Unlock Samsung One UI 8 Keyboard’s AI Power and Gestures

Step 1: Enable Voice-to-Text Input

Voice typing in One UI 8 has better accuracy and noise cancellation than previous versions. It’s useful for long messages or when your hands are busy.

Enable Voice Input

1. Open any app with text input (Messages, Notes, Samsung Internet)
2. Tap a text field to bring up the keyboard
3. Tap the gear icon (⚙️) at top of keyboard
4. Tap Voice input
5. Select Google Voice Typing (usually more accurate than Samsung’s option)

Add Microphone Button to Keyboard

If you don’t see a microphone icon on your keyboard:

1. In keyboard settings, find Keyboard toolbar
2. Ensure Microphone toggle is ON
3. Or enable Touch and hold space bar → select Voice input

Test Voice Input

1. Open Messages app
2. Tap text field
3. Press and hold Space bar for 2 seconds (or tap microphone icon)
4. You should see “Tap to speak” or “Listening…”
5. Say: “Testing voice input on Samsung keyboard”
6. Text should appear in real-time

Expected result: Your speech transcribes accurately with proper punctuation.

Step 2: Configure Predictive Text

One UI 8’s predictive text learns from your typing patterns, but the auto-replace feature can be annoying. Here’s how to optimize it.

Adjust Auto-Replace Settings

1. Open keyboard in any app
2. Tap gear icon (⚙️)
3. Look for Smart typing section
4. Toggle Predictive text to ON
5. Toggle Auto replace to OFF

Why: Predictive text shows word suggestions above keys. Auto-replace automatically changes what you type, which often causes errors (like “I’ll” becoming “Ill”).

Download Language Models

If predictions aren’t working:

1. In keyboard settings, tap Languages and types
2. Tap your language (e.g., “English (US)”)
3. If you see a download prompt, tap Download
4. Wait for language model to install (50-150MB)

Test Predictions

1. Open Notes app
2. Type: “I’m going to the”
3. Look above keyboard for word suggestions: “store,” “gym,” “office,” etc.
4. Tap a suggestion to insert it

Expected result: Three relevant word suggestions appear above keyboard after typing 2-3 words.

Step 3: Enable AI Writing Assist

One UI 8 includes AI-powered writing tools that can rephrase text, adjust tone, fix grammar, and complete sentences. This is one of the best new features in One UI 8.

Enable Writing Assist

1. Open keyboard settings (gear icon)
2. Find Samsung Keyboard section
3. Look for Galaxy AI or Writing assist
4. Toggle it ON
5. Sign in with Samsung account if prompted

Add Writing Assist to Keyboard Toolbar

1. Open keyboard in any app
2. Tap the three dots (⋮) icon on keyboard toolbar
3. Long-press the Writing assist icon (three stars ✨)
4. Drag it onto the main toolbar
5. Drop it where you want it

Use Writing Assist

1. Type a sentence: “hey can you send me that report”
2. Select the text (long-press and drag handles)
3. Tap the Writing assist icon (✨)
4. Choose an option:
   • Formalize: “Hello, could you please send me that report?”
   • Casualize: “Hey, can you send that report?”
   • Grammar check: Fixes errors
   • Summarize: Makes text shorter
5. Tap your preferred version to replace original text

Expected result: Selected text transforms based on your chosen style in under 2 seconds.

Step 4: Customize Keyboard Appearance

One UI 8 lets you match your keyboard to your phone’s overall customization theme and wallpaper.

Enable Dynamic Theme

1. Open keyboard settings
2. Tap Style and layout
3. Tap Keyboard theme
4. Select Dynamic (syncs with wallpaper colors)
5. Keyboard colors should change to match your wallpaper

Adjust Contrast for Visibility

If keys are hard to see (especially on OLED screens in bright sunlight):

1. In Style and layout
2. Toggle High contrast keyboard to ON
3. Keys will have darker borders and better definition

Change Keyboard Size

1. In Style and layout
2. Tap Keyboard size and transparency
3. Drag Keyboard size slider left (smaller) or right (larger)
4. Adjust Transparency if desired
5. Tap Done

Test: Open any app and verify keyboard is comfortable to type on. Adjust size if needed.

Step 5: Set Up Gesture Controls (Advanced)

One UI 8 supports keyboard gestures for faster text editing. These are disabled by default.

Enable Basic Gestures

1. Open keyboard settings
2. Tap Swipe, touch, and feedback
3. Find Keyboard swipe controls
4. Toggle ON

Available Gestures

Once enabled, you can:

• Swipe left on space bar: Move cursor left
• Swipe right on space bar: Move cursor right
• Swipe up from shift key: Capitalize next word
• Swipe down from top row: Insert number without switching

Test Cursor Movement

1. Type: “The quick brown fox”
2. Place cursor after “quick”
3. Swipe left on space bar
4. Cursor should move backward character by character
5. Swipe right to move forward

Step 6: Install Good Lock for Advanced Customization (Optional)

Good Lock’s Keys Cafe module unlocks extreme keyboard customization. This is for power users who want complete control.

Install Good Lock

1. Open Galaxy Store app
2. Search “Good Lock”
3. Install Good Lock (by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
4. Open Good Lock
5. Under “Life Up” section, find Keys Cafe
6. Tap Download
7. Open Keys Cafe after installation

Note: Good Lock isn’t available in all regions (not in China, Japan, some others). If you can’t find it, skip this section.

Customize with Keys Cafe

Keys Cafe lets you:

• Change individual key colors
• Adjust key sizes and shapes
• Add custom key press effects
• Create keyboard layouts optimized for your hand size
• Set up advanced gestures (two-finger swipe to copy, three-finger swipe to paste)

Set Up Copy/Paste Gestures

1. In Keys Cafe, tap Multi-touch gestures
2. Toggle Enable multi-touch gestures ON
3. Set Two-finger swipe up to Copy all text
4. Set Two-finger swipe down to Paste
5. Tap Apply

Test Gestures

1. Open Notes, type some text
2. With keyboard visible, place two fingers on keyboard
3. Swipe up with both fingers
4. Text should copy to clipboard
5. Open a new note, swipe down with two fingers
6. Text should paste