Top 3 Android Keyboards Alternatives
The death of Swype is a sad day for the Android community. But don’t worry—we’re here to help you find the best alternative Keyboard for your phone.
Swype was a well-known and popular keyboard app that allowed users to write by swiping their fingers across the screen instead of tapping individual keys. It was one of the first apps to offer this feature, and it helped popularize an entirely new way of typing on smartphones.
But now that Swype has closed its doors, we’ve taken a look at some of the top alternatives out there so you can pick one that fits your needs and preferences.
Here are our top three picks:
1. GO Keyboard
GO Keyboard is an application that allows you to customize your phone to your liking. It’s designed with a simple, clean user interface and has many features, including themes, wallpapers, fonts, and sound effects.
Themes allow you to change the look of your Keyboard as well as its background color. Many different sounds can be played for each key press, which is something I’ve never seen in any other keyboard app before.
Themes are available for free, and there are some nice ones available for purchase as well. Themes can be downloaded directly from GO Keyboard, but if you want to find more, there is a search function where users can submit their creations for others to try out.
Pros of Go Keyboard Include:
- It’s the most customizable Keyboard on Android
- It has a built-in search function that allows you to look up words in different languages
- It supports several languages and uses neural network technology to predict your next word based on the previous ones you typed
- It allows you to use GIFs as emojis, which is great for expressing yourself when words just won’t cut it (like when you’re laughing at someone who doesn’t get your jokes)
- You can set up multiple keyboards so that one has all of your GIFs, one has all of your stickers, and so on—this helps keep everything organized
- You can use GO Keyboard’s powerful password manager to store all of your passwords for easy access
- You can use GO Keyboard’s AI-powered translation feature to translate text into any language without leaving your keyboard app—great if you’re trying to learn Spanish while reading something in English
2. SwiftKey
If you’re looking for a keyboard that can predict what you’ll say next, SwiftKey is probably the first one you’ll try. It has a bunch of features that make it stand out from the crowd:
SwiftKey Flow
This is their take on gesture typing, which allows you to drag your finger between letters instead of tapping them. It’s not as intuitive as the stock Android keyboard, but it’s still pretty handy.
Word Flow
If you don’t like the default gesture typing, SwiftKey also lets you draw out words with your finger instead of dragging it around. It is good at adapting to your style over time and making suggestions based on what works well for you.
In addition to its prediction engine, SwiftKey has a few other unique features worth mentioning. All are available in the settings menu:
Themes
You can change how the keyboard looks by selecting from several different themes. They come in light and dark versions and include special effects like neon lights or brushed metal textures.
Glide Typing
This feature might be for you if you prefer to type without lifting your finger off the screen. Glide Typing works just like Flow does — except instead of dragging.
3. Gboard
Gboard is a keyboard app from Google that comes pre-installed on many Android phones. It’s one of the best options for those who want to use a great keyboard without having to download anything else. It has several features that make it more than just a basic keyboard, such as:
Autocorrect Suggestions
Gboard uses artificial intelligence to predict what you’re trying to say and offer suggested corrections as you type. It can be helpful when you’re typing something that’s not in your contacts or calendar entries, like someone’s name or address. You’ll also see suggested emojis based on your typing, so it’s easy to express yourself with fun symbols.
Voice Typing
If you don’t feel like using your fingers, Gboard has a built-in voice typing feature that lets you dictate text by speaking into the microphone on your phone screen. It’s similar to how Siri works — instead of speaking commands aloud, you’re speaking into your phone screen.
It is great for hands-free texting or chatting with friends, but it takes time because your words aren’t displayed as they come out automatically as with regular text entry methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need an Android keyboard?
You might want to switch to a new keyboard for several reasons. Some people prefer the look or feel of one over another, while others change their keyboards because they want more features like gesture typing or emoji prediction.
How do I reset my Android keyboard?
To reset your Android keyboard, open Settings, and select Language & input. Scroll down to the Keyboard & input methods section and tap Reset keyboard.
What is the difference between SwiftKey and Gboard?
The difference between SwiftKey and Gboard is that SwiftKey has a very good prediction engine but does not have emoji support built in. It requires you to download an additional app to get access to emoji characters. Gboard has emoji built into its keyboard, allowing you to search for them directly from within the app using search terms like “pizza” or “unicorn.”
What are the different types of keyboards available?
Keyboards can be split into physical, virtual, and software-based. Physical keyboards are what you typically see on desktop computers and laptops. Virtual keyboards use software to emulate a physical keyboard on your phone’s touchscreen display. And software-based keyboards use predictive text analysis to save time when typing by suggesting words as you type them in real-time!
Conclusion
In this article, we examined and compared a variety of Android keyboards and found three to be the best options out there. You may not have been disappointed with Swype, but if you haven’t found another keyboard with everything you want, these are three solid contenders.
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