If your Android keyboard is acting strangely or has stopped working properly, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to get it back to normal. A malfunctioning keyboard can be frustrating, but you often don’t need to go as far as completely resetting your phone to fix it.
Check Your Input Settings
The first thing to check is your keyboard and input settings. Open the Settings app on your Android device and go to System > Languages & input > Virtual keyboard. Here you will see a list of installed keyboards. Make sure the keyboard you normally use is selected and enabled.
Tap on the keyboard name to open its settings. Look for options like autocorrect, word suggestions, text shortcuts, etc. Make sure nothing is incorrectly set that could be leading to odd behavior.
Disable Additional Keyboards
Sometimes installing additional keyboard apps can cause conflicts. Open the keyboard settings again and uncheck any secondary keyboards, like Swype or Google Voice Typing, that you don’t really need. Stick to just one main keyboard enabled at a time.
If you are using a Samsung device, you may also have the Samsung keyboard enabled along with the default Android keyboard. Try disabling the Samsung one if you are seeing issues.
Check App Permissions
Problems with your keyboard could also be due to app permissions. Certain apps may have recently changed their access permissions without you realizing it. This could be leading to keyboard glitches.
Go to Settings > Apps and notifications and look for any apps that have permission to access keyboard or input related functions, like altering or collecting entered text. Tap the app and remove any suspicious permissions. Pay extra attention to any new apps you may have downloaded right before the keyboard problems began.
Update Your Keyboard App
If you use a third party keyboard app like SwiftKey or Swype, make sure it is updated to the latest version. Outdated app code can sometimes cause keyboards to crash or behave oddly in newer operating systems.
Open the Play Store, go to My Apps & Games > Updates, and check for any available updates. If your keyboard app needs one, download it right away.
Clear Keyboard App Cache & Data
Over time, bugs or old data can accumulate in your keyboard app and cause performance issues. Clearing the cache and data will wipe this out.
Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications and select the misbehaving keyboard app. Tap Storage > Clear Cache first. If that doesn’t fix it, go back and also tap Clear Storage to wipe app data.
Your custom settings in the keyboard may be reset after clearing data, but it’s one of the best ways to eradicate stubborn glitches.
Check for System App Updates
Problems with your keyboard could also stem from an outdated system app or component on your Android device itself. System app crashes might manifest as keyboard weirdness in some cases.
To check for updates, open Settings > System > Advanced > System update. Let your phone scan for and install any outstanding software updates.
If that doesn’t show anything, you can try checking for updates via recovery mode:
- Turn your device off.
- Press and hold the Power button and the Volume down button at the same time until you see the recovery menu.
- Use the volume keys to scroll to Apply update from ADB and select it with the power button.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to check for updates in recovery mode.
Disable Google App
Some users have reported keyboard problems due to crashes in the Google app. This manages key functions like Google Assistant, Voice Search, and Account Syncing.
To rule out any issues here, open Settings > Apps & Notifications > See all apps. Find Google, tap it, and choose Disable. See if this improves your keyboard performance.
Turn Off Voice Input
Issues with your device’s voice input features could also be spilling over into your regular keyboard. As a test, turn off any voice input options.
Go to Settings > System > Languages & Input > Virtual Keyboard > Google Voice typing and uncheck Use Google Voice typing.
Also go back to Languages & Input and disable any secondary voice input services like Google Voice typing or Speech Services by Bixby.
Check for Text Message Issues
Problems texting with your default Messages app can lead to keyboard glitches in some instances. See if there are any pending updates for Android Messages.
You can also try switching to a different text messaging app like Textra or Hangouts. Install one from the Play Store and set it as your default app in Settings > Apps & Notifications > Default Apps > SMS app.
Disable Battery Optimization
Android’s battery optimization features can sometimes interfere with apps running properly in the background. The keyboard app may be getting killed prematurely, leading to crashes.
Disable battery optimization for your keyboard app as a troubleshooting step. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Special app access > Battery optimization. Tap the app and select Don’t Optimize.
Update Device Drivers
Outdated or buggy drivers on your device could also contribute to keyboard problems. You can update drivers using your phone manufacturer’s device support tools on a computer.
For example, Samsung has an application called Smart Switch that can handle driver updates. Search online for “(your device model) update drivers” for device specific steps.
Check for Physical Damage
It’s also worth checking your device for any physical damage that could be affecting the keyboard. Common points of failure include:
- Faulty keyboard ribbon cable connection
- Damaged keyboard matrix circuits
- Broken pins on keyboard module
- Bent or warped screen digitizer
- Case damage interfering with keyboard
- Stuck or dead key
- Dust/debris buildup in keyboard
Carefully inspect your phone for any signs of drops, cracks, dents, or internal dust buildup around the keyboard module that could be causing issues. If present, this type of hardware damage would likely require repair or replacement.
Reset Keyboard Dictionary
Typing accuracy issues or odd word suggestions could potentially point to a corrupted user dictionary in your keyboard. This is a database of custom words you have manually added over time.
Return the dictionary to default to potentially improve keyboard performance. In your keyboard settings, look for an option to reset, clear, or erase the user dictionary data.
Factory Reset the Phone
If all else fails, you may need to perform a factory reset on your Android device. This will erase all data and settings and return the phone to a clean state as if it were brand new.
Factory reset will remove your custom keyboard configuration, but should also eliminate any problematic software or files that could be casuing glitches. You can then set the keyboard up again after.
To factory reset, backup key data first, then go to Settings > System > Advanced > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
Conclusion
With some patience and testing, you should be able to troubleshoot and resolve most common Android keyboard problems without taking extreme measures. Start with simpler steps like checking for updates, clearing cache/data, removing apps, and updating drivers first. But a factory reset may be necessary if nothing else works.
Your keyboard is essential for mobile productivity and communication. Don’t settle for just dealing with a glitchy or unusable keyboard. Take the time to try these troubleshooting steps and get your keyboard back to reliably inputting text so you can get back to messaging friends and getting work done.