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Jan 02, 2024

Ditch your Samsung Galaxy phone's keyboard for good. Here's how

Tired of your Samsung Galaxy phone's default keyboard? It's really easy to switch. Here's how. If you're like me, you might struggle to type a coherent sentence with Samsung's default keyboard because

Tired of your Samsung Galaxy phone's default keyboard? It's really easy to switch. Here's how.

If you're like me, you might struggle to type a coherent sentence with Samsung's default keyboard because of its lack of a competent auto-complete. Instead of fighting your way through each text message or email with Samsung's default keyboard, do yourself a favour and switch keyboards. You have a few different options, including Microsoft's SwiftKey and Google's Gboard.

In some regions - like Europe - SwiftKey is preinstalled on Samsung phones in addition to the Samsung keyboard. If that's the case where you live, you can follow the directions below to change your default keyboard, or you can install another keyboard on your Samsung phone from the Play Store.

The process takes just a few minutes of your time, and will undoubtedly save you plenty of time and headaches going forward.

After installing something like SwiftKey or Gboard, you need to set it as the default keyboard on your phone. The quickest way to do that is to open the respective app, which will walk you through the process which consists of enabling the keyboard in the Settings app, then setting it as the default keyboard.

Using Gboard as an example, when you open the app for the first time, you'll see a button asking you to enable Gboard in Settings. Tap the button to open Settings to the exact page you need, then slide the switch next to Gboard to the on position and accept the warning.

Next, go back to the Gboard app and tap the Select Input Method button, followed by selecting Gboard on the subsequent pop-up.

That's all there is to it. The process is exactly the same with SwiftKey.

If you decide that Gboard or another third-party keyboard isn't for you, you can disable the keyboard with a few taps.

Open the Settings app on your phone, then scroll down and select General Management followed by Keyboard list and default.

There you'll find a list of all keyboards currently installed on your phone, along with the default keyboard. You'll also notice there's a Giphy keyboard preinstalled on your phone, which you can enable and use for quick access to animated images while typing. You can quickly switch between enabled keyboards whenever you're typing by tapping on the small keyboard icon at the bottom of the screen.

Select Default Keyboard at the top of the screen followed by the keyboard you want to use as your default going forward. To disable a keyboard completely, slide the switch next to any of the listed keyboards to the off position.

While changing your keyboard is a good starting point, it's not just about tapping the keys - your keyboard will do a whole lot more. Gboard, for example, has a settings cog you can tap allowing you through to change all sorts of settings and options. That includes things like theming your keyboard if you want it to look more exciting, but it also gives access to glide typing which is really useful for single-handed entry. You can also opt to turn on the number row and show the emoji key, for example - as well as controlling haptics and sounds.

Ultimately the message is this: don't just settle for what you see - dive into the settings, see what you can change and if you don't like it, you're free to try as many different keyboards as you like.

This will come down to personal preference, but for many users, Google's Gboard is the keyboard of choice. It's just a better keyboard to use than Samsung's default input - it's faster, it's more accurate and easier to use. Go on - give it a try!

Jason Cipriani is based out of beautiful Colorado and has been covering technology news and reviewing the latest gadgets as a freelance journalist for the past 15 years. His work can be found all across the Internet and in print.