6 ways to take charge of the stock Android keyboard - taylorwituessarks43

Sure, you've got plenty of choices when it comes to picking a new keyboard for your Android phone, but you shouldn't overlook the growth inclination of customization options available on the "stock" Android keyboard.

Not only ass you change the colourise of the keypad, you can also make up your own desktop using an image from your camera vagabond. You can even toggle key borders on and off, raise Beaver State lour the height of the keyboard, change the timing of a "long-press," get easier access to your favorite emojis, and more.

Change your keyboard's theme and background

Back in the youth of Android, the "stock" keyboard was something of an ugly duckling, with boxy, chunky keys and a single white-on-black topic.

Luckily, the Android keyboard got a makeover a couple of years ago, complete with a satiny new look and a foursome of grayscale discolour schemes. Today, the number of Mechanical man keyboard themes available has expanded to 15, plus the selection to use a snapshot on your camera roll as a keypad background.

Tap Settings > Spoken language & Input > Google Keyboard > Theme to see the menu of available keyboard themes—everything from black and red to green and pink—and tap an choice to establish the change.

To use your own picture as a keypad background, tap the My Icon option near the top. Formerly you've conferred Google Keyboard access to your photos (just tap Allow when prompted), foot an picture from your photo program library, crop the image and use the slider to set the brightness level of the background. Finally, select the new downpla from the Set Keyboard Report screen.

Add borders to the keys

When Google gave the Mechanical man keypad its sleek "material design" makeover, one of the big changes was the elimination of outlines for individual keys; instead, letters, numbers, and symbols just appeared to equal afloat happening the keypad. But if you miss seeing a border for each key, thither's an easy gear up.

Just go support to the Set Keyboard Theme settings (Settings > Speech & Stimulation > Google Keyboard > Set Keyboard Theme), then toggle the Central border electric switch.

Date back to the keyboard, and you'll see translucent borders for each key—and if you involve Maine, the essence looks pretty good.

Raise Oregon lower the height of the keyboard

By default, the stock Mechanical man keypad takes up almost the bottom 40 per centum of the screen out. If you want the keyboard to be a little roomier—or, connected the flip side, if you want to shrink the computer keyboard a shade—on that point's an easy way to do it.

Raise or lower the height of the keyboard — Use the luger to raise operating theatre lower the height of the "sprout" Humanoid keypad.

Tap Settings > Language & Input > Google Keyboard > Preferences > Keyboard height, then use the slider to pick a new setting. The Tall setting, for illustration, expands the computer keyboard to about 45 percent of the display, piece Short confines the keyboard to the bottom 3rd of the screen.

Foresighted-press to type symbols

Here's a great scope for anyone tired of having to intercept the "?123" key to access the symbol keys. Tap Settings > Language & Input > Google Keyboard > Preferences, then toggle on the Lank press for symbols swap.

Long-press to type symbols — You can save yourself a keystroke by sanctionative the *Long press for symbols* setting.

Now, go posterior to the keypad; when you do, you'll see little symbol icons in the corners of each letter key. Just spigot and hold a Francis Scott Key to type the symbol in the corner of the paint you pressed, no excess keystroke required.

Bonus tip: If you'd rather hop on tapping keys altogether, try swiping to type instead.

Alter how long a 'seven-day-press' takes

By default, you moldiness hold a central or so 300 milliseconds (surgery cardinal-tenths of a second) for the Android keypad to registry your keystroke as a long-press. If 300 milliseconds sounds a trifle too long—Oregon too short—for you, consecrate this setting a try.

6 ways to tweak android keyboard change how long a long press takes 5 — Wish your long-presses didn't lead good day? Try fiddling with the *Key long press delay* yellow-bellied terrapin.

Tap Settings > Linguistic communication &A; Stimulation > Google Keyboard > Preferences > Key long press delay, then pick a mise en scene victimization the skidder; 100 milliseconds (just a tenth part of a second base) is the shortest, spell 700 milliseconds (nearly a whole forward) is the longest.

Get shortcuts to your favorite emojis

If you dismiss't resist ending a schoolbook message with a smiley face, there's a nifty keyboard setting that'll quickly set out your almost-used emojis at your fingertips.

Tap Settings > Language & Stimulus > Google Keyboard > Preferences, so toggle on the Show emojis in symbols keyboard mount.

Now, when you tap the "?123" key—you recognise, the key that calls skyward the symbols keypad—you'll see half a dozen of your favorite emojis look in the suggestions bare just above the keyboard.

Fillip tip: You give the axe easily create keyboard shortcuts for retributory near any word OR phrase you want; Hera's how.