Using a Samsung phone? Samsung devices switch keyboards a little differently from other Android phones. This guide walks you through every step, from turning on the Boards Keyboard to switching to it in any chat.
Step 1: Turn On the Boards Keyboard
Before you can switch to the Boards Keyboard, it needs to be turned on in your phone's settings.
- Open your phone's Settings.
- Tap General management.
- Tap Keyboard.
- Make sure Boards is turned on.
- Turn on Show input method button on navigation bar.
.
That last setting adds a keyboard icon ⌨️ to the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen, giving you a quick way to switch keyboards anytime.
Menu names may vary slightly depending on your Samsung model and software version.
Step 2: Switch to the Boards Keyboard
Open any messaging app (WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, etc.) and tap the text field so your keyboard appears.
- Tap and hold the microphone
icon at the bottom left of your keyboard.
- Select Input method.
- Tap the keyboard icon
that appears.
-
Select Boards.
After you do this for the first time, the keyboard icon will replace the microphone icon. You can then tap it whenever you want to switch to the Boards Keyboard.
Switching Back to Your Regular Keyboard
Tap the ABC key on the Boards Keyboard to switch back to your Samsung keyboard. That way you can make any personal edits before you send.
Troubleshooting
-
I don't see the microphone or keyboard icon.
Go back to Step 1 and make sure Show input method button on navigation bar is turned on. -
Boards doesn't appear in the keyboard menu.
The Boards Keyboard may not be turned on. Go back to Step 1 and make sure Boards is turned on. -
My keyboard stopped working after an update.
Phone and app updates can sometimes reset keyboard settings. Re-check Step 1 to make sure both settings are still turned on.
Still stuck? Install Gboard.
If the steps above don't work, install Gboard (by Google) and set it as your main keyboard. From Gboard, switching is one tap: tap the globe 🌐, then select Boards. For step-by-step setup, see Android: Keyboard Is Not Working.
If the keyboard menu still doesn't open, contact our support team.