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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- If you use the default Android keyboard, it’s tracking you.
- There are two options to prevent this: configure it or change it.
- FUTO Keyboard is a better option than the default.
Everything is tracking us. You can have a conversation with someone without even unlocking your phone, and the next day, that device will show you ads based on what you talked about. It’s not just infuriating; it’s kind of frightening.
What’s worse, the companies behind all of this don’t seem to really care about our privacy. What was once a given is now opt-out, and sometimes opting out is obfuscated in such a way that you have no idea it’s even possible.
Also: Use Google Messages? I change these 9 settings on every new Android phone – here’s why
Another thing that’ll make you want to chuck your Android phone against a wall is that your keyboard is tracking you. Yes, your keyboard. Why? Autocorrect, typing suggestions, AI … it all uses an internet connection to work, and because of that, it can track you. I, for one, cannot tolerate yet another thing tracking me. I’m done with it.
To that end, I decided to see if there was a way to prevent it from happening.
How to prevent your Android keyboard from tracking you
There are two options, but I truly trust only one of them.
1. Make the default more private
Gboard is the default Android keyboard, and unless you take the time to make it private, it’s tracking you. Yes, there is a way to stop some of this, but whether or not it’s 100% is up in the air.
Also: Your Android phone’s most powerful security feature is off by default and hidden – turn it on now
What you can disable within the Gboard settings:
- Share usage statistics: automatically send keyboard usage statistics to Google.
- Personalize for you: improve typing and voice typing based on your Gboard usage patterns and corrections.
- Improve for everyone: help Google get better at recognizing words and phrases for everyone, based on your Gboard usage.
- Audio donations: snippets of your audio input on Gboard are sent to and stored on Google servers.
To disable these features (and you most certainly should), open the Settings app on your phone, type languages, tap Languages Gboard, tap Privacy, and tap the On/Off sliders for each option until they are in the Off position.
Yes, you can gain more privacy by disabling these features, but there’s a much better way.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
There’s a better way.
2. Use FUTO Keyboard
FUTO Keyboard is an open-source replacement keyboard that is every bit as good as Gboard. Even better, it looks and feels like Gboard, so your fingers won’t have to worry about a learning curve. Install it, enable it, use it. It’s that good.
The beauty of FUTO is that everything is handled on-device, so you don’t have to worry about your data being sent to a third-party server for analysis, storage, and usage.
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I’ve been using FUTO Keyboard for a while now, and I’m here to tell you that it feels more like an upgrade than a downgrade. You can install FUTO Keyboard from the Google Play Store simply by opening the Play Store app, searching for FUTO, and tapping Install.
Once installed, open the app and walk through the simple onboarding wizard. With FUTO installed, you can customize quite a bit, such as languages, keyboard and typing, swipe typing, text prediction, voice input, actions, and themes.
This keyboard test is part of the onboarding for FUTO Keyboard.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
The Actions feature is pretty nifty.
By default, the Actions key is set up to open the Emoji picker, but you can change it to any one of the included actions, such as Voice Input, Language Switching, Undo, Redo, Text Editor, Clipboard Manager, Theme Switcher, Keyboard Modes, Settings, Paste From Clipboard, Cut to Clipboard, Copy to Clipboard, Select All, Arrow Up, Arrow Down, Arrow Left, Arrow Right, and WordStyle.
FUTO Actions allows you to change the Actions key, directly to the left of the spacebar.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Most will probably leave the Actions key set to Emoji, but it’s nice to know that there are options.
You can also customize the Backspace swipe action to delete characters or words, the spacebar swipe to move the cursor or switch languages, or the spacebar hold action to switch languages or move the cursor.
You can customize swiping and long-press actions as well.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
It took me all of about five minutes to realize that FUTO Keyboard was superior to Gboard, not only because it wouldn’t track me, but because it had more options than the default.
Also: This silent Android feature scans your photos for ‘sensitive content’ – how to disable it
If you are concerned at all about your phone tracking you, do yourself a favor and install FUTO Keyboard. Yes, you can disable all of those features on Gboard, but why not retain those features while also having them function locally by using this open-source alternative?
