How to Get Apple's Intelligent Keyboard Features in Any iOS Device

Ever wanted those fancy keyboard features Apple keeps putting in their newest devices? Like, why should only people with the latest iPhone get all the cool stuff? That's what I kept thinkin before I found some awesome workarounds. Let's dive into how you can get those smart keyboard features on practically any iOS device, even if it's a few years old.

Understanding Apple's Intelligent Keyboard Features

So what exactly are we talkin about when we mention "Apple's Intelligent Keyboard features"? Have you ever wondered what makes the newer iOS keyboards so special? The latest Apple keyboards come with predictive text that seems to read your mind, autocorrection that's actually helpful (not the kind that changes "damn" to "dam" when you're trying to express frustration), and context-aware suggestions that make typing feel almost effortless.

The newest iOS versions include:

• Smart text prediction that learns your typing patterns
• Context-aware corrections that understand the meaning of sentences
• Grammar checking that catches more than just spelling mistakes
• Tone adjustment suggestions to help your message match your intent
• Multilingual typing without manually switching keyboards

These features use on-device machine learning to improve over time, which is pretty neat when you think bout it. Your keyboard actually gets to know you better the more you use it. But here's the kicker - most of these advanced features are only available on newer devices running the latest iOS. That's where the frustration starts for folks with perfectly good older iPhones and iPads.

Why should we have to buy a whole new device just to get a better keyboard experience? The answer is: we don't. There are ways to bring similar or even better intelligent features to any iOS device.

Third-Party Keyboard Apps: The Gateway to Intelligent Features

Have you tried using a different keyboard app on your iPhone? It's actually super easy to do, and it can transform your typing experience completely. Third-party keyboard apps often offer features that match or exceed what Apple provides in their latest devices.

CleverType has emerged as one of the leading AI keyboard options for iOS users. What makes it special is how it combines powerful text prediction with grammar correction that works in real-time across all your apps. I started using it last year, and honestly, typing on my old iPhone 8 feels just as smart as when I borrow my friend's iPhone 15.

Other notable keyboard apps include:

1. Grammarly Keyboard - Focuses on grammar and spelling corrections
2. SwiftKey - Known for its powerful prediction engine
3. Gboard - Google's keyboard with search integration
4. Fleksy - Emphasizes speed and customization

The installation process for these keyboards is pretty straightforward:

1. Download the keyboard app from the App Store
2. Go to Settings - General - Keyboard - Keyboards - Add New Keyboard
3. Select your newly downloaded keyboard
4. Tap on the keyboard name again and toggle "Allow Full Access" (required for most advanced features)

It's worth noting that "Allow Full Access" permission is necessary for many of the advanced features to work properly. But this does raise some privacy questions, which we'll address later in this article.

Setting Up Advanced Text Prediction

Now let's get into the nitty-gritty. How do you actually set up these advanced prediction features? Depending on which keyboard you choose, the setup process might vary a bit.

For CleverType, after installation, you'll need to:

1. Open the CleverType app (not just the keyboard)
2. Complete the onboarding process where it asks about your writing style
3. Customize your text prediction preferences (formal, casual, creative, etc.)
4. Enable the features you want (grammar checking, tone suggestions, etc.)

The initial setup takes maybe 5 minutes, but it's worth it cuz the keyboard needs to understand your preferences to work best. One thing I like about CleverType is that it lets you decide how aggressive the text predictions should be. Sometimes I find Apple's default suggestions a bit too eager to change what I'm typing.

Most third-party keyboards have similar setups, though the specifics vary. The important thing is taking the time to customize the settings to match your typing style. It's like breaking in a new pair of shoes - there might be a slight adjustment period, but then it feels like it was made just for you.

Does anyone else find it weird how much time we spend typing on our phones without ever customizing the keyboard? It's literally the main way we interact with our devices!

Enabling Grammar and Spelling Features Beyond Apple's Basics

What about those fancy grammar features? Can third-party keyboards really match what Apple offers in their latest iOS versions? In many cases, they actually go beyond Apple's capabilities.

AI-powered grammar correction for mobile devices has come a long way. Modern keyboards don't just check spelling; they analyze sentence structure, word choice, and even stylistic elements. They can suggest more concise ways to express yourself or flag potentially confusing phrasing.

To enable these advanced grammar features:

1. Make sure you've granted "Full Access" to your keyboard
2. In your keyboard's app (not the keyboard itself), look for settings related to grammar or writing assistance
3. Toggle on the specific features you want (grammar check, style suggestions, etc.)
4. Adjust the sensitivity to match your preferences

One thing I've noticed is that AI keyboards adapt to your writing style and tone much better than traditional autocorrect. They learn when you're being formal in an email versus casual in a text message and adjust suggestions accordingly. This contextual awareness used to be exclusive to the newest Apple devices, but now it's available to anyone with the right third-party keyboard.

I remember the first time my keyboard suggested changing "let me know what you think" to "I'd appreciate your thoughts" in a work email. It was this small change, but it sounded so much more professional! These little tweaks can really elevate your communication.

Customizing Keyboard Appearance and Layout

Beyond the intelligent features, lets talk about customization. Apple's default keyboard is pretty limited in terms of appearance and layout options. Wanna know a secret? Third-party keyboards blow Apple out of the water when it comes to personalization.

Most advanced keyboard apps let you:

• Change themes and colors (including true dark mode)
• Resize the keyboard to fit your preferences
• Rearrange or add special keys
• Create custom shortcuts for frequently used phrases
• Add number rows or special character access

For example, with CleverType, you can create a keyboard that perfectly matches your style while retaining all the intelligent features. I've set mine up with a subtle dark theme and slightly larger keys since I have big thumbs and tend to make mistakes on smaller keyboards.

The ability to add custom shortcuts is surprisingly useful. I have shortcuts set up for my email address, home address, and a few common responses I use at work. Just type a few characters, and the full text appears as a suggestion. It saves so much time!

Layout customization is another area where third-party keyboards shine. If you've ever been annoyed by the placement of certain keys or wished you could access numbers without switching to another keyboard, these apps have you covered. Some even offer swipe typing (like drawing lines between letters rather than tapping each one), which can dramatically increase your typing speed once you get used to it.

Handling Multiple Languages and Special Characters

Do you write in more than one language? Or maybe use special characters often? Apple's multilingual support has improved, but third-party keyboards often handle these scenarios much better.

Most advanced keyboard apps offer:

• Seamless switching between languages without changing keyboards
• Simultaneous multilingual typing with predictions in both languages
• Special character access without lengthy press-and-hold actions
• Custom dictionaries for industry-specific terminology

AI grammar keyboards for non-native speakers are particularly impressive. They can help with nuances of language that might be challenging if English isn't your first language. They notice patterns specific to your native language and offer corrections that make your English sound more natural.

For example, if you're a Spanish speaker who tends to place adjectives after nouns in English (like "car red" instead of "red car"), these keyboards will catch that pattern and help you adjust. It's like having a language coach right in your keyboard.

I have a friend who regularly writes in both English and French. She used to manually switch keyboards constanty, which was super annoying. After installing a smarter keyboard, she can just type in either language and the prediction engine keeps up, even offering translations for certain phrases when it detects she might need them.

Privacy Considerations with Third-Party Keyboards

Let's address the elephant in the room - privacy. When you install a third-party keyboard and grant it "Full Access," what are you actually allowing it to do? Is it safe?

This is definitely somethin to think about carefully. Here's what "Full Access" typically means:

• The keyboard can access the internet
• It can process what you type on their servers (though many now offer on-device processing)
• It can access additional features like location or your dictionary

Different keyboard apps have different privacy policies. Some, like CleverType, emphasize privacy with on-device processing of most text and minimal data collection. Others might send more data to their servers for processing.

Here are some questions to ask when evaluating keyboard privacy:

1. Does the keyboard process text on-device or send it to servers?
2. What data is collected and stored?
3. How long is data retained?
4. Can you opt out of data collection for improvements?
5. Does the keyboard block itself from sensitive fields (like password entries)?

Most reputable keyboard apps have detailed privacy policies addressing these concerns. Apple also requires keyboards to automatically disable themselves when entering passwords or credit card information as an extra security measure.

I personally chose my keyboard after reading through their privacy policy and confirming that most processing happens on my device. The small amount of anonymous data they collect helps improve the product, which seems like a fair tradeoff for the features I get.

Comparing Third-Party Solutions to Apple's Native Features

So how do these third-party solutions actually stack up against what Apple offers in their latest devices? Let's break it down feature by feature.

When comparing AI keyboards vs. traditional mobile keyboards, the gap has narrowed considerably. In many ways, third-party options now exceed what Apple offers, especially for older iOS devices.

I've been using my setup for about 8 months now, and honestly, I don't feel like I'm missing anything from the latest Apple keyboards. In fact, I prefer the customization I have now. My sister just got the newest iPhone, and sometimes I show her features on my keyboard that she doesn't even have!

The future of AI keyboards looks even more promising, with developments in understanding context, emotion, and intent continuing to advance rapidly.

Frequently Asked Questions