Typing on your Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet? You might be surprised by how much the built-in Samsung Keyboard can do. Beyond basic text input, your keyboard is packed with hidden features, customizable settings, and time-saving shortcuts that can drastically improve your mobile typing experience. Whether you’re a seasoned Samsung user or new to the Galaxy ecosystem, this guide will help you master your keyboard and become a text-messaging, email-writing, and note-taking pro.
Some useful Samsung Keyboard features at your disposal
There are a bunch of tools available in Samsung Keyboard, from Arrow Keys for granular text control, a built in Translator for bilingual conversations, a Text Extractor that can use the camera to scan any text in front of you, like a poster with contact information, and even a built in Clipboard Manager, which is very useful when working with large amounts of text.
There’s also Writing Assist, a Galaxy AI feature available on most supported devices. If you don’t have one, then feel free to pick up an S25 Ultra, and get a free case by signing up to SammyGuru Rewards. You can quickly proofread your text, correcting any spelling or grammar mistakes. You can switch up your writing style, to be more professional or casual.
You can also summarise large chunks of text, make a bullet-pointed list, or a table to organise text. There’s even a composer tool, which can take a prompt and generate a response. These tools are available with other keyboard apps too, which is great news for the Gboard and Swiftkey fans out there. It requires the One UI 7.0 update though.
You can type much faster by swiping
Samsung Keyboard does support Swipe Typing, but it’s disabled by default. To enable it, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the keyboard > Settings > Swipe, touch and feedback > Keyboard swipe controls. There’s also the option for Cursor control, which makes selecting text easier by holding and dragging your thumb across the keyboard. But you can have your cake and eat it too by enabling both at the same time. Back out one level, and go to Touch and hold space bar. Enable cursor control from there. Easy as that.
Here’s something you probably didn’t know you could do. While using cursor control, hold down a second finger to select text by sliding. Super handy for copying a specific piece of text. Sticking with hidden features, did you know by holding Shift while deleting text, that any text in front of the cursor will be deleted instead of behind, functioning as a Delete key rather than a Backspace key.
Customize the keyboard to fit your needs
You get a lot of flexibility over the size and style of your keyboard. Want a Number Row? Head to the keyboard settings, then Layout, and enable Number Keys. Want to Resize your keyboard? Back out and go to Size and Transparency. You can adjust the height of the keyboard, as well as shift it to one side for easier one handed typing.
Do you want Text Shortcuts, where you can type out longer words or phrases with a simple keyword, like having your email address appear when you type “email”? Back out and find Text shortcuts. Then press the add button and fill in your keyword and expanded phrase.
Take your keyboard to the next level with Samsung’s Keys Cafe app
A Good Lock module called Keys Cafe takes Samsung Keyboard to the next level. There’s tons of customisability settings, both cosmetic and functional. You can have a splash of color appear whenever you tap a key by going to Style your own keyboard, and then effects. You can change the colours by tapping the colour sphere, and you can choose from a wide range of animations that play on tap below.
You can go even further, by making your own keyboard layout. You read that right. Go to Keys Cafe, and then select Make your own keyboard. Tap your preferred region, and choose your layout. You then get a wide selection of keys at your disposal. Dedicated emoji keys, arrow keys, extra keys like Delete and Tab, and even more! You can change the height and width of each key individually, change the margins, add extra key rows, etc… This is super powerful, and let’s you create your own perfect keyboard layout.
So, to conclude. Samsung Keyboard is super powerful, with a plethora of hidden features. Keys Cafe cranks that to eleven and gives you granular control over the layout and behaviour. The AI features are handy for manipulating text, and the many gestures make editing that text much easier.
