How to Customize Your Smartphone Keyboard with Unique Backgrounds
In today’s tech-driven world, personalizing devices has become essential for many users. Among the numerous ways to make your smartphone stand out, setting a custom background for your keyboard has emerged as a popular choice. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to apply a personalized keyboard background on both Android and iPhone devices.
Customizing Your Android Keyboard: A Step-by-Step Guide
For Android users, customizing your keyboard with a unique background is straightforward. Here’s how you can do it.
Steps to Follow for Android
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Download a Third-Party Keyboard: Default keyboards like Gboard or Samsung Keyboard offer limited customization options. To unleash your creativity, installing a third-party keyboard is essential. Gboard, developed by Google, is highly recommended due to its free offering and a range of advanced features, including background customization.
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Install Gboard: If you don’t have Gboard, simply head to the Google Play Store, click on “Install,” and wait for the download to complete.
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Set Gboard as Your Default Keyboard: Open your device settings, navigate to “System” > “Languages & Input” > “On-screen Keyboard.” Here, enable Gboard as your default keyboard. Confirm any security messages that may pop up by selecting “OK.”
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Customize Your Keyboard Background: Launch the Gboard app, go to “Themes,” and pick a theme from the gallery. If you’re looking for something unique, click on the “+” icon to upload an image from your gallery. Adjust the framing and brightness of the image, and confirm by clicking “Done.”
- Apply Your Changes: After setting up your desired theme, decide if you want to add borders to the keys and then click “Apply.” Now, every time you open an app that involves typing, your customized keyboard will be ready to go.
Alternatives to Gboard
In addition to Gboard, other third-party options like Microsoft SwiftKey and AnySoftKeyboard also offer various customization features. SwiftKey, for instance, allows you to create personalized themes and download others from its catalog, though it requires a Google or Microsoft account for access.
Customizing Your iPhone Keyboard: A Practical Approach
For iPhone users, the options for keyboard customization are more limited. However, thanks to third-party keyboard integrations, there’s still plenty of room for personalization.
Steps to Follow for iPhone
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Install Gboard: Access the App Store and download Gboard. Once installed, open the application.
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Activate Gboard: Navigate to “Settings” > “General” > “Keyboard” > “Keyboards” and select “Add New Keyboard.” Choose Gboard from the list.
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Set Privacy Settings: During the setup process, Gboard may request access to certain features. Make sure to review and adjust the settings to protect your privacy.
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Customize Themes: After setup, open Gboard and go to “Themes.” Here, you can choose from various styles and colors to give your keyboard a personalized touch.
- Use a Custom Background: Just like on Android, you can upload a custom background. Select an image from your photo library and set it as your keyboard’s background.
Personalizing the WhatsApp Keyboard
The same keyboards can be utilized to change the background on your WhatsApp keyboard. The customization options will seamlessly integrate your keyboard’s appearance with the app’s interface.
WhatsApp Customization: A Quick Guide
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Ensure Your Keyboard is Active: Follow the steps outlined for Android or iPhone to ensure your chosen keyboard is activated when using WhatsApp.
- Check Out Your New Background: After modifying your keyboard settings, open WhatsApp and notice that your new background is already active while you type.
Important Considerations: Privacy and Security
When using third-party keyboards, security is a crucial concern. Some of these applications may record sensitive information like passwords and personal data. Here are important tips to keep in mind:
- Choose Reputable Keyboards: Opt for applications that have positive reviews and a strong reputation.
- Review Permissions: Before installation, check the permissions required by the app and avoid granting unnecessary access.
- Regular Updates: Always keep your applications updated to reduce potential vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
Customizing your smartphone keyboard with a unique background not only enhances user experience but also adds a personal touch to your interactions. By following the steps in this guide, you’ll easily set up a distinctive background on both Android and iPhone devices. Experiment with various designs and enjoy making your device truly one-of-a-kind!