How to Add Custom Text Shortcuts to Android

Open the Settings app., Scroll to the third group of options and tap Language & Input., Select Keyboard., Scroll to Text Shortcuts and tap it. , Select Add in the top right corner of the screen. , Type in a shortcut., Type in an expanded phrase...

8 Steps 1 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Open the Settings app.

    It's the blue-grey cog icon in your App Drawer (the three-by-three grid of dots on one of your Home screens).
  2. Step 2: Scroll to the third group of options and tap Language & Input.

    This should be in the orange-colored group of options. , It's in the "Keyboard and Input Preferences" section of the Language & Input menu.

    If you're using a Samsung device, this option will say "Samsung Keyboard" instead. ,,, To do this, you'll first have to select the "Shortcut" field in the shortcut pop-up window.

    For example, you might type "ily" as a shortcut for "I love you" here. , You'll do this below the shortcut text.

    When you type out the shortcut text, your expanded phrase text will automatically display as a suggestion above your keyboard.

    For example, you'd type "I love you" here if you typed "ily" above. , Doing so will add this shortcut to your Android's keyboard.

    The next time you type your shortcut into a text box (e.g., a texting app), you'll see the expanded text pop up as an option.

    To add your shortcut's expanded text to a conversation, simply tap it.
  3. Step 3: Select Keyboard.

  4. Step 4: Scroll to Text Shortcuts and tap it.

  5. Step 5: Select Add in the top right corner of the screen.

  6. Step 6: Type in a shortcut.

  7. Step 7: Type in an expanded phrase.

  8. Step 8: Tap Add again.

Detailed Guide

It's the blue-grey cog icon in your App Drawer (the three-by-three grid of dots on one of your Home screens).

This should be in the orange-colored group of options. , It's in the "Keyboard and Input Preferences" section of the Language & Input menu.

If you're using a Samsung device, this option will say "Samsung Keyboard" instead. ,,, To do this, you'll first have to select the "Shortcut" field in the shortcut pop-up window.

For example, you might type "ily" as a shortcut for "I love you" here. , You'll do this below the shortcut text.

When you type out the shortcut text, your expanded phrase text will automatically display as a suggestion above your keyboard.

For example, you'd type "I love you" here if you typed "ily" above. , Doing so will add this shortcut to your Android's keyboard.

The next time you type your shortcut into a text box (e.g., a texting app), you'll see the expanded text pop up as an option.

To add your shortcut's expanded text to a conversation, simply tap it.

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Andrea Jordan

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