1y ago

Smart android keyboard respecting privacy?

Hello, could someone recommended a keyboard for android that is a bit smart in predictive typing? I used to like swiftkeybefore it was bought by microsoft. Not that swiftkey itself was much better but I was not so privy conscious at that time.

I recall swiftkey would require access to your texts and emails to train itself to your predictions.

Is there some similar foss keyboard where all the data then remains local?

I know swiftkey has an incognito mode, but then it stops learning from your typing.

110 comments

I use a openboard + native library for flow typing. I was long time gboard user but open board is now best for me. https://github.com/Helium314/openboard
- So helpful, I've been trying to find a replacement for gboard for so long that has the gliding functionality, plus clipboard and easily accessible microphone for speach to text typing (using Futo).
  Can finally really consider replacing Gboard for good.
  Than you!
- Openboard is my go-to as well. I like how customizable it is as well. I need bigger keys otherwise i fat finger everything lol.
- Thank you, thank you, thank you!
  
  Futo, I didn't find on fdroid or github, where can I looking for it? Thanx
- Oh neat, I had no idea someone was upgrading Openboard. I thought it was abandoned.
  
  Last update was 3.Nov.2023 but use OpenBoard debug from Helium 314 from github and use Optanium for upgrade on android. https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium
- Holy crap, I didn't know about this fork before now. I kinda thought that OpenBoard was sorta... abandoned at this point, but seeing the improvements from this fork just made me go and try it again. Normally I just use GBoard with it's connections disabled (CalyxOS, so that is possible to do in a secure way), but trying this out now to see if I can dump Gboard entirely.
- Do you know where we can get the apk?
  
  On the releases tab of the project ;D
- Where I can get native library?
  
  Read the first entry under Features on the GitHub page.
- Not sure I trust a random repo here. I dont have the skill to look through the code. In this regard I prefer - after all - gboard. The changes me login credentials get stolen by google are smaller than the chanches I am duped into installing a random keyboard from github. Just based on my threat model and my skillz.

Florisboard
The developer has hit a bit of a roadblock reworking a back-end system and is requesting help, but it has a great feature set already and is super customisable.
- I haven't tried it yet and indeed I just read his post from 3 weeks ago on how to get back on better tracks. I will give it a try but I couldn't see from its description that it would go beyond its focus on privacy, at least for the moment
  
  Currently florisboard doesn't have prediction nor autocorrect prediction.
  Due to complications in the development of that feature (either too heavy to run or not smart enough for prediction...) and the development of the app got stuck, until maybe recently where it seems to get some dev attraction on some topics.
  Tho the prediction is still stuck. So you won't have yet prediction or smart things in this keyboard.
  
  Where did you read his post?
  
  Well what else do you need tho, it has glide typing, incognito move and auto correct is in development although would take a while. It's not perfect but it's already very much a fully decked out keyboard or it will be once suggestions are added.
- I just had the time with it, honestly. So many things are broken, like spelling and dictionary integration. I know the dev is reworking some things, but even the last release doesn't work very well. Respects privacy, sure. Works well, naw.
  
  Just installed last week, and the dictionary integration with two different languages works fine for me. Autocorrect is not yet supported, if I remember correctly.

On GrapheneOS ironically you can just use whatever keyboard and disable network permissions. Android is great
- i just run afwall+ on my aosp rom to block network perms from apps
  
  Isnt that a root-only app?
  Because if it uses the internal VPN feature, EVERY system app can bypass it, and the Captive Portal app and others certainly do.
  Only GrapheneOS fixes that afaik, providing their own Servers for captive portal, connectivity check, SUPL proxy server (strips off data and Google still has to manage because monopoly)
- Or you could just use software that is actually free/libre. Graphene os misses the point
  
  Yes of course, but for example people that dont know the language yet and need suggestions. What do you mean by that?
  
  What point are you claiming Graphene misses? FOSS apps on a system where Google has root access is what misses the point.

florisboard not perfect, but a good choice.

I use AnySoftKeyboard
- I also use AnySoftKeyboard (installed from F-Droid, BTW) but IMO it kinda sucks. In particular, it often tries to autocorrect things to capitalized proper nouns, which is almost always exactly the wrong thing to do.
  Frankly, I'm reading this thread in hopes of finding something else to replace it.
  
  same
  
  deleted
- Does it have a predictive function? Based on what?
  
  I use AnySoft as well--it has a predictive word function that seems to work just as well as GBoard's (albeit I haven't used GBoard since 2017)
  The interface is different (e.g. swype left on the entire keyboard for numbers), but give yourself a week or two to adjust--most things can also be fine-tuned from the settings app

Gboard and blocked network
- Make sure to click the voice to text icon (and maybe enable in settings?) before disabling network permissions. It will download the model and do voice to text off line. It works alarmingly well.
  
  @YIj54yALOJxEsY20eU @LoveSausage
  I'd have to root?

Best keyboard I ever used and need - Hacker's Keyboard: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard

Sadly not a whole lot of good options, other than the other one already mentioned here.
However I've got my hopes up for the upcoming keyboard app by FUTO. (Louis Rossman announced it on his YT channel a few vids back )

openboard
- No update in over a year. Is the project still maintained?
  
  There's fork that gets updates
  https://github.com/Helium314/openboard
- Does it have the option to have a separate number row? I didn't see it in the preview images.
  Nevermind, I'm blind.
  Added number row support to more languages

https://github.com/dessalines/thumb-key/
The best, on F-Droid.
- I tried thumb key and it just took too much effort to get used to. Not to mention it basically requires using one thumb instead of two, so it's possibly slower.
  
  and also has no predictions, which really slows it way down since you have to type out each long word the whole way through instead of just getting it to the point of uniqueness and clicking the suggestion.

Go to F-droid and get your keyboard from there. (If you don't have F-droid installed you should)
- There are good and save keyboards in F-Droid, but, well, the problem is Android itself. F-Droid is essential to obtain apps which respect privacy, but this only patch some holes when Google itself control the entire OS.
  Mobile phones and privacy is an oximoron, because of this, I never use my phone for important data.
  Review apps on Exodus Privacy
  Desactivate GPS/Localisation service, at least if you dont use it
  Review permissions of all installed apps and set them to desactivate after use in the app settings
  Disconnect WiFi when you go offline
  Don't use public WiFi, at least without VPN, even if it is only a free one (eg. like Calyx, FOSS, trustworthy, no account, encrypted, without datalimit, but only 1 server from the Calyx institute, anyway save enough for an occasional use, Techradar review).
  Common sense (the user is the biggest privacy hole)
- I haven't installed something outside of it for ages. I used the foxy client for a long time, and recently droid-ify

I use the last Swype apk with network access blocked in NetGuard, because I can't go without swipe typing. The personal dictionary still works.
I found with gboard and swiftkey the dictionary didn't save words without network connectivity.

KryptEY is pretty secure
https://github.com/amnesica/KryptEY

I use OpenBoard and is very happy with it.

Unexpected keyboard, was meant for termux but can be used for daily use. It’s difficult to get the habit of key positions though.
- I tried it, but couldn't find basic stuff like how to type áàâ from the letter a... Also no predictions
  
  Here, its with the secondary functions of letter D, J and N. Yeah no predictions is not a feature but I like to scroll trough text with the space bar and delete backwards. Plus if you hold a key it keeps going like a regular keyboard which I like. Overall I think its a good option for composing emails if you get the hang of it.

I use Typewise. A swiss company, by far the best keyboard layout and they don't use any data from what you type.
- Is it open source?
  
  I'm guessing that it isn't. So don't use it.

If your phone is rooted you can use any standalone keyboard app you like as long as you block it's internet access
- you dont need to be rooted to block app's internet access though
  
  This is depending on the OS one is using so I did not mention that it is possible on some operating systems
- Not rooted for once in a long time, but I'll think about it. How do you restrict an app's access?
  
  You don't need root for it, it's in the app info page
  
  If you do not have an LSposed framework or similar (formerly knows as Xposed Framework) you can either use Adaway for blocking the phone from reaching websites (keep in mind that this is globally, though) or e.g. AFWall+ for preventing single Apps to connect to the internet (Apps that don't try to get internet access are not shown is the list provided by AFWall+).
  If you have LSposed or similar I believe it is possible to install XprivacyLua. This was/is(?) a very powerful tool to manage every single access an app is trying to get. Why would a sketchy chinese calculator app need access to the contacts and the internet even though this was never allowed in the system settings?

110 comments