While Android keyboards offer a lot of functionality, but very few open the keyboard settings to personalise it. Both Gboard and Samsung Keyboard offer a lot of useful options such as adding a dedicated number row and theme management. So, in this guide, I have explained how to open Android keyboard settings and which options you should change for a better experience. On that note, let's begin.
How to Open Android Keyboard Settings
Android doesn't have one common page for keyboard settings. The settings are part of the keyboard app on your phone and for other changes, you need to change system settings.
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Open Gboard Settings
- First off, open the Settings app and go to System.
- Tap on Keyboard and select On-screen keyboard.
- Now, tap on Gboard to open its settings page.
You can also open any app where you can type and tap on the four-square grid icon on the left side of the Gboard toolbar. Here, select Settings. You can also press and hold the comma key and tap on the gear icon.
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Open Samsung Keyboard Settings
- Open the Settings app and tap on General management.
- Next, select Samsung Keyboard settings.
You can also tap on the gear icon on the Samsung Keyboard toolbar while typing. If the toolbar is missing, turn on Keyboard toolbar from the same settings page. It will also bring back the emoji button on Samsung Keyboard.
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Gboard Settings You Should Change
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Add a Number Row
Open Gboard settings, tap on Preferences and turn on Number row. You will now see all the digits in a row at the top of the keyboard, so you don't have to change layouts to enter an OTP or a phone number. This is one of the best Android keyboard settings you should change.
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Type Symbols Faster
Under Preferences, scroll down to the Shortcuts section and turn on Touch and hold keys for symbols. Gboard will show a small number or symbol on the letter keys. You can press and hold a key to enter it.
Next, look for Touch and hold duration on the same page. The default value is 300ms and I would recommend reducing it down to around 200ms so that the symbols appear faster.
Turn On the Clipboard
Open the Clipboard page in Gboard settings and turn on all the options there. Gboard will then show recently copied text and images in the suggestion strip. This will make it easier to copy and paste a picture on Android.
Adjust Sound and Vibration
The Preferences page also has the Sound and Keyboard vibration toggles. You can turn off both toggles for a silent experience or keep the vibration on and change its strength. I change this Android keyboard setting every time I set up a new phone.
Create Text Shortcuts
Go to Dictionary > Personal dictionary in Gboard settings and choose a language. Now, tap on the + icon, enter a phrase such as your email address and add a short code to it.
Now, whenever you type the shortcut code, Gboard shows the full phrase in the suggestion strip above the keys. This way, you can save a lot of time.
Resize the Keyboard
Tap on the four-square grid icon on the Gboard toolbar and select Resize to change the height of the keyboard. The same menu has One-handed and Floating modes, which can be useful on large phones. Apart from that, the Theme page lets you add a picture on your Android keyboard.
Samsung Keyboard Settings You Should Change
Turn On Number Keys
Open Samsung Keyboard settings, tap on Layout and turn on Number keys. The digits will now show up above the letters all the time.
Change the Keyboard Theme
Samsung Keyboard follows the system theme by default. If your phone is in light mode, open Theme and select Dark to enable dark mode on Samsung Keyboard alone.
Reduce the Touch and Hold Delay
Go to Swipe, touch and feedback and tap on Keyboard touch and hold delay. The default option is Medium (0.3 seconds) and you can change it to Short (0.2 seconds) or set a custom value. On the same page, set Backspace speed to Fast if deleting text feels slow on your Samsung phone.
Change Touch Feedback
In Swipe, touch and feedback, tap on Touch feedback. Here, you can enable or disable Sound and Vibration for every key press.
Add Text Shortcuts
Under Smart typing, open Text shortcuts and add a shortcut for a long string of text. You can now enter the shortcut and the long text will appear right away. It works just like the personal dictionary on Gboard.
Change the Keyboard Mode and Size
Open Mode to switch between the Standard, One-handed, Floating and Split keyboards. To resize the keyboard, tap on Size and transparency, drag the handles around and tap on Done.
And if you want to change the key layout itself, you can install Keys Cafe, which is a fantastic Samsung Good Lock module for keyboard customisation.
How to Change the Default Keyboard on Android
If you have installed another keyboard such as Microsoft SwiftKey, you need to set it as the default keyboard first.
- On Pixel and most stock Android phones: Go to Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard and turn on the toggle next to the new keyboard. Now, open any text field, tap on the keyboard icon at the bottom of the screen and select it.
- On Samsung phones: Go to Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default. Next, tap on Default keyboard and choose the keyboard you want.
Note that switching the keyboard app is different from switching the typing language. If you want to type in Hindi or any other regional language, follow our guide on how to change the keyboard language in Android.
How to Reset Android Keyboard Settings
On Samsung Keyboard, open the settings page, scroll to the bottom and tap on Reset to default settings. Now, select Reset keyboard settings. Your downloaded languages will not be touched.
Gboard doesn't have a reset button. Instead, go to Settings > Apps > Gboard > Storage and cache and tap on Clear storage. Note that it also removes your learned words and personal dictionary from the phone.
And that wraps up our guide on how to open and change Android keyboard settings on Gboard and Samsung Keyboard. If you want to personalise the keyboard further, go ahead and check out our guide on how to change the Samsung Keyboard background.
Apart from typing, you can also try Rambler, which is Google's excellent Gemini-powered voice typing feature. Google officially offers it only on the Pixel 11 and 10 series, so go ahead and check out our guide on how to get Rambler on any Android phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Do I Find Android Keyboard Settings?
On Pixel and stock Android phones, go to Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard. On Samsung phones, open Settings > General management > Samsung Keyboard settings.
How Do I Get My Android Keyboard Back to Normal?
Your keyboard is most likely in the Floating or One-handed mode. On Gboard, tap on Floating again in the four-square grid menu or tap on the expand icon in the One-handed mode. On Samsung Keyboard, open Mode and choose Standard keyboard.
How Do I Turn Off Keyboard Sound and Vibration on Android?
On Gboard, open Preferences and turn off Sound and Keyboard vibration. On Samsung Keyboard, turn off both toggles under Swipe, touch and feedback > Touch feedback.
Can I Use Gboard on a Samsung Galaxy Phone?
Yes, install Gboard from the Play Store and select it under Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default > Default keyboard.
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