I’ve tried a number of cellphone keyboards, however this one is my favourite

It is simple to take the vast majority of what our smartphones do without any consideration. A lot of what was once novel a few system with a display — 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 will let you replace the keyboard that comes preinstalled as a part of your system’s working system with a wide range of completely different keyboards you may obtain out of your app retailer. These can change the look of your keyboard at their most simple, and basically change the way you kind and what your keyboard can really do at their most complicated. I just like the default keyboard on my

iPhone 16
and

Pixel 9
positive, however I’ve change into satisfied there may very well be a greater choice on the market, and I’ve determined to take a look at the preferred keyboard choices obtainable within the Google Play Retailer and Apple App Retailer to try to determine what standards to make use of to select smartphone keyboard, and discover the perfect one for me.

A smartphone keyboard ought to really feel comfy to kind on

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

A keyboard ought to be comfy to kind on first and simple to make use of rapidly, as an in depth second. Which means keys which are straightforward to learn and never too crowded, but in addition not so massive that you just lose out on precious display house with 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 would possibly discover on a Blackberry or an adjunct just like the Clicks Keyboard, and if something, what Google and Apple provide is much more spacious than these {hardware} choices. That, mixed with software program that is capable of predict what keys you meant to press once 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 kind, GIFs, and customized emoji.

The overwhelming majority of third-party keyboards work in the identical means. 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 completely different method, utilizing hexagonal keys and abandoning the normal QWERTY format for one which’s imagined 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 have the ability to adapt as a result of it consists of the choice for a standard format, however the concept has legs. Alternate options to a conventional keyboard have existed for years, even within the bodily keyboard house — the Dvorak layout being essentially the most distinguished different — so Typewise is in good firm.

Typewise Customized Keyboard

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

Hexagonal keys take up extra space 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 kind on at first, however I can undoubtedly see the way it may get there should you’re keen to cope with the training curve.

A smartphone keyboard ought to do greater than a bodily one

GIFs, emoji, translation, and different options

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

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

Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard

Microsoft’s SwiftKey AI Keyboard helps you to kind 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 almost anticipated on all smartphone keyboards: swipe typing. SwiftKey, Gboard, and the iOS keyboard all allow you to swipe throughout keys as an alternative of urgent them to enter textual content, leveraging machine studying to guess what you propose to kind.

It has much less of a studying curve than Typewise’s format adjustments and might dramatically improve the velocity 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 change into a serious means folks specific their character and sense of favor. It helps that they are endlessly customizable: you may get keys in a wide range of completely different colours and supplies, switches that thunk or click on, and boards with built-in lights and different aesthetic prospers. The identical ought to be true for digital smartphone keyboards. Gboard and the iOS keyboard are pretty restricted on this regard.

They will alter when your smartphone is in gentle 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 12 months, or $24.99 for a one-time, lifetime buy. For essentially the most excessive, in-depth customization choices, you may need to flip to Facemoji. The app consists of an AI assistant should you suppose you want one, however the actual 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 completely different fonts, visible results, and backgrounds.

In the event you do not need to take the time to create your personal keyboard, you may choose considered one of dozens of customized keyboard themes created by the Facemoji “neighborhood.” Once you do work up the braveness to make your personal, the app helps you to choose 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 once 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 doable is admittedly cool.

One of the best smartphone keyboard can do quite a bit, however solely once you want it

Default keyboards are adequate, however there may be one different price recommending

Years of iteration have made the default keyboards on each Android and iOS straightforward to suggest. There’s much less of a motive 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 kind on. In case you are contemplating an alternate, the keyboard that balances straightforward typing, useful options, and customization choices the perfect is Microsoft SwiftKey. It is excellent at correcting typing errors should you mistype, and on the whole, it feels premium in a means that different choices do not.

Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard

Microsoft’s SwiftKey AI Keyboard helps you to kind 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 should you do resolve to apply it to your cellphone.