Android keyboard settings for fast typing

I despised typing on my phone until a minor keyboard modification changed everything.

Today, calling the small computers we carry in our pockets phones seems almost impolite. I’ve been using Android phones since the initial Motorola Droid in 2009.

Since we no longer have access to real keyboards on our cellphones, we are limited to on-screen possibilities. Typing on a piece of glass can be tedious, especially when writing big amounts of information.

Fortunately, I discovered a few settings modifications that have eliminated the great majority of the annoyances when typing on my phone.

Less waiting and faster typing.
Taking out the delay

Faster Typing

Android has always had a variety of keyboard options, but I’ve mostly used Google’s Gboard in recent years.

I appreciate how it integrates with the rest of my device and the numerous customisation options it provides.

It’s because of these keyboard customisation choices why I’ve stuck with it for so long, and the one I always adjust when I get a new phone is the touch-and-hold length.

I dislike having to alter the keyboard layout every time I input a number or enter a commonly used symbol. So I always keep the number row active and use the long press for symbols.

For example, if I’m typing and want to use the ampersand (&), I only need to press and hold the ‘g’ key.

Faster Typing

This is an excellent choice to have. But I despise waiting, and I know I want the emblem. I pressed and held, but I still received a letter instead of the desired sign. This is when the angry sharks begin to swim.

The solution is a somewhat obscure option in Gboard’s Preferences section. Scrolling to the bottom of the list is Touch-and-hold duration, which has a default duration of 300 ms.

While 300ms, or 0.3 seconds, does not appear to be a long time, it is too lengthy when I am in the middle of a thought and need to express myself.

I’ve discovered that around 220ms is my preferred location. I can still type regularly without getting false symbols from an extremely short long-press duration, but I won’t lose my typing flow if I require a symbol.

This modification isn’t necessary; I’m sure if I had to, I could learn to slow down and deal with the hideously lengthy 300ms time, but I’m relieved I don’t have to.

Shrink over time and fit the keyboard to the phone.

Faster Typing

Aside from minimising the amount of time it takes to press and hold a button to reveal a concealed symbol, I’ve discovered that downsizing the keyboard is really useful.

I have very large hands, yet when typing, I want to keep it as easy and quick as possible.

As you can see from the reduction from 3000ms to 220ms, I’m aiming to shave every fraction of a second off my time on the keyboard app.

So, I’ve discovered that shortening the overall height of the keyboard speeds up my typing. It’s most useful when swiping to type, and if I’m going to be writing a lot, I’ll alter the keyboard as needed because the setting is really easy to find.

All that is required is to push the button with four small squares in the upper-left corner of the keyboard, followed by Resize. Then move the bar up or down to your desired position.

You can even shift the entire keyboard up if you believe it is too close to the phone’s bottom.

Another resizing trick I use, depending on the phone, is to move the keypad to the side for a more comfortable one-handed usage.

Some phones, such as the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, feel a little large in the hand, and reaching all the way to the far edge of the screen might be difficult, increasing the danger of dropping the phone.

So, I’ll go to the same settings section where I enlarged the keyboard and select the One-handed button. However, I don’t need this for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is narrower.

bend the keyboard to your will.
Mastering the written word.

Faster Typing

Aside from the diversity of phones available in the Android market, one of the main reasons I continue to interact with the little green robot is the customisation options.

From the appearance of your phone’s software to shareability and seemingly basic keyboard options, personalising the gadget that is so important in our lives is critical.

We spend so much time on our phones that we shouldn’t have to adjust our lives or be forced to utilise them in the manner that the OEM suggests.

From the content we consume to the information we save, everything is unique, and how we interact with these gadgets must be tailored to what works best for each individual.

So I’m delighted I can customise my keyboard to accommodate my own eccentricities and save my sanity.