Gboard app settings or Languages & Input settings. Look for prediction and autocorrect options.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Typing > Text suggestions and tweak these settings to your preference.
Consider turning off prediction if it frequently suggests unwanted words. But leave it on if you find it helpful. Adjust aggressiveness of autocorrect as needed.
Conclusion
Optimizing your device’s keyboard can really boost your typing experience. Take the time to explore the settings and find what works best for your preferences. Small tweaks like switching keyboard height, layout, or theme can make a big usability difference. Set up shortcuts and text replacements to save time on common phrases. Overall, don’t settle for the default keyboard settings – make it your own with these customization tips!