7 keyboard tips that will make you type faster on Windows Phone

The keyboard on Windows Phone works really well. We can type really fast on it, but maybe it’s because we’ve been using Windows Phone devices for a while now. Whether you’re already a pro at typing away several emails or just getting familiar with a new Windows Phone device, there are definitely some tips and tricks that will make you type faster. We’ve gathered 7 keyboard tips that will help new users or those who may have not had the time to experiment.

1. Tap space bar twice for period

This could be the oldest trick in the book and many of you may already know it. Just tap the spacebar twice to type a period. This helps end those sentences quickly.

2. Swipe to numbers or symbols

Need to type a number or symbol quickly? It might be faster for you to swipe from the symbol button &123 to the number or symbol. Press and hold the &123 button and then drag it to what you want to type. If you plan to type a lot of numbers consecutively, then it will probably be faster to tap &123 and then the number or symbol.

3. Swipe to common punctuations

Need a quick way to end a sentence with an exclamation point or question mark? Press and hold the period button, then drag your finger to any of the common punctuations.

4. Swipe to .org, .edu, or .net

When you’re typing a URL in Internet Explorer, a dedicated .com button shows up in the keyboard. What if you want .org, .edu, or .net? Just press and hold the .com button and then swipe to the extension you want.

5. Press and hold for CAPS LOCK

You probably already know that you need to tap the shift button first to type a capital letter. If you want to type everything in CAPS, you have two options: double tap the shift button, or press and hold it. That activates CAPS lock.

6. Fast emoticons

Do you use the emoticon button on the keyboard for smiley faces and hundreds of other pictures? There’s a setting you should know that will help you type faster. Go to settings > keyboard > advanced, and click the box that says “switch back to letters after I type an emoticon.” Leave this unchecked if you send many emoticons consecutively in one message.

7. Add words to Word Flow

The Windows Phone keyboard features Word Flow, which means you get text suggestions as you type. Sometimes, the phone even corrects your typing for you. If there’s a word that you use a lot that the phone doesn’t know, it will learn it automatically. You can add new words manually by typing it first, then click to select it. Tap the plus sign to add it to the suggestion list.

You can reset the suggestions list by going to settings > keyboard > advanced, and clicking the ‘reset suggestions’ button.

So, those are 7 tips that will make you type faster on Windows Phone. Do you already follow these tips? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!

Mark Guim is Video Editor at Windows Central. He switched to Windows because the MacBook Pro isn't Pro enough. You can follow him on Twitter at @markguim.

291 Comments

Wow that's awesome, didn't know some of them exist!
Try pressing and holding the numbers too for more exciting number fun!
Wow
Thanks!
+10 I thought I knew everything on keyboard.. not this, Thanks))
you mean indicated division on 1-3 and the degree sign or there is something else on other numbers?
That's it.
Thanks mate. I didn't know it too!
Am I the only one that keeps hitting comma instead of space lol?
you aren't alone my friend :))
Nope, well, I'm left handed, so I keep hiting period, not comma! But its the same problem. And the only real issue I have with the keyboard. The space bar simply is to short!
Same thing here. I keep hitting the period and the fact that most apps require you to login ONLY in portrait mode frustrates the heck outta me..lol
Me too!! Awesome tips!!
Windows Phone's keyboard is by far the best traditional-style touch keyboard out there.
True that. So much better than all the Android keyboards.
The only thing i wish is that they would make the keyboards streach out over the whole bottom part of the screen when in landscape... atleast have it as an option. I would also want to make the space bar longer since i am always pressing "," instead of space.
+1520
by the way how u add '+' from windows phone keyboard..... +925
I knew I couldnt be the only one, this is my biggest gripe with the keyboard. I am constantly entering commas instead of hitting the space bar.
I always do this. This,is,really annoying.
+1
My problem is spacebar and v. I have more near key typos on WP than on iOS and the android keyboards I've tried. And don't tell me to get used to it, it's been over a year.
I would love to see split keys in landscape, similar to how it is on win8. Especially on larger phones like the 1520 it would make thumb typing much faster. 1520 is probably big enough to have split keys and have a num pad in the middle....
I press comma instead of space ALL THE TIME. My friends just know that means space now lol.
Oh its a common,problem then :D....space button is such a big one despite that i keep on hitting the comma button :|
Would prefer a split keyboard on my 1520 in landscape like the Windows 8 tablets have.
My thumbs are big, I get the same problem.
I thought i was the only one with this problem, After i added the button to change keyboards, this has become a bigger problem
Yup that space bar is too short, I'm always missing it
Same,here. That space,bar,is,too small,for,me.
Do you have the language selection icon there? If so and you never switch layouts, remove the extra ones in the settings and you get a wider spacebar.
+925
Disagree here. Swiftkey on Android is so much better than the Windows Phone keyboard. Before you ask, I'm using a Lumia 920 as my primary phone. The only thing I wish the Windows Phone keyboard would add is the ability to long press on the top row of keys for the numbers like Android does.
Or like Windows 8 does it.
Every time i switch from Swype and Swiftkey to my Windows Phone I'm in awe to Windows Phone Keyboard, I now never chat except on my Windows Phone.
Swiftkey is rather good. However this doesn't diminish how well WP8 stacks up against the built in keyboards of Android and iOS or even against Swype. WP8 does a good job of learning how and what you write. Once you have used it for a few days, most of your typing can be done easily by clicking through the predictive word suggestions and hardly ever touching the letters. This is also one tip that should have been in this article, "Pay attention to the predicted word list and use it." Even if doesn't yet know common expressions you type, the suggestions are grammatically contextual and also pulls from real world information, where typing Elvis will offer [Presley Costello] as the next word to type. (Famous names are just one example, it also works with common locations, etc.)
I agree also. I used my wifes phone this morning to and swiftkey is faster and easier despite her phone being a lot smaller. I would love Swiftkey on my WP
I still prefer Swype, it was Heavenly on the N9. I am getting used to using the autofill though, tending to only have to type a letter or two at the most then grab the word I want.
Only it doesn't save profanity to the dictionary
True. I find that obcene.
the voice assistant blanks out profanities also, very annoying
yeah that censure is ennoying and a little bit stupid on nowdays
Sadly way more accurate on WP7. Too many b's instead of spaces when I switched to my 920. :(
Or Ns. It autocorrects about 40% of the time, but I do it fairly often.
Yeah, my typing went way downhill with my 920, too often hitting space instead of bottom-row letters.
Same problem here, I had a 800 and when I switched to 920 that happened and still happens
Me 2, my typing was awesome on the LG Quantum even using the touch keyboard in portrait. My typing sucks on the 920. Even after almost a year im still tapping the wrong keys on the 920. Ibused to complain about this daily via,Nokia feedback. I,guess nothing ever comes out,of that function.
The keyboard needs microphone and voice dictation built in system-wide.
THIS THIS THIS! I could almost convince my biggest android friend to buy a 1520, but when he asked if you could voice dictate messages in whatsapp, I had to disappoint him.. I cant believe this is not built-in system-wide...
+925
As I spent many years with REAL keyboards on a long line of Nokia Communicators, all this screen keyboard stuff totally sucks. It's like having a Mercedes and then being forced to drive a Yugo, no more Mercedes left. I try my best to avoid input on my Windows Phone. And, damn Nokia/MS, my 810 doesn't have HID bluetooth, I have a mini-keyboard I used on a phone a few years ago. Very nice, but doesn't work with my 810, if any WP. I've been using cellular services and products since the old car phones in 1986. In terms of PCS service and phones, I've never had a phone that I both loved and hated simultaneously as my 810 WP.
Does anyone know if its possible to backup the learned/manually added wordlist? In my eyes thats the only (and major) downside of this Keyboard. Swiftkey on Android did a great job on that with its Cloud.
It's currently not possible as far as I know. Hopefully 8.1 will bring that and the ability to edit or delete words that you've added to the dictionary.
Thanks man. Yes thats a shame and i'm so excited for 8.1. I love my 1520 but i'm still missing some core features from Android.
Swiftkey app is not core feature from Android
Ah really? Your such a smart guy.
what !?
btw you're *
Yeah, it sucks. The default dictionary has numerous glaring omissions and wants to spell a lot of words in US English. Very frustrating when you have to undo the auto-correct when it's changed "colour" or "realise" or a multitude of other words to the awful US equivalents.
Awful? We are much more efficient as we use less extraneous letters. :P
Right? Do they even pronounce these letters? Plus, I mean, I'd rather be able to use 'Z' more in Scrabble than waste an 'S' or a 'U' that I might need if I draw a 'Q'. xD
Wow, hate much?
The Keyboard > Advanced setting doesn't show the emoticon option on my 920. Weird.
Me neither on 928
I see it on my 928. Are you running update 3?
Nor on my Amber 820. Odd. Is this a Black feature?
It should, I see it on my 925 with Amber and Update 3 on T-mobile US.... Just go to the main settings in your phone then scroll down to keyboard then advanced and it should be there...
I'm afraid it definitely isn't there. Odd. Thank you though!
Yea sorry, your welcome
I see it on my 822, I have Amber and Update 3 too. Maybe this was added with Update 3?
How did you get update 3 on the 925 on tmo USA? I'm still waiting for mine. When did you get it?
Do a search on here. There is a way to developer unlock your phone for free and then install GDR3. You wont get the Amber firmware update until TMO releases it though. I did this on my ATIV S and have the option.
yes its a Black feature....on my Black 820
Nope. I use a Samsung Windows Phone and have the feature.
925, not here either.
me neither Lumia 720 GDR2 & Amber Country India
925 Amber and I se it thanks!
Me either. No emotions settings on my Amber 920. Also, am I the only person that types in landscape? So much easier.
You have to have gdr3
You don't need to have Lumia Black to have that option, but you will need the GDR3 update.
Wasn't aware of #2 and #3. Thanks for sharing!
The .com alternatives are where it's at!
I agree! I still find it hard to fathom how the virtual keyboard in Windows 8 has as an option ".us" ".org" and ".net" but Windows Phone has ".org" ".edu" and ".net". Windows Phone 8 Keyboard > Windows 8 Keyboard. I would never have thought that Windows Phone was geared more to students than Windows 8.
I wish there was a swype app.
Didn't know the swipe for a single number trick. Good to know but I'll probably never remember to use it.
Is it just me or does this swipe number thing not work ... I'm not getting it on my 1020
Works on my 1020.
How? Can anyone show a video of this? I'm on the Rogers variant here. Is this just an American keyboard thing?
I'll be honest, I'm too lazy to make a video, but I don't see this as something a carrier would go out of their way to remove (like datasense, att). The way I do it is as described in the article. There are 2 number swipe things. The one in the article is where you hold down the &123 key at bottom left (the keyboard changes to numbers and sybmols as soon as you touch the button) and slide your finger over to a number/symbol without picking up your finger. This will allow you to lift your finger on one number/symbol and have the keyboard change back to letters. Sorry if the instructions are too explicit, I just wanted to state it exactly as I do it and see if you are able to replicate it. The other is just holding down the numbers 1, 2, 3, or 0 in order to see additional options like you do with the vowels for accent marks. Did this work?
You hold down the button that changes the keyboard to the "number/grammar" display and just move your finger to the number you want. You only lift your finger after it is resting on whatever key you need, when you lift the finger it will select the number and go back to the regular keyboard. It's an absolutely fantastic addition for getting passwords done quickly.
The keyboard on WP is the best I've ever used on a phone, and I've used all 4 OSes
the best keyboard for me would be physical ones - Nokia E71 or the BB ones.
i have a physical keyboard on my windows phone, LG optimus. it blows touchscreen keyboards out of the water. not going to part with it for many years, or until a newer windows phone gets one.
Yes, I would pay a handsome premium and tolerate a slightly thicker phone to add a physical keyboard. No matter how good the touchscreen keyboard, it's just not even in the same league -- much slower, requires looking at the screen to type (no type by feel), poor one-handed typing, etc. I prefer portrait, but either would be better than the touchscreen. My favorite form factor phone ever was the Palm Pre (a portrait slider, like the original Dell Venue Pro running Windows Phone 7, which I've never held, or I might have liked it better than my Pre). I currently use the Lumia 928, but would drop it in heartbeat for a Lumia with a keyboard, as long as it's a high-end phone I can use for business. I'm not willing to go to a crappy phone just to get a keyboard, which sadly seems to be the common pairing.
4th being blackberry or symbian?
Thanks!!
I wish there was a way to make the space bar longer. All my sentences end,up,looking,like,this.
Mine end up being mashed together with b's and n's as the "space". Likebthisnandbthis
+1 on the B's and N's in my sentences lol
+1 as well. I seem to just use my right thumb for the space bar and I'm ALWAYS hitting 'b' I don't know if the keyboard is too tall or what...
HAHAH! Ya! totaly forgot about the 'Ok seebyoublater'
'Ok seebyoublater'
Your phone must be in Fat Albert mode.
LOL!
This! Wasn't like that in WinPhn7. Started happening when I got my 920. Dang b's!
Yep, I'm another one with the b's and n's problem.
I have the same problem, its pretty annoying
Great! I didn't know a couple of these. I specially like the question mark shortcut.
Is there any way to save my email address in the predictions on top of the keyboard? Hate having to type the full address out every time, so is it possible to add my full email address to word flow ???
ish...
You can save the first half, then type the @, then save the second half and add the .com etc.
E.g. (yourname)@(virginmedia).com
Cool cheers, hopefully it comes in 8.1 ! And hopefully slim shady gets a life and a new name!
Agreed that there should be way to add email to the word flow. Really it should just be there if you have that account setup on your phone. On my Note 3 my email addresses are there in the auto suggest since day 1. Otherwise I prefer the WP keyboard and WP overall, but that is an annoyance and an inferior aspect on WP's part. It's a pain to enter email all the time on websites on the phone.
Exactly, you're right, I had it on my Symbian Nokia 701 lol
Yeah this also bothers me having to re-enter it all the time. I just tried to save my full email address to word flow and it only copied the name and nothing after the @ symbol. Maybe saving it in One Note or something so you could easily copy/paste it. I wish the Me Hub showed my contact info like it does for contacts in the People Hub. That way I could easily grab my e-mail from there.
Same here. I'm not sure how iOS or Android do it, but I like the idea of the Me hub and would like to see its potential grow. Would love to see everything I post/share all in one place.
My 928 doesn't seem to be learning my gibberish. On my iphone I could type in tjier and it would know to correct it to their, but my 928 doesn't do that. it gives me some weird off the wall suggetions of what word I was trying to type or nothing at all....
Maybe try resetting your keyboard like in #7.
My biggest problem is always moving the cursor on a long message that is on one line in a text box. Any shortcuts for that?
Press and hold in the text and then drag the cursor where you want it.
Yeah but that doesn't work when it's off screen. If I'm at the end of a long message and want to go back to the beginning to proofread it's the hardest thing ever to drag the cursor to the begininng of a one line text box.
It scrolls when you get to the edge of the text, usually. Also, you can drag text boxes to scroll the entire text.
Thanks, I'll look into the dragging text boxes.
Thanks! Learned a lot today, this tip is a life saver! (along with the 'hold &123' and 'hold .')
Didn't know about the swiping. So glad I watched this, almost didn't, but yeah, WP just gets better.
Been a WP user since Nov 2010 and haven't figured out how to add curse words... anyone???
Did you read tip #7?
#7 doesn't work for curse words. At least never has on my 1520,1020,920, 900 and my HD7
I've recently been able to swear without any hassle on Windows Phone. It's been learning all this time! Lately, there's the option to save swear words now too. Yaaay
Where? I still can't save curse words
My Amber L720 can't add swear words, but my Black L925 adds them all ;-)
Yeah, they're blocked for me too. It's ducking shut :P
Comment of the day!
You forgot the best and easiest tip: 8. Don't look at the content of what you're typing. Look at the autocorrect bar and either tap the words as you see them or hit space if it's bolded. The predictive engine on WP is one of the best I've ever seen and a lot of words only need one or two letters entered before it knows what you mean. Oh and 9: PRACTICE! I know it's old, but go download Text Text Revolution and play a few games when you're bored.
Also nice to know. Thanks!!
Most def! Windows Phone has the best predictive text system of all os'es. The only thing that even rivals it in my opinion is Swype from Android (and windows mobile before it). But swype still doesn't beat it ;)
It also predicts the next word without even typing a letter based on the prior word. Simply type "I" and it suggests "have", "think", "am", among many others for the next word in the sentence. Good stuff!
I have to be in your heart and soul to keep the peace and security of your life and career development in the world.
^sentence made using WP keyboard predictive wordflow.
Just watching the autocorrect all the time is a good idea. I need to train myself to do that.
Nice tips. But the horrible keyboard is what is keeping me from jumping from Android to Windows Phone. Once Microsoft aloows other keyboards and Swiftkey and/or Swype become available, I'd consider jumping ship.
I don't think Microsoft's keyboard would have allowed you to write aloows! ⬅(tried to autocorrect that one)
It will, Bagsy. Aloows ⬅ (complete with arrow) :)
Aha! But it tries to autocorrect it though...
As Robbcab pointed out above, the WP keyboard's predictive text system is the best in the biz and is definitely faster and more accurate than Android's swipe system.
I have a 920 and a 1020, had iPhones and android phones, perhaps it's the way I type but I find the keyboard really bad, I have way way too many typos. I wish there were 3rd party keyboards available
iOS keyboard is the worst of all, I hate typing in my iPod touch.
I agree, keyboard kinda sucks and swype would be a very welcome addition.
I feel cool knowing them all! Haha very Monica from friends feeling.
When typing in a long number is there a way to have the number be arranged like a dialpad instead of all on a single row?
That right there is one of my pet peeves...
Good question. And though off topic, this reminds me of my Garmin. So dumb that when it asks for a house number, it shows the number pad, but when it asks for a zip code, it shows the full keyboard with the numbers in a little row at the top. Maybe if I have my localization settings set outside the US, that might make sense, but in the US, I only need numbers! Dial pad would be much faster/easier.
Great tips! I did not know about Word Flow. I was wondering why my keyboard would never remember some of the words I use frequently. Now I can add them and it will remember them. Thanks for the article!!!
Thanks for this. Now can someone do some tips on voice command. Specifically how do you get a punctuation mark by voice and dictate more than one long ass run on sentence. When I say a punctuation name it just types the name...smh.
Thanks! I didn't know about tip #2. I wish .gov was an option for tip #4.
Ditto on the need for .gov to be an option!
Thank you, Mark!
My main concern with WP8 keyboard is that the space bar is too narrow, and that makes me tap the comma instead of space, very frustrating
I have that problem especially when I have an extra language installed. The button to switch languages takes up precious space.
Exactlly, and not only hat it moves position of comma as well. Space becomes smaller and you end up hitting comma quite a bit. With pracice I got better at it but I stll ocasionally hit it.
Very helpful, thankyou......it took less than a second to type this lol
Lol! This took me less than the time it took you to type it. :P
lol impossible!
Nice! I didn't know about the swiping to numbers and holding .com to get .org etc. Thanks mark. Don't forget about holding down in the text area to place the cursor! (see below) http://www.themobilefanatics.com/windows-phone-tip-how-to-place-cursor-w...
Thanks for the cursor tip.....nice one!!
That's amazing! Totally wasn't are of that cursor trick. Thanks for the link.
It's not pronounced "e-maw-ticons", it's pronounced "e-moe-ticons". Like the word "emotion". These "icons" help us convey "emotion" in text, so they're called "emoticons". That said, some good tips there! Didn't know about the switch back after emoticon, and the swipe to do one letter.
My daughters pronounce it e-mo-gees...lol
Your daughters are talking about something different. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoji
We need more articles like this!!!
When they do, people usually complain its "old news" though. I haven't seen this site do anything wrong yet. We should appreciate the community!
A few things I didn't know so this helps me. Thanks!
yup... the one thing I use is that since I type in two languajes spanish and english, being able to switch with one click from languaje to languaje and the spell checker as well is priceless!
very nice indeed...but I keep hitting comma instead of space all the time!!!
I wish they would make the language button swipe only. I have 3 languages installed and to often the language has changed without me noticing it. Swipe would stop me accidently change language.
now if it would just let me swear instead of something being "ducking cool." I could get my point across a little better.
These are some great tips. I know I may get flamed here because long time WP users are tired of hearing it from former Android users but as good as this keyboard is swype typing is still better. A year later I still miss it.
Also, when you use a different language (like French - Switzerland), the keyboard will show .CH (for Switzerland) and .FR (for France) in addition to .COM, .EDU and .ORG. Very useful.
I've noticed lately that my keyboard anticipates the next word automatically...(and sometimes without me having to type a letter) after hitting the spacebar! Love it! (Didn't notice that feature until after Lumia Black.)
Heres a way - maybe support 3rd party keyboards such as Swype, or just build the swype like input into the stock keyboard the way Androidevil did. Windows 8 is missing some keyboard elements that would really fix some things - particularly on the virtual keyboard for desktop, and Metro - it should be a transparent overlay over the open application / desktop, not completely black background that overtakes the entire screen on an 8" tablet.
It has always been there, its on my 521 Amber..
That's actually text flow feature.
If you find keyboard/spacebar narrow, maybe tilting the phone to change the orientation of the keyboard might help, but its not supported by all apps. But sometimes typing that way seems weird.
This is probably an unrelated tip which most of you already know, but i found out only recently.
I used to hate the 2-clicks required to call someone from my call history, but if you click on the little phone icon next to the number on your call history, it calls the number right away :)
The only thing I miss from Android is swype
Double tap shift for caps lock I think might be faster than tap and hold. Oh Japanese keyboard also has more ASCII emoticons. We just need shortcuts like IOS has.
It seems my Trophy was better than my 822 in terms of the keyboard. Maybe because of the bigger screen?
Screw the keyboard, it sucks for me. I've recently gotten try Swype on android and it is a revelation. WP needs to enable third-party keyboards. I will be switching if this isn't in the cards, it's that big a deal breaker for me. :(
I switched from Windows Phone to Android about a year ago and any kind of swype, trace, flow, whatever keyboards lose their charm after a while. The really cool keyboards for Android are Fleksy and Minuum. Fleksy is basically the BB10 keyboard while Minnuum is a whole other ball game.
Interesting. Well I'd just like a choice to try other keyboards, swype or anything else, because the keyboard we've got isn't friendly to my fingers.
We need way to remove emotions button. I don't use, and without it the space bar will be largest!
+520
Great tips! I think the keyboard is rather intuitive, and i love the size of the keys. I do have an odd issue - on my English (UK) keyboard the "i" doesn't auto capitalise... I can get it to work on the US kb though... Any help for the British keyboard?
That is the most serious effing problem on WP the i i i i i i it worked on WP 7 yet i look like a child because i get fed up of changing the I's and so get i!
Hold caps and move to I
Shouldn't have to, if you press i and then press space, there should not be a predictive keyboard in the World that doesn't capitalise it for you. It just makes no sense that this isn't included.
My 8X STILL has the bug where holding and sliding to the punctuation marks isn't accurate. When I hold and swipe over to the ? key, the selector highlights ! or - instead.
Wooow coolllll
Oh damn, that swipe &123 to the character you want is awesome!!
I agree. The most agravating thing about this keyboard is the lack of easy access to the apostrophy! Now I can make nouns possessive with the swipe of my thumb! Mwuhaha
Holy shit that is so helpful thanks!
I'm not good at typing on these phones. My problem is the space bar might be too small. I'm always hitting commas.
Thank you. This is the best deal I have ever made XD $1.00 for the app worth me a whole year Skype premium membership, a lot of free apps and valuable tips and information. Thank you again!
Wish I could get rid of the letter ñ it messes with my speed. I text in both Spanish and English but when I switch to Spanish the middle row expands switching the positions of the the letters. its so annoying because the letter ñ is not really used.
I would like .ca added as a ".com" option if setting are on for Canada :)
+1
Is there any way we can edit the Word Flow list or maybe, even better, have a list of words I'll almost never type? So often, my texts come out something like What time are you going yo be there? Instead of to. I never use "yo" and if I accentially type it, I want WP to be smart enough to know better. Even I did type "yo" frequently, it should know that it makes no sense in that context.
I DIDN'T FIND EMOTION OPTIONS IN ADVANCED SETTINGS
MAYBE IF YOU YELL LOUDER IT WILL HELP
you have to have gdr3
Good tips but I miss two things from android:
- swype
- ability to add emails to dictionary
Do more videos like this showing features and capabilities of Windows Phone.
I still miss slide it and swype.
The keys could be made bigger and the inclusion of a t9 keyboard. Have asked this so many times, why isn't there an English t9 keyboard, when there is a Chinese and Korean one.
Thanks #2, #3 &# 6 are a great help.
I wish we could add .co.nz and other url suffixes like they have in iOS. Also a dedicated numbers keyboard switch, its a pain when working with spreadsheets or numbers entry apps.
Excellent tips. Can I remove a single word from Word Flow?
Anyone know if it's possible to type the "…" (Ellipsis) character on the Windows Phone keyboard? (Not 3 "."'s). That's one thing I really miss from iOS, where you could long-press on "." and get it. It's useful for Twitter, SMS, and other places where every character counts!
w_suijker
Just trying to add my email to word flow there
That would've been neat. Hope it'll become possible down the road
I also miss Swype from my Android days, that was the fastest text input method on a phone I've ever used and it was very accurate too. It's the one thing I miss almost enough to go back to Android, but not quite :) One oddity which bugs me a little is that on my WP7 handsets, it automatically capitalised the letter 'i' where appropriate, but on the WP8 handsets I've had, it doesn't do this automatically at all. For instance "so was i" or "then i left", were automatically corrected on WP7 to "so was I" and "then I left". Minor niggle, but a niggle just the same. I'm in the UK btw, in case that has any relevance to the keyboard settings.
Using T-Mobile's 925 in the USA here and my I's capitalize appropriately. Only doesn't work in writing comments on the Facebook app.
I have noticed that it works with the US keyboard, but not so much with the UK. I have no idea why this is.
A feature that seems to have disappeared is the ability to slide to an emoticon. I now have to select the emoticon list, select preferred emoticon, and then go back to keyboard. I'm almost sure that sliding was possible before some firmware update a few months ago. I'm on T-Mobile with a 925.
^True this!
The swipe for numbers was new to me. VERY useful :D
Another tip: Get a bigger screen device or smaller fingers, whichever works best for you...
Kumusta na kayo? Haha, ok naman ang keyboard sakin, works great! ;)
exploring the keyboard brings up some interesting things.
Thanks for the tips. I don't know number 4. The others I had. Already use it quite frequently
Would be if they added some symbols to the comma button.
Thanks for #2 and #3. New to me.
Wow. Man, I've had a Windows Phone since the Focus, and I didn't know about a couple of these! Awesome!
Te36esting!
Wow. Good tips. Been using WP for a while but didn't know a few of those. Thanks for making me a faster typist!
Hm, I actually knew every single one. Well. Maybe I'm just a geek..
Thanks Mark for the tips !
You're welcome! =)
It forgot the most useful one! Press and hold to bring up your cursor to edit easily and quickly within the text...
MetaTrader; used to be available for Windows Mobile and now Android. CitiBank. Standard Chartered. Text Free SMS from Pinger.
Holy moley. I've been a user since day 1 and I'm ashamed to say I didn't know a lot of these shortcuts. Nice tips!
3. Swipe to common punctuations After tap and hold Period, simply swipe left to select the symbol you want to enter. You don't have to really reach the key you want to enter.
You can't really add whatever you wanted.......
Too bad my language doesn't have Word Flow. :(
Wow, really useful stuff in this list. 240 comments and I'm surprised nobody brought up holding vowels and punctuation symbols to type foreign words like the accent over the "i" in some Spanish words. And a technique I found useful for accuracy is imagine the touch board is an old school typewriter with the imaginary key hovering about half an inch above the touch key. It's really satisfying for a touch typist. I think they actually designed it like that too.
about the tips #3, actually u can also add more symbol, when press and hold on the key "a", "s", "d", "e", "i", "o", "c", "m" and "n". just try it out yourself. P/S : the copyright symbol is press and hold the key "c".
Wow, thanks for #2, #3, and #4! And by the way, ".gov" is not included in the English (U.S.) keyboard when you press and swipe but when I switch it to my language, ".gov" is included. Cool!
My biggest (only?) gripe with the WP8 keyboard is not being able to define which domain extensions show up when you swipe from ".co.uk" (or ".com" if you're not in the UK). This is because, on the UK keyboard, we get the following options: .co.uk; .com; ac.uk; .edu; .org Now, I can imagine .ac.uk can be handy for students, but even then it would be far more handy to have .net instead as a lot more sites use .net than .ac.uk. It would be so good if we could customise the list. I would probably change .edu to something else as well (.biz maybe?) as I have never visited a .edu site.
I put a check on 2 languages in Keyboard Setting and just quickly shift from one language to the other to get the different "dotx" LOL!
Very helpful tips. Thank you.
I really really like the Swype function of Android keyboards. And the word prediction of Blackberry 10 keyboards. However WP keyboard looks the best. Would love to see the Swype kind of thing out here.
Why haven't you mentioned that you can swipe to an other keyboard and dictionary ;)
It's really useful when you want to write in an other language.
First, you must select your languages in "paramètres > système > clavier" and you will find a Key on the right of the space bar to switch easily from a language to an other
^This!
I'm so used to my WP8 keyboard's autocorrect that when I type on laptop I expect it also to correct misspelled words especially "i" to become capital "I" ))).. same here with B & N )) one thing I hate on WP8 keyboard is if I misspelled word I have to tap and hold on word to add/delete letter, I know for sure it's much better on Adnroid (maybe iOS too). Also, sometimes it doesnt show manually added words if you type first 1-2 letters, I must type whole word
love th post!
Folks, a while ago I added English (UK) to my keyboard and now I don't have the .com option to the left of the space bar but I have "ENG" When I hold it down I get "ENG (US)" and "ENG (GB)" I can't see how to get rid of one of the English languages? Can someone help??
Go to settings -> keyboard. Then hold the language you don't want and select remove.
You are a star ! Many thanks.
Android keyboards are ugly!
I didn't know about half of these. Awesome. I love WP more every day.
Good stuff I never tried some of these
Is there a way to switch to a Spanish "dictionary" for the keyboard on WP8? And then if so, is it easy to toggle between Spanish and English diving somewhere crazy deep into the settings? I don't want to make the phone all Spanish, just the keyboard dictionary occasionally. Typing in Spanish with the autocorrection and dictionary in English kills me since you have to type a word, tap to unautocorrect, and then continue to the next word and rinse and repeat.
Settings -> keyboard -> add keyboard. Then select whatever you want (options are Spanish (Mexico) or just Spanish).
But Swype is 800% better... I want my swype!!
Nice tips! 2,3 and 4 are very useful I think and I didn't know about this before
Great tips. How can I add more extensions to the .com longpress list. I would like to add .nl, .fr, .ch, .uk.
I miss the comfort of "SwiftKey" to write fast, I hope that this app is available for wp soon. As to the rest, it's great keyboard wp.
WTF, fast emoticon isn't an option under setiings>keynoard>advanced for my 920.
I was amazed. I thought I was a wiz using WP keyboard, not at all 'til I watched this.
Excellent! Thanks!!
I can't think of the last time I entered a .org .edu or .net address (I'm sure i've gone to them through links though) however, as an Australian, I'm constantly entering .com.au. It knows my location. It should put .com.au on the list. My another annoyances about the keyboard. 1. Not being able to remove individual words that you've added to the dictionary. 2. The default dictionary has swear words in it, but for obvious reasons will never suggest them. Should be an option to suggest them. 3. I'd love the tap and hold behaviour to be on suggestions - If they suggest "Martin" I should be able to tap and hold it and choose "Martin's"
i'm a lumia 1520 users, but i dont think the windows phone keyboard typing is as effective as and as fast as typing using Blackberry 10 touch screen keyboard or the third party keyboard on Android.
has anyone ever tried typing "HEHEHEHE" really fast and the screen just zooms to huge characters and you have to restart your device?
Does anybody know how we drive the cursor to the left(back) without deleting any written letters, numbers etc.? I ask this because pointing with the finger sometimes doesn't work.Thanks in advance.
Hold your finger down inside the text box and a red "cursor" will appear above your finger, move that to where you want to make an adjustment. It is rather poorly implemented but it's the only option.
Want to type faster? ADD SWYPE!
Well I'm new to the smartphone environment, so kinda new to this whole experience. I have a Lumia 520, and I'm struggling to start a sentence from a new line. Whenever I press the enter (or the return key) I end up sending the message. Can somebody guide me on the proper way to do it? Sorry if I ended up asking something stupid.
As Debbie said I'm startled that a stay at home mom can make $7424 in 4 weeks on the computer. have you read this web page www.works77.com
You know what will help typing faster...is if there were arrow keys or something similar to move the cursor around sentences. you know, something like the trackball from blackberry. it is so difficult to have to press the screen waiting for the little cursor to appear then trying to navigate the thing around the sentences and in between words just to edit. i really wish a feature like that comes about.
Now, they just need to add T9 predictive input. It is STILL faster than full qwerty, even with all those work arounds that they need to put in to make people write at an acceptable rate. Don't get me wrong, the keyboard on Lumia's are good, but why the hell omit something so essential, especially on smaller phones.
Another very helpful article hot on the heels of the battery saving one earlier. Many thanks and please keep them coming as your time allows! Cheers!
2, 3,4 & 7 were news to me. Thanks!
Anyone know how to turn Word Flow on? It's not working on my Nokia 928 with Amber update and I miss it.
great tips
I would love to see an option to add your own custom text shortcuts. BlackBerry has this feature and it's really helpful (and I've definitely missed it since switching to WP). It has a ton of pre-programmed options but also allows users to record their own shortcuts. It works a bit like autocorrect, but without the surprise, irritating, erroneous element that autocorrect often has. For example, I was able to type "hh" + space bar and "headed home" would be entered into the text space, or "tmro" adds "tomorrow", or "icct" adds "in car, can't text", or "ta" adds "thanks again".
2nd tip was new to me
i dont have this settingin keyboard>advanced -->switch back to letters after I type an emoticon
Yes, yes...me too...space bar, comma issue. Annoying.
very useful, thanks !
Kind of blows my mind that so many people want Swype. I've used WP8, iOS, and Android a ton and have never been blown away by Swype. In fact, I hardly use it on my Droid Ultra.
shame it doesn't work on Windows 8 tablets
Sooo helpful
Can you remove just one suggested word from the database instead of resetting the whole thing? In Swiftkey in Android you can just long press on a suggestion and remove it. That would be a great feature to add if the WP keyboard doesn't already have it. Anyone know about this?
Nice Tricks :) Thank U

Show more comments