How to use the Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

This guide to ‘Using the Keyboard’ will take you through the following:

1. Typing with your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

2. Keyboard Modes/Size

3. Keyboard Themes

1 - Typing with your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

How does it work?

Microsoft SwiftKey is designed to improve the ease and accuracy of your typing, no matter how (or what) you type!

We use advanced error correction to make grammar and spelling errors a thing of the past.

We predict your NEXT word so you won't need to press more than two letters!

We learn as you type and remember how you write. This means that over time our prediction engine creates a dynamic contextual understanding of your writing style to boost the accuracy and speed of the predictions.

Read more: How does the prediction bar work?

Keyboard Navigation

We don’t want you hunting for the percentage key, or wondering where the hashtag went. So here’s a little roundup of where things are located on the keyboard for the QWERTY layout using English US (depending on whether you’ve added a number row, arrow keys etc. your keyboard may look different).

First keyboard pane:

Second keyboard pane (accessed by tapping '123' key):

Third keyboard pane (accessed by tapping '{&=' key):

Emoji Panel (accessed by tapping/long pressing the enter/emoji key):

Did you know? By tapping and holding your spacebar you can move your cursor.

Learn more about cursor control.

Using Flow

Flow essentially allows you to type by gliding your finger across the keyboard. As you glide across the letters, you’ll see predictions appearing on the prediction bar - as soon as you see the word you’re after, just lift your finger and the word will be inserted!

Flow also allows you to glide through space, meaning that you can flow a word, move down to the spacebar, and flow the next word - all without lifting a finger.

Tip: You can switch seamlessly between flowing and tapping - there’s no need to change modes.

Read more: What is Flow and how do I enable it with Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard for Android?

Gestures

If you’re not a fan of Flow and have disabled it (see how to do so here), then you will have the option to use the following gestures with your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard instead:

1. Slide up on the keys to capitalize (like tapping the shift key).

2. Slide from right to left on the keys to delete word by word.

3. Slide down on the keys to minimize the keyboard.

Additionally, if more than one language is in use, and both are using a different layout or alphabet, you can slide left or right on the spacebar to change layout (e.g. from English to Greek). Note: This is still usable with Flow enabled.

Tip: Gestures are activated by the speed of the gesture, rather than distance. If you are having problems with your gestures, please try sliding your finger a bit faster across your keyboard.

Read more: What gestures can I use on my Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard on Android?

Removing/Adding words

Click here to watch our YouTube video: How to add or remove a word with SwiftKey - YouTube

Your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard is clever by default, but occasionally odd, offensive or just plain weird words slip through the net. Don’t panic - it's easy to remove words you don't want to see.

The next time this word shows up as a prediction, simply long press the prediction and you’ll see a pop up notification asking whether you’d like to remove the prediction. Just press ‘OK’ and the word will be removed from your language model.

This word won’t be predicted again unless you retype the word.

Multiple Languages

We know you’re a clever bunch, and many of you speak two, three or even more languages. Your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard enables you to effortlessly type in up to five languages at once.

If your selected languages use the same alphabet and you have selected the same layout for all of them (i.e. QWERTY), then all you need to do is... type! It doesn't matter which language you start typing in, Microsoft SwiftKey can detect the one you’re using and offer you predictions/corrections accordingly.

Even if you are using languages with different layouts or alphabets, you can switch between them at the mere swipe of a finger. Simply press on the spacebar and then slide left or right to change up your language/layout.

Learn more: Can I use Microsoft SwiftKey with more than one language?

Tip: If you want easy access to all accented characters, just navigate to the ‘Layout & keys’ settings page in the app and check ‘Accented Characters’.

2 - Keyboard Modes/Size

Microsoft SwiftKey provides you with the option to resize, reposition and change your keyboard mode.

In its default setting, Microsoft SwiftKey presents itself as a traditional full-width keyboard. There are other keyboard modes options available to you though - and to get at them you simply need to open your Toolbar, tap the three dots ... and select 'Modes'.

One-handed mode

This is a compact, reduced-width keyboard, designed for one handed typing.

Learn more about One Handed mode.

Float/undock keyboard

This option enables you to ‘float’ the keyboard from the base of the screen, thus providing the freedom to move and position your keyboard wherever you like.

Learn more about float mode/undocking your keyboard

Thumb/split keyboard mode

The thumb layout offers you a split keyboard.

Learn more about thumb/split keyboard.

Tablet layout

If you’re using SwiftKey on a tablet or large screen device, you also have the additional ‘Extended Layout’ and ‘Thumb Layout Numpad’ options which can be accessed from your 'Layout & keys' settings.

Learn more about using Microsoft SwiftKey on a tablet

Resizing

Microsoft SwiftKey enables you to specify your own keyboard size - just open Toolbar, tap the three dots ... and choose 'Resize'.

Learn more about resizing your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

3 - Keyboard Themes

About Themes

We genuinely want to facilitate you in expressing your uniqueness, and so we decided to invest in designing and creating the very best quality themes for your keyboard.

Microsoft SwiftKey has a plethora of themes for your keyboard, whatever your style may be! We’ve got beautiful, stylish, minimal, fun, crazy, and everything in between.
 

For those of you already signed up to a Microsoft SwiftKey Account, just open Toolbar, go to the ‘Themes’ pane, and tap ‘View more themes’. From here you can browse through our themes to your heart’s content, and when you see one you like, simply tap to download. Next time you open your keyboard, your brand new theme will be shining back at you in all its glory.

If you haven’t yet created a Microsoft SwiftKey Account, now is a good time to do so - especially if you’d like to try out our lovely themes.

If you’d like to read more about the Microsoft SwiftKey Account before signing up, you can do so here.

Changing Theme

Open Toolbar, go to the Themes pane and you’ll see our theme carousel. Here you can scroll through some of your downloaded themes, and tap an image to switch to a new one.

• Tap the three dots ...
• Tap the 'Themes' option

Want to learn more about your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard? Follow this handy tutorial.

This guide to ‘Using the Keyboard’ will take you through the following:

1. Typing with Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

• How does it work?
• Keyboard Navigation
• Using Flow
• Adding removing words
• Multiple Languages

2. Keyboard Themes

• Changing Themes

1 - Typing with Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

How does it work?

Microsoft SwiftKey is designed to improve the ease and accuracy of your typing, no matter how (or what) you type!

If you like to know the technical side of things, here’s a (very) brief description of how Microsoft SwiftKey helps you out:

• The keyboard uses advanced error correction, meaning grammar and spelling errors are a thing of the past.
• Microsoft SwiftKey predicts your >next word<. Next words are predicted with such accuracy that 33% of suggestions are right the first time and usually (84% of the time) you won’t need to press more than two letters.
• This is done by analyzing the context of a user’s sentence and input behavior, which is accomplished through our prediction engine, which employs statistical language models generated by analyzing billions of words of background text.
• Microsoft SwiftKey doesn’t just predict regular words – it learns as you type and remembers how you write. As you choose words and sentences over time, our prediction engine creates a dynamic contextual understanding of your writing style to boost the accuracy and speed of the predictions.

So, what does this mean for you and your typing?

1. Bashing the keyboard and expect some sort of sensical output.
2. Tapping the middle prediction (or tap space) will often result in unique prose.
3. Microsoft SwiftKey always knows the perfect response and will practically type it for you.

Keyboard Navigation

We don’t want you hunting for the percentage key, or wondering where the hashtag went. So here’s a little roundup of where things are located on the keyboard for the QWERTY layout using English US.

First keyboard pane:

Second keyboard pane (accessed by tapping the '123' key): 

Third keyboard pane (accessed by tapping the '#+=' key):

The emoji keyboard can be accessed by
tapping the emoji (smiley) button from any pane. You can also long press to bring up the keyboard option menu.

Using Flow

Flow essentially allows you to type by gliding your finger across the keyboard. As you glide across the letters, you’ll see predictions appearing on the prediction bar - as soon as you see the word you’re after, just lift your finger and the word will be inserted!

Flow also allows you to glide through space, meaning that you can flow a word, move down to the spacebar, and flow the next word - all without lifting a finger. 

Tip: You can switch seamlessly between flowing and tapping - there’s no need to change modes.

Removing/Adding Words

Your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard is clever by default, but occasionally odd, offensive or just plain weird words slip through the net. Don’t panic - it's easy to remove words you don't want to see.

The next time this word shows up as a prediction, simply long press the prediction and you’ll see a pop up notification asking whether you’d like to remove the prediction. Just press ‘OK’ and the word will be removed from your language model.

This word won’t be predicted again unless you retype the word.

Multiple Languages

We know you’re a clever bunch, and many of you speak two, three or even more languages. Your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard enables you to effortlessly type in up to two languages at once.

If your selected languages use the same alphabet and you have selected the same layout for all of them (i.e. QWERTY), then all you need to do is... type! It doesn't matter which language you start typing in, your Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard can detect the one you’re using and offer you predictions/corrections accordingly.

Even if you are using languages with different layouts or alphabets, you can switch between them at the mere swipe of a finger. Simply press on the spacebar and then either slide left or right, or choose from the popup to change up your language/layout!

Tip: To access additional accented characters, just long press on a key and slide to select the one you’re after.
 

2. Keyboard Themes

We genuinely want to facilitate you in expressing your uniqueness, and so we decided to invest in designing and creating the very best quality themes for your keyboard.

Changing Themes

We have a plethora of beautiful, free themes (including animations like 'Zig Zag' and 'Cogs', plus the colourful and vibrant 'Oxygen') for your keyboard, whatever your style may be!

You can get to the themes by opening Microsoft SwiftKey and tapping ‘Themes’. When you see one you like, simply tap to select. Next time you open your keyboard, your brand new theme will be shining back at you in all its glory.

If you fancy a change just select another from the designs available.