What if you could have a dedicated number row above the usual letters as available on a physical keyboard? That would make it easy to type numbers and alphabets swiftly. But does every Android keyboard support it? No. Only some are gracious enough to feature a number row. Here are seven such keyboards for Android phones.
1. Gboard
If you own a phone running stock Android, the chances are that your keyboard already has a number row. That’s because stock Android phones come pre-installed with Google’s Gboard. You can enable/disable the number row by going to the keyboard Settings. Under Settings, tap on Preferences and turn the toggle on for Number row. Gboard is a free app that is downloadable on any phone. It is known for multiple language support, amazing word prediction, and a built-in Google search feature. The app also supports stickers, GIFs, emoji search, various themes for customization, and many other cool things. Price: Free Size: 75MB Download Gboard
2. SwiftKey
SwiftKey is another popular keyboard that supports number row. It is one of the top competitors of Gboard, and both offer similar features. You get multiple language support, emoji prediction, GIFs, search, and themes. SwiftKey has a slight edge over Gboard for it offers a native clipboard. But if you like Gboard more, the clipboard is coming to that as well. I prefer SwiftKey more as compared to Gboard because of it’s incredible word prediction and vertical scroll for emojis. To enable the number row, go to the keyboard Settings and tap on Typing. Under Typing, tap on Keys and enable Number row. Alternatively, enable the number row right from the shortcut settings available by tapping on Settings. The app also lets you customize the location of number pad in the symbols layout screen. Price: Free Size: 27MB Download SwiftKey
3. Chrooma
Chrooma is a beautiful adaptive keyboard app where the keyboard changes color according to the app you are using. One can call this app a beauty with brains. That’s because the number row is scrollable, better known as action row. When you swipe right or left on the action row, the app will reveal more options that can be customized from the settings. You can have clipboard buttons, emoji row, word row, and custom letters row in it. To enable number row, tap on the settings icon in the keyboard, then go to the Settings followed by Layout basic. Turn on Action Row. Then tap on Configure Action Row and enable Number row and other options as per your wish. The app is also known for gesture typing, night mode, a customizable QuickBar, clipboard, and proofreading. You also get GIFs and a search feature that automatically searches for all the text on the screen, unlike Gboard where you have to type the search query manually. Size: 25MB Price: Free with in-app purchases Download Chrooma
4. ai.type Keyboard
This app has everything that you typically look for in a keyboard app — starting from the pre-enabled number row to a native clipboard. The app also offers text shortcuts, arrow keys, touchpad, emoji art, multiple languages, auto correct, and more. You can customize both the top and bottom row as per your wish. When it comes to themes, while you get a number of them, you can create custom one too. To hide number row, tap and hold the icon filled with dots present on the right side of the number row. Here uncheck Numeric. Tap the icon to change the top row items. Size: 35MB Price: Free with in-app purchases Download ai.type Keyboard
5. Grammarly Keyboard
You must have heard about Grammarly as a tool to check grammar online. Now the same tool is available as part of its keyboard app known as Grammarly. It is one of the few keyboards that offer a dedicated number row. To show the number row, open Grammarly Settings and tap on Keyboard Look and Feel. Here enable Number row. Sadly, Grammarly doesn’t offer as many features as the above apps, and it’s limited in terms of languages too. For themes also, you just get two options: light and dark. But if you want error-free writing with a number row, Grammarly is your buddy. Size: 90MB Price: Free Download Grammarly
6. TouchPal Keyboard
Disabled by default, TouchPal keyboard lets you activate the number row by tapping the TouchPal logo on the keyboard followed by NumRow Off. The app also offers clipboard, arrow keys, emojis, and GIF. You also get emoji prediction and multiple language support. In comparison to Gboard and SwiftKey, the drawback is that the app comes with ads. To remove them, you have to switch to the premium version that gives the benefit of paid themes and cloud prediction as well. Size: 40MB Price: Free with ads Download TouchPal Keyboard
7. AnySoftKeyboard
AnySoftKeyboard is a small keyboard that packs many features including a separate number row. To activate it, go to Settings (long press the emoji icon) followed by UI (color palette icon). Tap on ‘Tweaks and more’ and hit ‘Common top generic row.’ Here select Numbers keys. With gesture support, the keyboard provides some customizations such as volume level, abbreviation editor, power-saving settings, and more. You can even use volume keys to navigate the cursor. While the keyboard doesn’t support GIF, it comes with an interesting feature that lets you hide emoji sections. Size: 5MB Price: Free Download AnySoftKeyboard
Let the Numbers Speak
Hope you liked the keyboards. Do give all a try and see which one suits your requirements. As mentioned before, I prefer to use SwiftKey for it has everything I want in a keyboard including a clipboard. Do let us know your favorite one too. Next up: Love emojis and GIFs? Check these 5 keyboard apps designed for emoji and GIF fans.
