submitted 1 day ago by O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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Hey guys, im just got rid of gboard and im already missing the autocorrect and swipe to type features. I know there has to be a privacy friendly option out there. Thank you for your help; im fat fingering every other key, pls save me

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[-] glitching@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

tried 'em all and they all suck. it's possible there are options that work for monolingual people, but for simultaneously using 3-4 languages without annoying switching back and forth, there is no alternative.

since android 15 you can disable network access to any app and that's how I run gboard, the only google app I have on my mobile devices.

[-] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 19 points 1 day ago

Heliboard.

You can couple FUTO speech.

[-] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 4 points 23 hours ago

Well, I second Futo (for the keyboard, not speech). Heliboard is laggy as hell on y redmi.

[-] FriendBesto@lemmy.ml 1 points 21 hours ago

Personally, I have gotten excellent traction from Heliboard. I would recommend it.

[-] Dreaming_Novaling@lemmy.zip 6 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

Anyone got a FOSS keyboard that doesn't suck AND can type in Japanese? I was using Gboard with wifi off for almost a year, but switched recently to Fctix + Anthy (didn't even know Fctix had Android keyboards!) but the typing kinda sucks (click suggestion and doesn't add a space after the word, accidentally slide on space so I start typing within a word) and it doesn't do autocorrect.

Mozc is so old it literally doesn't work on newer Android versions.

I checked Floris and Heliboard, and neither support it 🙁

[-] Yauriki@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

I was too looking for a Japanese keyboard as a new Japanese learner. None of them seem to support it yet.

Fctix has been kind of a blessing to me, since I don't own a PC sadly. I agree the typing kinda sucks, it has less functionality. But as for space after a selected suggestion word you can configure that behavior in the settings.

Anyways I do hope the Japanese keyboard input will be supported on the more optimized keyboards eventually, if you find anything better before I do please let me know!

[-] Dreaming_Novaling@lemmy.zip 3 points 19 hours ago

Felt that. I definitely miss having a kana flick keyboard on my phone, I prefer it to qwerty conversion. I especially needed a good keyboard cause I was using FOSS apps to do my Wanikani reviews on my phone (Smouldering Durtles).

If someone does make something good, I'll try to notify you, or make a notice in the Japanese learning communities on Lemmy 😉

[-] quickenparalysespunk@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 18 hours ago

kana flick was non-negotiable for me so, while im not proud of it, for now I'm using ms swiftkey in incognito, no Google play, network permission revoked (capability of Graphene OS).

another reason i chose it is handwriting input for Chinese.

anyway this is just until fcitx implements kana flick, per below issues.

other kana flick options:

i also tried Simeji keyboard but deleted when i found out it was owned by bytedance.. or was it Alibaba
another is Takt (タクト) keyboard which is closed source but claims to have directly adapted Mozc code for modern android. YMMV... personally i couldn't use it cuz the flick sensitivity and other ux elements were too far out of my comfort zone.

[-] skarn@discuss.tchncs.de 43 points 1 day ago

FUTO Keyboard is hands down the best option.

If you have philosophical objections to the FUTO license, then your options are Heliboard and Florisboars. Heliboard is currently better, but Florisboard has promise.

[-] Psythik@lemm.ee 2 points 12 hours ago

Which one is closest to SwiftKey? I got too used to its placement of symbols/special characters, its arrow keys, its always present number row, and it's left-handed friendly numpad. Been using it for almost 15 years now so it's going to be hard to switch to a keyboard that doesn't have an identical layout. I need to do it, though. Its autocorrect went to shit after Microsoft purchased it and I've been wanting to switch for years.

[-] LycanGalen@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago

Seconding Skarn's comment. Heliboard has a lot of options for what is and is not displayed, shortcuts, etc. If you can't get it the way you want it through the options, a feature in settings allows you to edit the scripting for the layout. I have all the punctuation to the left of the space bar so I don't put periods between each word. It took me no more than 10 mins to configure that, including wasting time backing up the original script (it has an option to return it to defaults), and I'm a "hobbyist" progammer at most.

[-] skarn@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 8 hours ago

I found switftkey rather buggy, and stopped using it as soon as GBoard added decent multilingual support, so I really can't remember the key placement. All are pretty heavily customizable, I'd be very surprised if you couldn't get them to a state where you're comfortable.

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 10 points 1 day ago

FUTO: the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog

... I was planning on testing them all here but that's so good I'll think I'll stop there! I see from recent reviews they are working on improving swipe even more :D thank you so much!

[-] murky0106@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

Please pay the licensing fee for ongoing development if you plan to use for an extended period👍

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 2 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

I'll probably jump around a bit now, by if its where I settle, I for sure will. Thanks :)

[-] chrisbit@leminal.space 3 points 1 day ago

Giving this a try myself. Interesting that it's in the Play Store but not F-Droid.

[-] skarn@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 day ago

AFAICT their license does not fulfill the OSI definition and is therefore ineligible for inclusion in the main F-Droid repo.

They have their own F-Droid repo:

https://app.futo.org/fdroid/repo/

The repo is also pre-included in clients such as Droid-ify, which I use anyway because I like it better than the official client.

[-] wiccan2@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Thank you for this recommendation, it's exactly what I was looking for to get me off of GBoard.

[-] sqgl@beehaw.org 2 points 1 day ago

Doesn't even detect I am glide typing about half the time. Unusable on my Google Pixel 4a.

[-] skarn@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 day ago

Which one of the three I suggested?

FUTO is definitely a bit more resource hungry. Try Heliboard, you need to add a separate library to enable swiping, but it's definitely way lighter.

[-] sqgl@beehaw.org 3 points 1 day ago

Futo. Will try Heliboard once I get Graphene installed, thanks

[-] besselj@lemmy.ca 23 points 1 day ago

I really like heliboard. It works without network permissions, has autocorrect, and can do emojis

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Looks tempting but the repo has active issues going back 2 years without being resolved. I'll still probably give it a go tho, seems a popular opinion, thanks

[-] qweertz@programming.dev 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I've been using it without major caveats since October last year. Even tried the proprietary swiping library you can install (it uses the Gboard one iirc, but OFC it can't do shenanigans since it's isolated by the app and not connected to the internet)

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Nice that sounds perfect honestly! I'll have go try it next. Thank you

[-] sqgl@beehaw.org 1 points 1 day ago

I cannot see it in the Play Store.

[-] Gold_E_Lox@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago

f droid

[-] sqgl@beehaw.org 1 points 1 day ago

Ah.

[-] mathemachristian@hexbear.net 7 points 1 day ago

thumb-key. It takes some getting used to but its amazing.

[-] dessalines@lemmy.ml 4 points 18 hours ago

dev here, glad you like!

[-] pandorabox@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

I use helioboard and floris board for other languages. Been liking it, very customizable. I changed the spacing on the keyboard to fit my fingers, so i make less mistakes.

I miss inserting gifs from gboard. Does anyone have a solution to that?

[-] LoveSausage@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 day ago

I just use Gboard and block network

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 1 points 23 hours ago

Another user said they used GrapheneOS to block network, what's your method?

[-] LoveSausage@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

Same here. But I believe it is possible with netguard as well, maybe other apps as well

[-] VintageGenious@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 day ago

Heliboard is decent

[-] Schorsch@feddit.org 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I use Gboard but have blocked its Internet access, which is possible on Graphene OS.

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I think I should install grapheneOS regardless, thank you

[-] Zer0Rank@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 day ago

If you want to try something totally different, I can recommend Thumb-key. There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you get used to it, it can be quite fast to type with.

[-] O_R_I_O_N@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago

WTF! That's SO weird! I have to try it xD thanks

[-] Zer0Rank@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 day ago

Another good part is that nobody wants to use your phone, since they can't type with it 😅

[-] yaroto98@lemmy.org 2 points 1 day ago

I really like Unexpected Keyboard. Doesn't have swipe or gifs. But I love that all the symbols are available on the main keypad. You just click-swipe for each one.

[-] FriendBesto@lemmy.ml 2 points 21 hours ago

Unexpected Keyboard is excellent for Termux. Wished it had autocorrect, though.

[-] ButtBidet@hexbear.net 3 points 1 day ago

Ya I want to know too

[-] jabjoe@feddit.uk 4 points 1 day ago

My go to is still Hacker's Keyboard. It's great with Termux and me as good touch keyboard as I've had.

this post was submitted on 04 May 2025

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