Join Garrick Chow for an in-depth discussion in this video Installing and using third-party keyboard apps, part of iOS 8: iPhone and iPad Essential Training.
- For many iOS users, one of the most welcomed additions to iOS 8 is its ability to accept third-party keyboards. Meaning, keyboards that are not built into iOS, but have been designed by other app developers. If you're not a fan of the way the built-in keyboard works, or if you just want to try out some other text input methods, you can now do so. The first thing to do is to find and install a third-party keyboard. Now, I'll be talking about how to browse and install apps in the App Store in its own chapter later on, but for now, just know that I've gone into the App Store, and I've purchased and installed a keyboard called Swipe.
Swipe features a completely different text input method, which is very popular on Android devices, and now the third-party keyboards are available on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. It's become one of the most popular alternate keyboards on iOS as well. Alternate keyboards appear as individual apps on your home screen, but in most cases, you don't do anything in the apps themselves except for adjusting settings. To use alternate keyboards, go into 'Settings', 'General', 'Keyboard', and tap 'Keyboards', 'Add New Keyboard'.
When you have any alternate keyboards installed, you'll see this section of third-party keyboards. Tap to select the one you want to use. And just like that, it gets added as an active keyboard. So this process is the same as adding alternate language keyboards, which we looked at previously. I'll go to the notes app, and as before, to switch to other keyboards you've activated, tap the globe button. So now, I'm looking at the Emoji keyboard I installed in the previous movie. I'll tap the globe button once more, and now we're looking at the Swipe keyboard. Now, another way to do this is to simply hold on the globe button and choose a keyboard you want from here.
This will be more efficient if you have many keyboards installed. Now, I'm not going to get into the details of how to use alternate keyboards. There are a lot of them out there to discover, but Swipe was the first one to come out with the swiping method of text entry, which became so popular that this method is found in many alternate keyboards. Basically, the way it works is, instead of tapping letters to type, which you can do here, you use a faster method, which is to touch your finger to the first letter of the word you want to type, and then swipe, or glide your finger to each subsequent letter without lifting your finger until you're done. For some people, this is a much faster and more accurate way to enter text.
As the Swipe keyboard is very good at discerning what word you mean, and it also provides alternates much like the quick type bar of the standard keyboard. You might especially like this method if you have a larger phone like the iPhone 6 Plus. Typing long words can be much quicker with this method. Of course, it takes some practice. I still find that I alternate between the built-in keyboard and the Swipe keyboard myself, but if this interests you, visit the App Store and check out the alternate keyboards that are available. Some cost money and some are free. If you've never purchased an app before, see the upcoming chapter on using the App Store.
Author
Released
11/19/2014- Learning finger gestures
- Setting up an Apple ID
- Syncing your iPhone or iPad with your computer
- Calling and texting
- Using FaceTime
- Sending and receiving email
- Surfing the web
- Shooting photos and video
- Getting directions
- Adding events to the calendar
- Purchasing and installing apps
- Finding your iPhone
- Controlling your device with Siri
- Troubleshooting your iOS 8 device
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
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Introduction
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Welcome1m 16s
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What's new in iOS 83m 7s
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1. The Basics
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The Lock and Home screens2m 59s
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Connecting to Wi-Fi networks3m 14s
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Customizing your wallpaper4m 59s
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Multitasking3m 28s
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Sharing files with AirDrop2m 53s
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Enabling and using Touch ID4m 39s
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2. The Essentials of Typing
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Accessing hidden shortcuts1m 52s
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Syncing a Bluetooth keyboard2m 24s
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3. Syncing with Your Computer
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Syncing photos from a Mac5m 29s
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Syncing photos from a PC3m 34s
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Using wireless syncing2m 37s
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Using iTunes Match4m 11s
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4. The Phone Part of the iPhone
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Basic phone activities3m 11s
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Accessing voicemail3m 35s
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Receiving calls5m 55s
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Blocking numbers2m 49s
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Using FaceTime6m 17s
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Making conference calls3m 7s
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Sharing contacts3m 14s
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Using the included headset2m 15s
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Using a Bluetooth headset3m 39s
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Texting and using iMessages9m 41s
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5. Email
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Composing email5m 30s
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Receiving and reading email10m 44s
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Assigning VIPs2m 58s
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Searching your mailboxes1m 49s
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Setting mail options8m 12s
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6. Surfing the Web
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Web browsing with Safari8m 31s
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Saving images2m 54s
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Getting some privacy1m 51s
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Using iCloud tabs3m 19s
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Using iCloud Keychain3m 1s
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Creating a personal hotspot3m 34s
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7. The iPod Part of Your Device
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iTunes Radio5m 4s
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8. Shooting Photos and Video, and Managing Your Photo Library
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Shooting panoramas2m 34s
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Editing photos7m 22s
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Shooting video2m 58s
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Shooting time-lapse videos1m 26s
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Viewing and editing video3m 15s
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Taking screenshots1m 22s
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Sharing photos and video7m 20s
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Creating albums2m 49s
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9. Getting Around
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Favoriting locations2m 53s
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Getting directions5m 34s
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Using 3D and Flyover views2m 54s
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Using the Compass app2m 16s
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10. Managing Your Time
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Subscribing to calendars2m 26s
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Setting Time Zone Support2m 22s
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Using the Clock app6m 22s
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Setting reminders4m 34s
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11. Taking Notes
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Using the Notes app3m 45s
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12. The Other Included Apps
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13. The App Store
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Purchasing apps7m 57s
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14. Important Settings
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Airplane mode2m 11s
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Wi-Fi3m 11s
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Do Not Disturb3m 28s
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The About section2m 9s
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Usage5m
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Date & Time settings1m 8s
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Restrictions3m 19s
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Privacy4m 34s
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15. Protecting Your Device
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Using Auto-Lock1m 37s
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Using Passcode Lock5m 23s
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16. Siri and Voice Controlling Your Device
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Introducing Siri9m 51s
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Setting Reminders2m 27s
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Dictating in apps2m 1s
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Keeping Siri listening1m 54s
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17. Troubleshooting
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Begin by restarting1m 7s
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Force-quitting apps1m 6s
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Rebooting44s
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Resetting2m 6s
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Erasing and restoring6m 18s
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Checking for updates1m 53s
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Extending battery life5m 52s
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Conclusion
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Goodbye36s
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Video: Installing and using third-party keyboard apps