SwiftKey is undeniably one of the most popular Android keyboards, preferred by many over the default keyboard that comes with the phone, whether Swype, Gboard, or Samsung Keyboard. The reason for this is that SwiftKey quickly adapts to the user’s typing style, making typing faster and more time-efficient, in addition to the simplicity and abundance of great features that make users stick to the application without considering any other alternatives. In this article, we will review 7 of the best features of SwiftKey and some important tips to increase productivity that most users may not be aware of.
1- Built-in Clipboard Manager
The SwiftKey app has a built-in Clipboard Manager that allows the app to save images, texts, or links that you copy for up to an hour. During this time, you can easily paste previously copied items. Therefore, you don’t need to use additional apps to complete this task.
If you ever want to paste a copied item, simply click on the “+” icon at the top left of the keyboard, then from the toolbar, click on the Clipboard icon (as shown in the image above), and you will immediately see everything you copied within the last hour. Now you can click on any item to paste it into the input field. Also, note that you can pin any item (📌) in the clipboard to save it permanently in case you need to paste it frequently.
2- Typing Long Phrases Using Shortcuts
This is one of the features of typing faster with the SwiftKey keyboard, as this feature allows you to save shortcuts for frequently used long words and phrases during text conversations. You should use the feature to understand its function more clearly. Simply open the SwiftKey app, go to the Typing section, then to Clipboard, and press Add a new clip to display a pop-up window. All you have to do now is type the long phrase in the Clip content field and assign a two or three-letter shortcut for it, then press the Save button.
From now on, whenever you need to type this phrase in any conversation, just type the shortcut letters, and SwiftKey will automatically display the complete phrase in the prediction bar. Press it to automatically enter the phrase into the text.
3- Predicting Emoji Symbols While Typing
The Emoji predictions feature in the SwiftKey app predicts emoji symbols while typing texts. Including emoji in messages with friends is essential, and this feature makes entering emoji symbols easy. You won’t need to open the emoji list and search for the appropriate emoji and enter it in the message. Instead, an appropriate emoji will be displayed according to the words you type. For example, if you write a sentence like “It seems funny…” an emoji of a laughing or smiling face will be displayed in the predictions bar, and by tapping it, it will be added to the text immediately. This feature also works well with Arabic texts, and you can activate it through the quick settings menu.
4- Navigating Between Characters and Words Faster
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need to select a word in a text or place the cursor at a specific location in the text, but end up placing the cursor where you didn’t want it to be? This can be very annoying. In SwiftKey, there is a feature that displays directional arrows below the keyboard so you can navigate between letters and words in the text faster. To display the navigation arrows, go to the Typing section, then Keys, and enable the Arrow keys option. The arrows will then appear at the bottom of the keyboard.
5- Adding Diacritics to Arabic Texts
Many of us don’t pay attention to diacritics in Arabic language when having a casual conversation with friends. However, they are essential when responding to important conversations or writing an email to demonstrate your linguistic skills. If you are using the SwiftKey keyboard, simply press and hold the letter “ظ” and a panel with all diacritics that can be added to Arabic text will appear, without relying on external tools.
6- Writing Comfortably in Landscape Mode
By default, when activating the landscape mode while typing texts using the SwiftKey keyboard, the keys will be displayed in their traditional layout as in the portrait mode, which can be somewhat uncomfortable as you are using both hands in this mode, making typing difficult. However, if you press the “+” icon, then the “Settings” icon, and go to the Layout section and enable the Thumb option, the keys will be divided into two sections – as shown in the attached image – making typing in landscape mode easier and faster.
7- Changing the Default Keyboard Theme
By default, SwiftKey keyboard comes with three different themes in different colors (white, black, dark gray), and over time, users may get bored of these themes. Fortunately, the app offers a ton of cool themes with very coordinated colors for free, available for download and application, allowing users to use the keyboard in a new way or customize a theme that suits their preferences. All these options are available in the Themes section in the app’s main interface.
