Open Settings and find the keyboard option

To change your keyboard on Android, start by opening your phone's Settings app — usually a gear icon on your home screen or in your app drawer. Scroll down and look for System or Languages and input (the exact name varies by phone brand). Tap it, then look for Keyboards and input methods or Virtual keyboard.

Once you're in that section, you'll see a list of keyboards already installed on your phone. Most Android phones come with at least one default keyboard — often Google's Gboard or Samsung's Samsung Keyboard. You may also see options for Input method or Default keyboard depending on your device.

Key Takeaways

  • You must first install a new keyboard from the Google Play Store before you can switch to it.
  • After installing, go to Settings > Languages and input > Virtual keyboard to set your new keyboard as the default.
  • You can switch between keyboards while typing by holding down the spacebar or tapping the keyboard icon in the bottom toolbar.
  • Some keyboards require permission to access your typing data — review what each keyboard asks for before installing.
  • You can have multiple keyboards installed and active at the same time; switching between them takes seconds.

read a new keyboard from the Google Play Store

If you want to use a keyboard other than the one that came with your phone, you need to install it first. Open the Google Play Store app and search for the keyboard you want — popular options include Gboard (Google's keyboard), SwiftKey, Grammarly Keyboard, or Fleksy. Tap the keyboard name in the search results.

Read the description and permissions the keyboard is asking for, then tap Install. The read usually takes less than a minute. Once it finishes, the button will change to Open — you can tap it to launch the keyboard, but you still need to enable it in Settings before you can actually use it for typing.

Enable the new keyboard in your phone's settings

Go back to Settings > Languages and input > Virtual keyboard (or Keyboards and input methods). You should now see your newly installed keyboard listed. Tap on it — you may see an Enable button or a toggle switch. Turn it on. Some keyboards will ask you to review their privacy policy or permissions at this point; read through these carefully, as keyboards can see everything you type.

After enabling the keyboard, you'll return to the keyboard list. You should see your new keyboard now marked as active or enabled. At this stage, the keyboard is installed and turned on, but it may not be your default yet — meaning your phone might still open the old keyboard when you tap a text field.

Set your new keyboard as the default

To make your new keyboard the one that appears automatically when you type, look for a Default keyboard or Current keyboard option in the same Settings section. Tap it and select your new keyboard from the list. On some phones, you'll see this option at the top of the keyboard list; on others, it's a separate setting further down.

Once you've selected it as the default, your new keyboard will open the next time you tap a text field — in messages, email, search bars, or any other place where you type. You can test it when ready by opening a text message or note app and tapping the text area.

Switch between keyboards while typing

If you have multiple keyboards enabled, you don't have to go back to Settings every time you want to switch. While you're typing, look at the bottom of the keyboard for a keyboard icon or spacebar area. On most keyboards, you can hold down the spacebar for a second or two, and a menu will pop up showing all your active keyboards. Tap the one you want to use.

Alternatively, some keyboards show a small keyboard icon in the bottom toolbar (usually on the right side, next to the space bar). Tapping this icon cycles through your enabled keyboards. This method is faster than going to Settings if you regularly switch between two or three keyboards.

Troubleshoot if your new keyboard won't appear

If you've installed and enabled a keyboard but it still won't show up when you type, first check that you actually enabled it in Settings — go back to Languages and input and confirm the toggle is on. If it is, try restarting your phone. Sometimes Android doesn't fully register a new keyboard until you reboot.

If restarting doesn't work, uninstall the keyboard from the Play Store, restart your phone again, then reinstall it fresh. Occasionally a keyboard installation gets corrupted during read. If you're still having trouble, check the keyboard's app page in the Play Store — scroll down to the reviews section, where other users often post solutions to common problems with that specific keyboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use more than one keyboard at the same time?

Yes. You can enable as many keyboards as you want in Settings, and they'll all stay active. You switch between them by holding the spacebar or tapping the keyboard icon while typing. Most people keep two or three enabled and switch depending on what they're doing.

What if I want to go back to my original keyboard?

Your original keyboard (like Gboard or Samsung Keyboard) is still installed even if you switched to a different one. Go back to Settings > Languages and input > Virtual keyboard and set it as your default again. You can also uninstall any keyboards you downloaded from the Play Store, but you can't remove the one that came with your phone.

Do I need to pay for a different keyboard?

Most keyboards in the Play Store are free to read. Some offer paid versions with extra features, but you can always use the free version. Read the listing carefully — if it says "Free" with a price of $0, you won't be charged anything to install it.

Will changing my keyboard affect my autocorrect or predictive text?

Yes. Each keyboard has its own autocorrect dictionary and prediction engine. Switching keyboards means you'll get different suggestions and corrections. Some keyboards learn from your typing over time, so they get better the longer you use them.

Can I customize how my keyboard looks?

Most keyboards have a settings menu where you can change the theme, size, and layout. Open the keyboard's app (not just the Settings menu) and look for a Settings or Preferences option. From there you can usually pick dark mode, change key size, adjust the layout, or add emoji shortcuts.