Foldable phones broke the soft-keyboard mold. A Galaxy Fold in outer-screen mode wants a narrow, one-thumb layout. Unfolded, the inner screen is wide enough to want a split keyboard the way an iPad has one. Most Android keyboards were built for a slab phone, and unfolding one shows what a designer never planned for.
We tested eight Android keyboards on a Galaxy Z Fold, a Z Flip, and a Pixel Fold, and ranked them by how well they read the screen state, resize, and switch layouts without a settings trip. Some are one-thumb-friendly on the outer screen. Some do a real split layout on the inner screen. A few do both.
What to look for in a foldable-friendly keyboard app
- Auto resize on screen size change (fold, unfold, rotate).
- A split layout for the unfolded inner screen.
- A one-hand mode for the outer cover screen.
- Gesture typing that stays accurate across sizes.
- A settings switch that survives the unfold event so the layout does not reset.
The eight below hit at least three. The rank orders them by how automatic the transition is.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Split layout | Open-source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gboard | Auto-adapts across screens | Yes | Yes | No |
| Microsoft SwiftKey | Multi-language typing on foldables | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fleksy | Extension-driven customization | Yes | No | No |
| TypeWise | Hexagonal keys sized for thumbs | Yes | No | No |
| Grammarly Keyboard | Editing assist while typing | Yes | No | No |
| OpenBoard | Open-source AOSP-based | Free | No | Yes |
| FlorisBoard | Modern open-source with layouts | Free | Yes | Yes |
| Multiling O Keyboard | Deep layout customization | Free | Yes | Yes |
1. Gboard, best for auto-adapting across screens
Gboard reads the fold state and repaints the keyboard. On the outer cover screen you get a narrow one-thumb layout. On the inner screen, gesture typing scales to the wider canvas without breaking accuracy. The 2026 releases added a split-layout toggle that snaps in when the fold opens.
Where it falls short: it is Google. Anyone wary of the Google account tie-in will look elsewhere.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Android (including Wear OS).
Download: Available on the Play Store as com.google.android.inputmethod.latin.
Bottom line: The default keyboard for anyone whose foldable came with Gboard preinstalled and never checked the settings.
2. Microsoft SwiftKey, best for multi-language typing on foldables
Microsoft SwiftKey brings a well-tuned multi-language layout and a split view that opens as soon as the phone unfolds. Cloud sync keeps the prediction model consistent across a Fold, a Flip, and a tablet, which is where SwiftKey earns its keep.
Where it falls short: the “AI” suggestion pane pushes hard for a Microsoft account login.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Download: Available on the Play Store as com.touchtype.swiftkey.
Bottom line: The right pick for anyone who types in more than one language across devices.
3. Fleksy, best for extension-driven customization
Fleksy is a gesture-first keyboard with a plugin bar. Emojis, GIFs, translation, calculator, and a decent theme engine all live behind the space bar. On a foldable, it stays compact on the cover screen and stretches on the inner screen without a resize glitch.
Where it falls short: no true split layout on the unfolded screen. Typing with two thumbs on a Fold’s inner screen means reaching further than SwiftKey or Gboard needs.
Pricing:
- Free tier, Premium at $0.99/mo (annual).
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Download: Available on the Play Store as com.syntellia.fleksy.keyboard.
Bottom line: The choice when a plugin bar and a theme change every week matter more than a split layout.
4. TypeWise, best for hexagonal keys sized for thumbs
TypeWise builds hex-shaped keys that are 70% larger than a standard soft key. On a Flip’s tall narrow screen, the hex layout gives thumbs more target area. Prediction is local, and no keystroke leaves the phone.
Where it falls short: the layout takes a week to build muscle memory. First few days feel slower before the accuracy jump kicks in.
Pricing:
- Free tier, Premium at $3.99/mo or $29/yr.
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Download: Available on the Play Store as ch.icoaching.typewise.
Bottom line: The pick when the current keyboard’s error rate on a Flip’s cover screen is the pain.
5. Grammarly Keyboard, best for editing assist while typing
Grammarly Keyboard is the writing-assistant keyboard. Grammar and tone checks appear inline. On a foldable, the inner screen has enough room to show suggestions and the keyboard at the same time, so the flow is faster than on a slab.
Where it falls short: it wants an account, and heavy typers see it phone home for suggestions.
Pricing:
- Free, with a paid Grammarly Premium at $12/mo unlocking full checks.
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Download: Available on the Play Store as com.grammarly.android.keyboard.
Bottom line: The right addition when the phone is a writing tool as much as a phone.
6. OpenBoard, best for open-source AOSP-based
OpenBoard is the open-source keyboard that started as an AOSP fork with a cleaner build. No trackers, no cloud, no account. Layouts, autocorrect, and gesture typing all work offline.
Where it falls short: no split layout, and the predictions trail the closed-source top three by a wide margin. Typing feels less “smart” for the first month.
Pricing:
- Free, GPL.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Available on the Play Store as org.dslul.openboard.inputmethod.latin, and on F-Droid.
Bottom line: The privacy-first pick when a tracker-free keyboard beats prediction quality.
7. FlorisBoard, best for a modern open-source with real layouts
FlorisBoard is the newer open-source keyboard that put design first. Themes, glide typing, and a split layout for wide screens all sit in the app. On a Fold’s inner screen the split kicks in and the layout is comfortable for two-thumb typing.
Where it falls short: still beta as of 2026. Some layouts have accuracy gaps and the app crashes occasionally on Android 15.
Pricing:
- Free, Apache 2.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Available on the Play Store and on F-Droid as dev.patrickgold.florisboard.
Bottom line: The right pick for anyone who wants a modern, open, foldable-aware keyboard and can live with a rough edge.
8. Multiling O Keyboard, best for deep layout customization
Multiling O Keyboard is the tinkerer’s keyboard. Every key can be re-mapped, every layout can be redrawn, and every gesture can be reassigned. On a foldable, that means building a layout that exactly fits the fold and the unfold.
Where it falls short: the UI is a 2015 web page in an Android wrapper. Setup takes a while.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Available on the Play Store as kl.ime.oh.
Bottom line: The pick when the goal is a hand-tuned layout for a specific foldable, not a general-purpose keyboard.
How to pick the right one
- Foldable came with Gboard, works fine: stay on Gboard.
- Multiple languages, cross-device: Microsoft SwiftKey.
- Big thumb targets on a Flip: TypeWise.
- Writing tool for long-form text: Grammarly Keyboard.
- Open-source and offline: OpenBoard or FlorisBoard.
- Hand-tuned layouts: Multiling O Keyboard.
- Themes and plugins: Fleksy.
FAQ
Which of these auto-splits on the inner screen?
Gboard and Microsoft SwiftKey handle the auto-split cleanly. FlorisBoard has a split layout you toggle manually. The others render at full width.
Which keyboard is best for a Galaxy Z Flip?
On a Flip’s narrow cover screen, TypeWise’s hex keys and Gboard’s one-hand mode both work well. SwiftKey’s cover mode is also solid.
Are any of these truly offline?
OpenBoard, FlorisBoard, and Multiling O Keyboard all run without a network. TypeWise’s core prediction is local too. Gboard, SwiftKey, and Grammarly all have cloud features that phone home.
Can I keep custom words when I switch keyboards?
None of these apps interoperate at the dictionary level. Adding a word means adding it again. Cloud-synced keyboards (Gboard, SwiftKey) carry your dictionary between devices of the same brand.
Which of these are open-source?
OpenBoard, FlorisBoard, and Multiling O Keyboard are open-source. The rest are closed.
Do these handle unfold events without crashing?
Gboard, SwiftKey, Grammarly, Fleksy, and FlorisBoard all survive the fold/unfold event cleanly on tested devices. OpenBoard has occasional layout glitches on the first release after a firmware update.
