How to Switch Keyboards on Android | Pick Your Input

Switch Android keyboards by enabling the new one in system settings first, then selecting it as your default input method.

Changing the keyboard on an Android phone is a system-level change, not something you do inside a single app. You install a keyboard like Gboard or SwiftKey, enable it in your device’s keyboard settings, then set it as the default. The exact menu path differs between stock Android and Samsung Galaxy devices, and you can also switch temporarily while typing.

Where Keyboard Settings Live on Your Phone

The first step is finding the right settings menu, which varies by manufacturer. On Google’s stock Android, you navigate to Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard. On a Samsung Galaxy, the path is Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default, where you’ll manage both the default keyboard and the list of available ones.

If your phone uses a different skin, the labels may differ. Search your Settings app for keyboard, input, or on-screen keyboard to locate the right menu. The correct keyboard must be installed and enabled here before you can select it as your default.

Adding and Selecting a New Keyboard

Once you’ve installed a keyboard app from the Play Store, open your keyboard settings and confirm it appears in your list of enabled keyboards. Then select it as the default input method; on Samsung, that’s Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default > Default keyboard.

Google’s Gboard support page walks through adding keyboards for languages and layouts: open any app with a text field, tap the keyboard area, then go to Settings > Languages > Add keyboard. This adds an input source, not a separate keyboard app. If you want a different keyboard app entirely, you’ll still need to enable it in system settings first. A common mistake is trying to change the keyboard inside the current app, which won’t work — the keyboard must be available at the system level before it can be selected.

Quick Ways to Switch While Typing

You don’t always need to visit settings to change keyboards. When your keyboard is open, touch and hold the space bar to pull up a switcher menu on many devices, including Gboard by default. On Samsung phones, you can enable the show keyboard button on navigation bar option under Keyboard list and default to get a small keyboard icon in the navigation bar for one-tap switching.

For Gboard specifically, you can also toggle a dedicated switch key. Touch and hold the comma key, drag to Settings, then go to Preferences and turn on Show language switch key. This adds a visible key to the keyboard for swapping between languages or layouts you’ve added, which is separate from changing the default keyboard app itself.

Security Note on Third-Party Keyboards

Third-party keyboards may request access to the text you type, which is worth considering before you grant permissions. Samsung’s support instructions imply enabling a downloaded keyboard before selecting it as default. Only install keyboards from trusted sources like the Play Store, and review what permissions they request. For a full rundown of options worth considering, see our tested roundup of the best Android keyboards available.

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