Keyboard app for iOS

By Gaurav J, 19 August, 2021

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

What are the best third party keyboard applications that any of you folks are using in order to type quickly and accurately?

I have been using flick type keyboard for the past few years as it allows me to type on my iPhone with almost the same typing speed as my sighted friends.
Unfortunately flick type keyboard is stopping all development due to issues they are facing with the App Store.

I have tried Fleksy keyboard, however it is no where near as fast or as accurate as Flick Type was. Also Fleksy is not specifically designed for visually impaired users.

I know a lot of folks also use dictation, however, it's not always convenient to use the dictation function when we are in public places or in noisy areas.

Can anybody suggest any alternative to flick type keyboard or any other way in which I can type quickly and accurately on my iPhone?

Thank you in advance!

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Comments

By Dalia on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

I've been testing Viskey over the past few days.

It's no replacement to Flicktype, but might possibly have a slight edge over the native keyboard. I specifically like being able to swipe left to delete the last key press, but suspect that this won't be enough to cancel out the friction point of having to regularly switch between Viskey and the native keyboard when the latter does something the former doesn't.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/viskey/id998451252

By KE7ZUM on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

I use airtype. Love it. You type from the computer and it goes right away to your iOs device. it is cross platform so it will work anywhere there is a web browser.

By Gaurav J on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

Yes, I have used Airtype and other such apps in the past.
However I am specifically looking for an iOS keyboard as there are many times where I am out and about and need to quickly type out a message or an email on my phone and flick type keyboard was excellent for this.

By Dawn 👩🏻‍🦯 on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

Use Braille screen input.

It's not 3rd party, which, I think, makes it better than the 3rd party braille keyboards out there.

You type using a braille keyboard onscreen. Let me tell you, it has sped up my typing, productivity immensely! A message that used to take 15 to 20 minutes to type up and send on the Ipad, now only takes 5 to 10 minutes.

I've used braille keyboards physical ones for a little over 20 years, and let me tell you. When a tech support rep told me I could use this on my Ipad, I'll confess that I fell in love with my Ipad even more.

By KE7ZUM on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

I can type a message with BSI in about 30 seconds. but I braille fast anyway.

By Gaurav J on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

I lost my eyesight in my adulthood, so I never learned to use braille.

The challenge with BSI is that it requires you to hold your device differently. So I'll be browsing something like YouTube or safari, and then if I have to type something I then need to turn my phone around to type, and then turn it back over to start looking at the screen again.

I've been trying to use Fleksy keyboard which is a little like flick type, but since flecks isn't made specifically for visually impaired users, it has many accessibility issues.

I wish there was some way we could get apple to reconsider how harshly they are treating the flick type developer and allow them to continue to develop the application for users like myself.

By Gaurav J on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

Flick type is a third party keyboard, which means it's not developed by Apple.

Since I was a premium subscriber to flick type, I didn't need to copy and paste text as the keyboard was available to me in all applications such as Safari, Mail, Messages, Whatsapp etc.

By KE7ZUM on Monday, September 6, 2021 - 01:53

with airtype, you do not need to copy paste. it just works. I used it yesterday to post about a 2 page thign on a subreddit along with links. Since "m at my computer all the time this works.

By faraz qureshi on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 - 01:53

It is really become annoyed to type without flick type like app. I’min search of app like that any help would be highly appreciating

By Cobbler on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 - 01:53

I too miss FlickType, and wish that its developer could find a way and will to bring it back.

Unfortunately, as far As I am aware, there is currently no other keyboard that comes close to offering similar functionality and features.

I'm hoping that Apple sees and seizes an opportunity to expand on its QuickPath swipe to type feature.

By Michael Dunn on Monday, June 6, 2022 - 01:53

I'm having the EXACT SAME problem!!!!!!!! I badly just HAVE TO type using my laptop's keyboard with my IPHone using IOS 15 with VOiceOVer, and I swear typing passwords is 100 PERCENT IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!! I want an interface like you can use on the Facebook Messenger site so you can type texts from your laptop.
I've tried googling some results and the only one that came up was Airtype. BUt the CRAP thing is, Airtype is NO LONGER AVAILABLE!!!!!!!!! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME OR I AM SERIOUSLY QUITTING USING MY IPHONE FOR GOODE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I use Windows 10 and never plan to change to using a Mac. Is there really NO OTHER keyboard app I can use directly with my laptop? If so, THE WORLD HAS ALREADY ENDED FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!