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The Android operating system treats the settings of the interface, main menu, available theme, sounds, and even boot screens as openly as possible - everyone can look into the Google Play digital store and, having chosen their favorite editing tool, immediately change it. And without the slightest regret - everything returns “back” in a few seconds, you don’t even have to dig into the settings. So why not experiment and change the keyboard on Android?
At least over changing the appearance of the Android keyboard, which is responsible for communicating on the network, and for surfing sites in the browser, and even for the speed of conveying information to those who are fundamentally wrong. Changing the keyboard takes place in four steps, and in semi-automatic mode - there is no question of any complicated actions with connecting a smartphone or tablet to a PC!
Types of keyboards
The Google Play digital store is full of Android applications that make visual and functional changes to the appearance of the keyboards, but it is impossible to classify the entire available set in any competent and original way.
The network has keyboards for movie and comic book lovers, for connoisseurs of sports and science, for music critics and real writers. The variety of themes is not impressive, and the appearance of the standard system keyboard also looks tolerable?
Then why not install a keyboard that can respond to different taps, or that easily completes the words of a sentence, helps with spelling, or clicks interestingly when pressed? By again? So, it's time to choose some kind of space solution - a slider keyboard that changes languages on the phone on the fly, color, or a platform where words are typed with unusual gestures that allow you to move your finger through the letters and get the right words.
In general, the choice on Google Play is extensive, but, alas, it is impossible to advise any specific and specific option - the topic is too specific and requires study - you will have to experiment a lot (the best keyboards according to the rest of the community members are given at the end of the article) and get used to it. Without such sacrifices, one cannot choose the best!
How to change keyboard
The whole process of changing the standard Android keyboard to a new one can be described with several points of intuitive instructions:
- The first step is to visit the Google Play store, enter the phrase "Keyboard" or "Keyboard" in the search box, get a bunch of thousands of options, try to find what is really necessary and useful, click "Install";
- Did you complete the preparatory phase without any problems? It's time to move on to the second point - directly to the "Settings", and then to the "Language and Input" section, where, in fact, it is possible to choose between the standard keyboard and the languages \u200b\u200bswitched during the input of letters and symbols;
- Accordingly, you need to find the “Keyboard and input methods” menu item on Android, click on the “Current keyboard” option that appears and call up a drop-down list with available options;
- Check the box next to the most suitable Android keyboard downloaded from Google Play. Accept changes, test newbie in "Messages" or in the browser;
- If you don’t like the option, you can change it – the necessary instructions are described above, and the digital store is available around the clock and seven days a week.
Top Apps
If for some reason it was not possible to find a suitable version of the Android keyboard on the network, and you need a good portion of advice, then here are the most popular options that are actively discussed in the community:
- Google's Gboard is a beautiful, technically and aesthetically perfect keyboard that stands out from the competition with speed, reliability, an always-on system (even offline!) of voice input, and continuous typing technology, when you can easily move your finger between letters and collect suitable words. The listed advantages do not look at least a little special? And what about the ability to quickly search for GIF images, quickly add up sentences thanks to an intelligent system for remembering recent words, well, and where without the total support from such an eminent developer? You can take our word for it - no one will forget about Gboard even in ten years!
- GO Keyboard is a modern Android tool aimed at the audience forever hanging on smartphones and tablets, reducing the number of typing errors and allowing you to communicate online at the speed of light. And all because of the enormous amount of technology built into the keyboard! Here, errors are corrected automatically, and a quick access panel is available, where you can place the necessary functions to quickly access the words already entered, added to the history, and even plugins can easily be built on top. And with them, real expanse - at least new topics, at least an additional row of letters, at least input with gestures and voice. By the way, you should not worry about intercepting the input data either - the GO keyboard is attentive to the confidential information of users and is in no hurry to use it for personal purposes;
- SwiftKey is another keyboard that is extremely original in terms of design and available features, instantly overgrown with a motley audience that is looking for support for several languages \u200b\u200bat once (and there are under 200 of them and they all fit into the screen correctly, regardless of the number of letters in the alphabet and the available hieroglyphs - everything looks organic and really convenient), and quick access to emoticons and GIFs. No one bypassed the support for auto-correction of characters and the addition of words, and the technology of "drawing" on the screen. Yes, and the settings are all in place - themes are easily selected, and the distance between the buttons, and pictures and even sounds. The entire list of parameters will hardly fit even on several elongated smartphone screens ...
- touchpal. If the options listed above seemed too austere and predictable, then it's time to evaluate the champion in the world of keyboards. Android TouchPal is a sure way to forget about the standard keyboard once and for all and access an amazing world of fast-paced possibilities. Here, emoticons are selected in a few seconds, the appearance of the button is edited at will, and access to specific sounds, animations and gestures is selected directly in the settings called using the gear hidden near the language change shortcut. Writing has never been so easy and convenient before. So why wait, isn't it time to feel the full power of modern technology?
Fact #1: The PS/2 interface is no longer always found on modern desktop PC motherboards, and it is not found at all on modern laptops.
Fact number 2: if a USB keyboard or mouse can be connected to the PS / 2 connector with a simple passive adapter, then such a trick does not work in the opposite direction.
How to get out of a situation where you need to connect an old input device to USB?
For this, there are special converters that convert the signal of the PS / 2 protocol (and in fact - I2C) to USB. One of these is on display today.
The device is packed in a simple plastic bag with a latch. 
Once removed from the bag, it can be unfolded to its full length. There is no disk with drivers and software in the delivery set as unnecessary. 
The length of the product is 318 mm at the ends of the connectors. In the middle is a box with a converter. 
With a flat screwdriver, the box is easily divided into two halves. 
Converter board close-up. 
It contains an inkblot chip and an SMD capacitor. The names of the contacts are silk-screened, the board does not carry any more information. Its base material is getinaks. 
To test the converter, I found a keyboard with a built-in trackball. 
The keyboard and trackball are united by a common body and interface cable sheath, their electronics are completely independent.
Fact #3: Keyboard and mouse connectors are not interchangeable!
Connect the cable connectors to the converter. 
And connect the converter itself to the laptop. 
The operating system detects it as a "USB Composite Device" and installs the driver automatically. The keyboard and trackball can then be used.
But it was too easy, wasn't it?
We find a mouse in a box with old iron. 
We unscrew the self-tapping screw holding the parts of the case together, disassemble the mouse and pull out the cable from it. 
Then we think a little, plug the cable back into the connector and unsolder it from the board. 
In the same box we find the touchpad. As a rule, they are also connected via the PS / 2 interface, you can read about its implementation. 
We prepare pieces of thin wire MGTF ... 
... and solder the connector according to the pinout: 
We connect the structure to the laptop, make sure that it works and rummage through the box further. 
This is a touchpad from a Dell Latitude CPx. 
Quite a mind-bending design, in which the conductors to the touchpad, trackpoint, buttons, speakers and microphone are pulled into one loop. 
Touchpad made by ALPS 
By pinout, it differs from Synaptics. 
Soldering. 
We connect to a laptop and are surprised at the sensitivity of the trackpoint. 
Taking into account the cost of a finished USB touchpad, the price of the converter and the ease of connecting a sensor from a laptop to it make self-assembly of the structure quite justified. For example, like this: 
This will get rid of wrist pain, as you don't have to keep your forearm constantly twisted 90 degrees, as you would with a regular mouse.
Conclusion: if you have a touchpad lying around or a time-tested mechanical keyboard, this is the device for you.
Each smartphone manufacturer is trying to embed its own virtual keyboard into its creation. But it does not always meet the requirements of the user. In this case, the Android operating system allows you to replace the keyboard by downloading any other one. But not all smartphone owners understand how to change the keyboard on Android. If you are also asking this question, then today's material is written just for you!
How are keyboards distributed?
Any virtual keyboard for a tablet or smartphone is a regular application. If the manufacturer has installed its own keyboard, then it is impossible to remove it without special tricks. But that doesn't mean you can't change the keyboard that's shown by default every time you type.
Third-party keyboards are distributed through the well-known Google Play online store. From each other, they can differ in the location of the keys (layout), the ability to stick to the edges of the screen, a set of stickers and emoticons, support for themes, and many other features. You can read more about this in our selection.
When installing a new keyboard to activate it, most often you do not need to go to " Settings", following our instructions. It is enough to agree with the offer at the first start by answering it by pressing the button " Yes". Or the utility itself will transfer you to the desired settings window, where you only need to activate the switch on the installed keyboard.
Changing the virtual keyboard
You can easily select a different keyboard on your phone. To do this, follow the steps below:
Step 1. Proceed to the section " Settings».
Step 2. Select " Language and Input».
Step 3. Here you should select " Current keyboard". It can be located in a subsection or tab " Keyboard and input methods».
Step 4. Here put a circle next to the item " Russian", then press the button" Select layout».
Step 5. You will be taken to the section described above. Here you need to activate the virtual keyboard that you want to use. Here you can also enable voice and some other unusual input methods.
Step 6. Activate the keyboard for the English layout in the same way.
On more modern Android smartphones, the procedure will be slightly different:
Step 1. In the settings, select the item "Language and input". If there is no such item, then first go to "Advanced settings" or use the search.
Step 2. On the menu "Language and input" select item "Keyboard Management", and then turn on the one you want.
Step 3. Go back one step to the menu "Language and input" and now click on "Current Keyboard". In the context menu that appears, select the desired keyboard.
After you enable the desired keyboard in the settings, you can change it at any time. To do this, call it through any application and long press on the "Select layout" icon and select the desired keyboard.
That's all. Installing a keyboard on Android is very simple - just download it from Google Play. There is nothing complicated in activating it - now you know how to do it.
In this article, I will cover:
- how to customize keyboard on android
- disable phone vibration
- what to do if the keyboard is missing on a samsung smartphone
- how to install a replacement for the standard keyboard (change the keyboard shell).
How to remove vibration on the android keyboard
Your phone vibrates when you enter text. At first it is convenient, then it slowly starts to annoy. It's also annoying that it can't be turned off right in the keyboard layout settings. Here is a step-by-step instruction on how to quickly turn off vibration on the Android keyboard:
- Go to Settings - General settings - section "Language and input".
- On the page that appears, select the keyboard you are using
- Scroll through the list of keyboard options and uncheck the box next to Vibrate when typing.
If you are using Samsung, vibration can be disabled as follows:
- Settings - General settings - section Language and input
- On-Screen Keyboard - Samsung Keyboard - Touch Feedback - Vibrate
- Slide the "Vibration" switch to the left
This is how you can disable vibration feedback on most devices with the latest versions of Android. In older versions, some settings may differ, but we believe you can easily find them.
The keyboard on Android (Samsung) disappeared - what to do?
What to do if the keyboard disappeared on your Android (and this application is mega-important for many)? You can quickly return the keyboard on Samsung models, etc. to its place in one of the ways.
There are dozens of great keyboards for tablets and smartphones on Google Play. Each of them can become a full-fledged replacement for a standard keyboard. Many of them are free to download, but require token money for add-ons. We advise you to read our review if you want to change the keyboard on Android.
How to install a keyboard on Android
The standard Android keyboard does not suit all users. Although it improves with each new version of the OS (in terms of ergonomics, that is, ease of use), in terms of customization, the standard keyboard is very limited. So, you will not be able to download additional themes, change the sound of the keys, select stickers and numerous emoticons.
In order to install an additional keyboard, you need:
- Download the desired application from Google Play
- Run the installer (usually this happens immediately after downloading)
- Launch the installed application by finding it by name on the Android start screen.
- All further actions (changing the standard keyboard and activating another one through Android settings) will be described in the application window.
How to change the keyboard on Android
If you have several alternative keyboards installed on your tablet or smartphone and you would like to switch from your current keyboard add-on to another, there are two ways to do this.
1) You can change the keyboard on Android through the standard settings in the Android OS. To change the current keyboard, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings - General settings - Language and input
- Default keyboard
- In the Select Keyboard window, select the keyboard that you want to display when you enter text. It is enough to set the switch opposite its name.
2) You can also change the shell directly through the settings of the installed Android keyboard - when you start the application. For this
- Install a new keyboard by downloading it from Google Play or another resource
- Follow the step-by-step setup wizard built into the keyboard shell (as a rule, developers provide this option)
- Agree with access permissions
- Activate the keyboard add-on
Computer technology does not stand still, it is constantly being improved, and laptops often replace desktop computers. A laptop also needs a mouse, and what to do with an old mouse with a round connector? And even more so, if it works great and ergonomically fits your hand very well ... Throw it away?
No, why, there is a way out - it can be converted to a USB connector.
There are 2 options: you can simply make an adapter, or remove the old cable on the mouse and connect a new one - with a USB plug. The wiring diagram, as you can see, is quite simple - only 4 wires, sometimes 5, but 5 wire is just a screen, i.e. braid. It is enough to take some old cable with a USB plug, from a camera or mobile phone, for example, or you can buy such a cable at a flea market and replace it with a mouse.
The figure above shows an adapter and a USB connector of the type - mother, and a USB plug (male) - there the numbering will go the other way around - from left to right, i.e. 1,2,3 and 4. And the purpose of the wires of the USB connector, focusing primarily on the pin numbers, and, as an additional method, on the color. I myself often met that the colors do not go correctly according to the contacts. Usually the numbering of contacts goes from left to right, but it happens the other way around. Those. it is necessary to specify: to ring, on the board they usually write the purpose of the contacts.
1. VDD (usually red) - power, 5 volts,
2. D- (white, gray, sometimes green or blue) - transfers data from the computer to the mouse,
3. D + (green, sometimes blue) - transfers data from the mouse to the computer,
4. GND (black or unpainted - yellow) - ground (body).
5. - it's just a braid (interference shield), usually without color, yellow. This wire does not carry a signal and is normally grounded. Not all cables (mice) have a braid.
Based on the numbers and color of the wires, you can quickly solder the cable. But, I still advise you before unsoldering the old cable - ring the tester and once again make sure that the colors of the wires match the numbers on the connector. As practice shows, the human factor is present everywhere and mistakes, not critical, are also made by installers.
Using this wiring diagram, you can also convert a keyboard with a round PS / 2 connector to a USB connector. All the same, by connecting the right wires to the right contacts... I think this article will help you remake (adjust) outdated, but still quite good and efficient peripherals from old PCs. Not everywhere you need everything new and fresh ...
However, from my own experience, I want to say that those mice are good, which have a built-in driver (control program). Those. inserted it into the connector, the driver installed itself on the PC and the device works well. This makes the task much easier, because it is not always in the Windows set or you can find its native driver, which means that the mouse can glitch, slow down, etc. And this, as Vysotsky sang, is not riding, but fidgeting ...
