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

It is simple to take nearly all of what our smartphones do as a right. A lot of what was novel a few system with a display screen — that every 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, nevertheless it’s really one of many extra customizable options of recent Android and iOS units.

Each Android and iOS 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’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 complicated. I just like the default keyboard on my

iPhone 16
and

Pixel 9
nice, however I’ve turn into satisfied there might be a greater choice on the market, and I’ve determined to take a look at the most well-liked keyboard choices obtainable within the Google Play Retailer and Apple App Retailer to attempt to determine what standards to make use of to choose a superb smartphone keyboard, and discover the very best one for me.

A smartphone keyboard ought to really feel snug to sort on

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

A keyboard needs to be snug to sort on first and straightforward to make use of rapidly, as an in depth second. Meaning keys which can be straightforward to learn and never too crowded, but additionally not so huge that you simply lose out on invaluable display screen area 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 in a position to predict what keys you meant to press whenever you mistype, makes for keyboards that really feel snug 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 structure because the iOS and Android default keyboards, with some further options layered on prime. Typewise takes a dramatically completely different strategy, utilizing hexagonal keys and abandoning the standard QWERTY structure for one which’s speculated 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 to adapt as a result of it consists of the choice for a standard structure, however the concept has legs. Alternate options to a standard keyboard have existed for years, even within the bodily keyboard area — the Dvorak layout being probably 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 structure 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 snug to sort on at first, however I can positively see the way it might get there for those who’re prepared to cope with the educational curve.

A smartphone keyboard ought to do greater than a bodily one

GIFs, emoji, translation, and different options

Whereas it is potential 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 gives an identical set of options. You possibly can add issues like Genmoji, Apple’s AI-generated emoji, stickers, pictures, 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 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, nevertheless it 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 propose to sort.

It has much less of a studying curve than Typewise’s structure adjustments and may 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 needs to be customizable

Change the look to suit your temper and magnificence

Mechanical keyboards have turn into a serious manner individuals categorical their persona and sense of favor. It helps that they are endlessly customizable: you will 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 thrives. The identical needs to be true for digital smartphone keyboards. Gboard and the iOS keyboard are pretty restricted on this regard.

They’re going to modify 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 need to flip to Facemoji. The app consists of an AI assistant for those who assume you want one, however the actual draw is all of the methods you should use 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.

When you do not need to take the time to create your individual keyboard, you’ll be able to choose one in all dozens of customized keyboard themes created by the Facemoji “group.” Whenever 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 forth.) 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 in a position to 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 telephone however wasn’t typing. It is an excessive amount of for my style, however the truth that it is potential is de facto cool.

The perfect smartphone keyboard can do loads, however solely whenever 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 advocate. There’s much less of a purpose to contemplate alternate options when each Gboard and the iOS keyboard include a bunch of helpful options built-in and are already very snug to sort on. In case you are contemplating an alternate, the keyboard that balances straightforward typing, useful options, and customization choices the very best is Microsoft SwiftKey. It is superb at correcting typing errors for those who mistype, and basically, 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 take 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 for those who do determine to apply it to your telephone.