Android to android keyboard app

Create a Custom Keyboard on Android

Most Android devices don’t have a physical keyboard. Instead, they rely on a virtual or soft keyboard to accept user input. If you’re into Android personalization, knowing how to build a custom, soft keyboard can take your hobby to a whole new level.

Using the Android SDK, you can quickly create a soft keyboard with surprisingly few lines of code, because the SDK takes care of a lot of the low level tasks, such as recognizing key touches, drawing the keyboard, and establishing connections between the keyboard and input fields.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a fully functional soft keyboard that can serve as your Android device’s default keyboard.

Premium Option

If you’re in a hurry, check out Android Keyboard Themes, a ready-to-use solution from Envato Market.

The app gives you the flexibility to choose one of the 22 built-in keyboard themes or create your own custom theme.

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If you prefer to build your own, read on to find out how.

1. Prerequisites

You will need the Eclipse ADT Bundle installed. You can download it from the Android Developer website.

2. Create a New Project

Fire up Eclipse and create a new Android application. Call this application, SimpleKeyboard. Make sure you choose a unique package name. Set the minimum required SDK to Android 2.2 and set the target SDK to Android 4.4.

This app will have no activities so deselect Create Activity and click Finish.

3. Edit the Manifest

A soft keyboard is considered as an Input Method Editor (IME) by the Android operating system. An IME is declared as a Service in AndroidManifest.xml that uses the BIND_INPUT_METHOD permission, and responds to the action android.view.InputMethod .

Add the following lines to the application tag of the manifest:

4. Create method.xml

The service tag in the manifest file containes a meta-data tag that references an XML file named method.xml. Without this file, the Android operating system won’t recognize our Service as a valid IME service. The file contains details about the input method and its subtypes. For our keyboard, we define a single subtype for the en_US locale. Create the directory res/xml if it doesn’t exist, and add the file method.xml to it. The contents of the file should be:

5. Edit strings.xml

The strings that this app uses are defined in the res/values/strings.xml file. We’re going to need three strings:

• the name of the app
• the label of the IME
• the label of the IME’s subtype

Update your strings.xml so that it has the following contents:

6. Define the Keyboard Layout

The layout of our keyboard contains only a KeyboardView . The layout_alignParentBottom attribute is set to true so that keyboard appears at the bottom of the screen.

Create a file named res/layout/keyboard.xml and replace its contents with the following:

The keyPreviewLayout is the layout of the short-lived pop-up that shows up whenever a key on the keyboard is pressed. It contains a single TextView . Create a file named res/layout/preview.xml and add the following to it:

6. Define the Keyboard Keys

The details of the keyboard keys and their positions are specified in an XML file. Every key has the following attributes:

• keyLabel : This attribute contains the text that is displayed on the key.
• codes : This attribute contains the unicode values of the characters that the key represents.

For example, to define a key for the letter A, the codes attribute should have the value 97 and the keyLabel attribute should be set to A.

If more than one code is associated with a key, then the character that the key represents will depend on the number of taps the key receives. For example, if a key has the codes 63, 33, and 58:

• a single tap on the key results in the character ?
• two taps in quick succession results in the character !
• three taps in quick succession results in the character :

A key can also have a few optional attributes:

• keyEdgeFlags : This attribute can take the value left or right . This attribute is usually added to the leftmost and rightmost keys of a row.
• keyWidth : This attribute defines the width of a key. It’s usually defined as a percentage value.
• isRepeatable : If this attribute is set to true , long-pressing the key will repeat the action of the key multiple times. It is usually set to true for the delete and spacebar keys.

The keys of a keyboard are grouped as rows. It’s good practice to limit the number of keys on a row to a maximum of ten, with each key having a width equal to 10% of the keyboard. The height of the keys is set to 60dp in this tutorial. This value can be adjusted, but values less than 48dp are not recommended. Our keyboard will have five rows of keys.

We can now go ahead and design the keyboard. Create a new file named res/xml/qwerty.xml and replace its contents with the following:

You may have noticed that some keys have negative values for the codes attribute. Negative values are equal to predefined constants in the Keyboard class. For example, the value -5 is equal to the value of Keyboard.KEYCODE_DELETE .

7. Create a Service Class

Create a new Java class and call it SimpleIME.java. The class should extend InputMethodService class and implement the OnKeyboardActionListener interface. The OnKeyboardActionListener interface contains the methods that are called when keys of the soft keyboard are tapped or pressed.

The SimpleIME class should have three member variables:

• a KeyboardView referencing the view defined in the layout
• a Keyboard instance that is assigned to the KeyboardView
• a boolean telling us if the caps lock is enabled

After declaring these variables and adding the methods of the OnKeyboardActionListener interface, the SimpleIME class should look like this:

When the keyboard is created, the onCreateInputView method is called. All the member variables of the Service can be initialized here. Update the implementation of the onCreateInputView method as shown below:

Next, we create a method that plays a sound when a key is pressed. We use the AudioManager class to play the sounds. The Android SDK includes a few default sound effects for key presses and those are used in the playClick method.

Finally, update the onKey method so that our keyboard app can communicate with input fields (usually EditText views) of other applications.

The getCurrentInputConnection method is used to get a connection to the input field of another application. Once we have the connection, we can use the following methods:

• commitText to add one or more characters to the input field
• deleteSurroundingText to delete one or more characters of the input field
• sendKeyEvent to send events, like KEYCODE_ENTER , to the external application

Whenever a user presses a key on the soft keyboard, the onKey method is called with the unicode value of the key as one of its parameters. Based on this value, the keyboard performs one of the following actions:

• If the code is KEYCODE_DELETE , one character to the left of the cursor is deleted using the deleteSurroundingText method.
• If the code is KEYCODE_DONE , a KEYCODE_ENTER key event is fired.
• If the code is KEYCODE_SHIFT , the value of the caps variable is changed and the shift state of the keyboard is updated using the setShifted method. The keyboard needs to be redrawn when the state changes so that the labels of the keys are updated. The invalidateAllKeys method is used to redraw all keys.
• For all other codes, the code is simply converted into a character and sent to the input field. If the code represents a letter of the alphabet and the caps variable is set to true , then the character is converted to uppercase.

Update the onKey method so that it looks like this:

8. Testing the Keyboard

The soft keyboard is now ready to be tested. Compile and run it on an Android device. This app doesn’t have an Activity , which means that it won’t show up in the launcher. To use it, it should first be activated in the device’s Settings.

After activating Simple IME, open any app that allows text input (for example, any messaging app) and click on one of its input fields. You should see a keyboard icon appear in the notifications area. Depending on your device, you can either click on that icon or drag the notification bar down and select Simple IME as the input method. You should now be able to type using your new keyboard.

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Best keyboard apps for Android 2021

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

Finding the best Android keyboard apps is one of the most important choices you make on your phone. They will shape the speed and accuracy with which you use your phone to communicate, and because keyboards can see everything you type from passwords to social security numbers, it’s important to have a keyboard you trust and like. To that end, here now are the keyboards we trust and like the most to help us tweet, text, and type up our articles in a crowded bar.

These are our picks for the best Android keyboard apps

Many of us stick to the keyboard that comes pre-installed, which is likely Gboard or Samsung’s keyboard. There’s a reason why Gboard is king on Android and that’s thanks to its versatility and ability to recognize what you’re trying to type while you’re typing it. Google has also included a slew of features to help you customize and tweak the keyboard to your liking.

For years, SwiftKey’s biggest complaint was that you had to pay for it. Now that the paywall has been removed thanks to Microsoft, it’s a fantastic and completely free alternative to Gboard. And while the app has all the features you could want and more, there’s also a beta program that you can join to get all of the new features that are coming down the pipeline.

Chrooma is one of those keyboard apps for those who love customizing every aspect of their device. From pre-installed themes to creating something completely unique, there’s something here for everyone. What’s nifty about Chrooma is that it will automatically adapt to whatever app you are using, changing the color theme in the process.

1. Gboard

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

Gboard has been at the top of the Android keyboard mountain, and the reasons are clear: great predictions courtesy of machine learning, easy access to gifs and sticker packs such as the Disney Stickers collections, and a dictionary tied to your Google account, so it follows you everywhere. Whether you’re using something like the Pixel 5, or one of the best Android phones, Gboard works across the board.

It added all the smart features that Android users have enjoyed from other keyboards and wrapped it all in a quick and responsive (and free!) package. Themes on Gboard still aren’t as diverse or dashing as other keyboards, but the ones here look good and there’s a Material Black option, which is all you really need at the end of the day. You can also finally make your own gifs in Gboard like iOS users have been able to do for a while.

Best of all, Gboard hides no features or options behind paywalls or ads. One of the best Android keyboard apps, and one of the best Android apps overall, is completely free.

Google’s Gold Standard

Gboard

King of the keyboards

Google brings its A-game to the keyboard that more Android phones than ever come with right out of the box. Between robust sticker and gif support, machine learning predictive text, and smart design and menu layouts, Gboard sets the bar high for Android keyboards.

2. SwiftKey

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

Swiftkey is always right there alongside Gboard, but for a while now, it hasn’t been able to outdo it and retake its throne. SwiftKey has been a major player in Android keyboards for years; it used to be the pinnacle of predictions and swipe, but both have fallen just a little behind Gboard. There is still a devoted following to SwiftKey, and after years of building a personal dictionary on SwiftKey, it can be hard to switch to anything else.

There are plenty of themes to choose from and customize, along with all of the features you would expect, including a built-in GIF search. While it’s difficult to find a third-party keyboard that doesn’t have auto-correction, SwiftKey is one of the best. The app will even try to predict what you’re saying and then display it in the bar at the top of the keyboard. Plus, if you sign in with a Microsoft account, your settings and preferences will be saved and can be synced across whatever devices you own and use SwiftKey with.

SwiftKey may not be number one, but it’s still a good keyboard and great for productivity. And while SwiftKey used to be a paid keyboard, it has been completely free for years now. Microsoft has done a lot to keep this amongst the best Android keyboard apps, and we’re hoping that continues for years to come.

Nice and niche

SwiftKey

Still great, but not the greatest

SwiftKey is right up there with Gboard in terms of quality and features, but its features skew a little more towards picky professionals than laid-back teen texters. I love the punctuation swipes and symbol access, as well as robust clipboard access.

3. Chrooma

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

With most keyboards, you pick a theme and that’s that, but Chrooma thinks that’s a little boring. Instead, the colors of the Chrooma keyboard adapt to each app you’re using: it turns blue for Twitter, green for Spotify, yellow for Google Keep, and so on. There’s even a night mode that will darken the keyboard’s color selections at night — or all the time if you leave night mode on like me. Chrooma’s color options are on point with most apps, and it’s easy to switch colors for the apps where it misses without losing the color adaptation when typing in other apps.

The swiping on Chrooma is top-notch, and the ability to swipe further and further left to delete whole words or sentences is fabulous for removing short chunks of text. If you want to get really fancy with the keyboard style, size, font, and having your settings sync between devices, you’ll have to shell out for Premium, which is a one-time purchase of $9.99. It’s a little steep, but if you’re someone who moves devices frequently, that’s easily worth the convenience of having your predictions and settings follow you from device to device.

Adaptive and edgy

Chrooma

Color, choice, and clarity

Personalization is the name of the game with Chrooma, as you can choose from specific emoji themes, font styles, and overall theme. But you can have even more fun by having an automatic theme based on whatever app you are using.

More of the best Android keyboard apps

We say it all the time, but the great thing about the Play Store, and Android in general, is that you aren’t locked down to using just a single app. While Gboard is wonderful, it may not be for everyone, so we’ve rounded up some more of the best Android keyboard apps you should try out.

Typewise Keyboard

Source: Typewise

Typewise is another one of those keyboard apps that’s been around for a few years, but the developers just released version 3.0. This time around, Typewise claims to offer better autocorrect than both Gboard and Swiftkey, and in our testing, it definitely comes close. However, the real power of Typewise is in the unique keyboard layout. The keyboard is laid out in a honeycomb pattern that will be very off-putting when you install and activate it for the first time.

Over time, you’ll definitely get used to the interface, and then it will become second nature to use Typewise over traditional QWERTY keyboard apps. If you find yourself struggling with the honeycomb layout, there is an option to switch back to that more natural keyboard layout. However, if you stick with this unique option, Typewise claims that you’ll end up typing up to 33% faster and will make up to 4x fewer typos. And with privacy in mind, the keyboard offers a 100% offline mode so you won’t have to worry about your typing being keylogged on some random server somewhere.

Learning curve

Typewise Keyboard

Takes some getting used to

Typewise Keyboard is one of the more interesting options on the Play Store with its unique honeycomb-style layout. This layout is used to help cut down on potential typos and help increase your typing speeds. It’s just going to take some getting used to.

Fleksy

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

Fleksy has been making a comeback, but unless you’re a hunt and pecking typist, you’ll probably want to keep moving. Swiping words on Fleksy doesn’t happen, and the corrections on this keyboard can go a little overboard when you’re using a bunch of acronyms or non-standard jargon. There are some neat add-ons for this keyboard, including emoji suggestions, and a fireworks add-on that brings little explosions to your keyboard taps and sounds.

Fleksy has a low learning curve, but unfortunately, when you switch phones or factory reset your personal dictionary doesn’t always follow you. We hope to see this keyboard continue to improve and make up ground to compete more evenly with swipe-enabled keyboards like Gboard, but for the everyday hunt-and-peck typer, Fleksy should be great.

Hunt and peck

Fleksy

Peckers can be choosers

Leave your gestures at the door; Fleksy is a keyboard for messy typers who are tired of swiping words they didn’t mean to. Text correction is aggressive here, but easy enough to add words to, and the widget-like add-ons for this keyboard are too fun to ignore.

Grammarly Keyboard

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an English professor, writer, or somebody who writes occasionally, Grammarly Keyboard can come in handy for everyone. The keyboard keeps track of what you’re typing while you’re typing to ensure that your grammar and spelling is correct. And a recent update brought swipe typing, a feature that is already available on just about every other popular keyboard.

This keyboard also features predictive suggestions, but you’ll have to let Grammarly learn how you type first. Perhaps the best part, other than the corrections, is that you’ll be provided with a simple explanation as to why your grammar or phrasing is incorrect. So not only will you not look like a fool, but you’ll pick up some tips for future typing needs.

Grammar Check

Grammarly Keyboard

More useful than you may realize

Grammarly is great for those who have issues with grammar or those who just want a second set of eyes. You’ll get swipe typing, integration with all of your apps, and predictive text suggestions. Plus, Grammarly will teach you when you make mistakes to help make sure they don’t become a recurring issue.

OpenBoard

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

The problem with some third-party apps is that there is either the chance of your input being recorded or the app being abandoned. With a keyboard app like OpenBoard, you won’t have to worry about either, as the app is regularly being updated, but doesn’t add a whole lot of «frills».

Speaking of which, there’s a single omission that may drive some folks away and that’s the lack of swipe texting. You’ll have to hunt and peck on your screen unless this is the kind of thing you’re already looking for. OpenBoard is also open-source, so you can keep track of what updates are coming and what bug issues have already been filed.

Fast and simple

OpenBoard

The keyboard of the old days

If you want a keyboard that is open source and removes the need to worry about your data being mined, OpenBoard is perfect. The only big feature missing is the lack of swipe typing, but it offers a few gestures along with a couple of themes.

AnySoftKeyboard

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

Similar to OpenBoard, AnySoftKeyboard is another app that gives us a nostalgic feeling at first. Well, at least until you dive in and start tweaking the theme to your liking. The app features quite a few pre-built themes to check out, but you can go ahead and create your own if you don’t find something you like.

There are a few nifty features that help set ASK apart from others, and we’re not just talking about the gesture-typing that everyone has become accustomed to. The developers have added Multi-Touch support, making it so you can treat your phone’s keyboard more like a traditional one by holding the SHIFT key and pressing another key on the keyboard. With the built-in dictionary, you can add or delete words from your dictionary as it becomes more robust, along with creating shortcuts for specific words or sentences.

Versatile and open-source

AnySoftKeyboard

Simplistic in all the right ways

AnySoftKeyboard a fantastic and simplistic app that gives you all the features you could want from a keyboard app. It doesn’t try to go overboard with too much fluff, but gets the job done and does it well.

GO Keyboard

Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central

If you’ve been on Android for as long as we have, you likely have run across GO Keyboard at one point or another. When it comes to themes, you would be hard-pressed to find an app that has as many options or possibilities as GO. With more than 10,000 themes, and custom emoji/fonts, it’s next to impossible for you to not find at least a few themes that you’ll want to take advantage of.

As for those custom emoji, GO Keyboard makes it possible for you to create a «cartoon avatar» that looks just like you. Then, a personalized sticker library can be created, feeling similar to Memoji on Apple. Another great feature of GO Keyboard is the number of languages that are actively supported. Currently, there are more than 20 languages to choose from and you can switch between them while using GO.

Next-level themes

GO Keyboard

Everything can be customized

GO Keyboard has been on the Play Store for years and continues to top the charts. From custom themes to personalized emoji stickers, those who enjoy theming everything will want to check this one out.

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