3 Android typing tips everyone should know

For new smartphone users, learning to type on a touchscreen can be tricky— whether it’s choosing between your thumb and forefinger as your preferred typing tool or simply finding the right key to tap. To help you get the hang of it, here are three quick and easy Android typing tips to save you time and effort when entering text.

Double-tap the shift key for caps lock

Want to type in ALL CAPS? No problem! Just double-tap the shift key and a blue indicator will light up. You’ll know you’re in all caps because the letter keys will change to uppercase. When you’re ready to switch back to lowercase, just tap the shift key once again.

Quickly complete a website address

When typing a website address in an email or into your internet browser, save the time it takes to type “.com” or “.gov” by holding down the “.” key next to the space bar. You’ll see a pop-up window appear with the most common options. Simply slide your finger on top of your preferred option to add it to the website address.

Speak into your phone to type

Don’t have a free hand for tapping out a text message or just want to save some time? Use the microphone key to transcribe your message! Locate the microphone key in the bottom-left corner of the messaging screen. Tap it once and begin speaking your message. Your phone will listen carefully and start transcribing your words on the screen. To enter punctuation marks while using voice recognition, just say “period,” “comma,” “question mark,” or “exclamation point,” and Android will enter the appropriate punctuation mark instead of the words.

Now you’re prepared to quickly type texts and email. Happy tapping!

Are you an iPhone user? Then click here to read last week’s blog post to learn similar tips and tricks for iPhones.

37 Thoughts on "3 Android typing tips everyone should know"

  1. Rick Koch says

    Love the tips – great & helpful idea! Love Consumers Cellular … keep up the good work!

    • tony wakim says

      Thank you Rick, I have more knowledge, I never new these before, I hope you will teach me more in the future.

  2. Peggy says

    Great tips. Except that on my phone, the Moto G Ext, holding down the . next to the spacebar pops up a box full of characters, not .com or .net or .gov options. Also, the microphone is in different locations depending on the phone. My Samsung Galaxy exhilarate didn’t have a mic, while my Moto’s mic is in the upper right hand corner. So these are not the same for every Android cell phone.

  3. Diane says

    I’m just a few days new to my first smartphone – android. Thank you for the tips, very helpful. When using the text-to-speak feature, my phone types all small letters. I was surprised this feature doesn’t use correct capitalization. Is there a way to correct this?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for asking, Diane. Google Voice works well, but sometimes it needs a bit more information in order to type with correct capitalization. We have a few tips to make it easier. When ending a sentence, say “Period”. That will not only end the sentence, but it will capitalize the start of the next sentence as well. You can also do the same by saying “Question Mark” or “Exclamation Point”. If you say “Enter”, it will create a new line in the same way you would do so on a keyboard. Using these commands can help make your text messages more accurate. If you do need to make a correction, just tap on the section that needs to be fixed and use the keyboard’s backspace bar. We appreciate you taking the time to comment today, and we’re so glad you are getting to know your new smartphone!

  4. Irene Skieresz says

    Tried the voice option to send message, did not work, got message “could not connect”

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for the comment, Irene. Different Android versions have slightly different features, so some texting capabilities might be a bit different. You might try saying “Send Message”, as the system works best with very direct statements. We appreciate you letting us know how it worked for you!

  5. Michael Frazier says

    This might be elementary. As a somewhat new user of the Moto G Ext, I have found that it helps much to rotate the screen so as to get larger keys for the onscreen keyboard. It avoids some of the errors, such as the misspelled email address which resulted in an incorrect order to the [merchant store]. Not every keyboard display will rotate however.
    What I would still like to learn is whether we would be well advised to buy a stylus?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Great tip, Michael! Using a stylus can be very helpful, especially for those who write longer emails or text messages. Let us know if you try one- we would love to hear how it worked for you. Thank you for commenting!

  6. Barbara Coldiron says

    I love the fact that I can slide my finger from letter to letter and I can create a word at a time. If I wasn’t accurate enough in my sliding, my phone gives two alternative choices. Also, if I have misspelled a word (one of my pet peeves) it will provides spell check.

  7. Jack Smith says

    Is there any way I can listen to FM radio with my iPhone 5s? Thanks in advance.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Great question, Jack. Many of our customers enjoy listening to the radio on their phones. We’ve recommended a great radio app called Tune In Radio. You can read our blog post about it here. It provides a great option for using your iPhone to listen to thousands of stations. Just a reminder to use Wi-Fi when listening so you don’t have any unexpected data usage. Thank you for your comment, and we hope you enjoy your tunes!

  8. NANCY E says

    Typing tips are great! Where can I buy a stylus for my Huawei Ascend Mate 2 smartphone? Would ANY stylus work on any phone? How expensive are they? How (technically) does the stylus work?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re glad you enjoyed them, Nancy. Any stylus should work with your phone as they work with any touchscreen. The stylus works in the same way as your finger, it is just easier to be more precise and you can see more of the screen when you are using it. Let us know if you try one, we would love to hear about the experience!

    • G2U says

      Dollar tree has them (as does every discount store on the planet I think). Some of them include an ink pen on the other end. Some include a tiny lanyard that snaps into your phone in the earplug hole — that’s the kind I like.

  9. Irene Skieresz says

    Just found out I need to be connected to my Wi-Fi to use the speech option.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for the update, Irene. I see that you are using our Huawei 8652 smartphone, so thank you for letting us know about that! We hope you enjoy using the voice feature while texting, and thank you for taking the time to post. We appreciate it!

    • Andrew says

      If your using consumer cellular you should be able to use Google voice to make text messages and commands. Otherwise check your phone to make sure it has all the latest updates.

  10. NANCY E says

    Ashley, thanks for your reply above, but you forgot to answer a few of my questions about a stylus: Where can I get one? How much money do they cost? And how TECHNICALLY do they work? Thanks for your reply!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      My apologies, Nancy. You can find a stylus at most office supply or electronics store, and in many online outlets. The pricing varies depending on whether there are other functions included with the stylus, such as a pen or laser pointer. A stylus works with your touchscreen in the same way your finger does, it is just more precise. Thank you again for commenting!

      • Betty says

        A stylus is like a pen/pencil with a “soft pad” at the end. Prices range from $5-$10.

  11. Kathryn says

    Is gmail data? When I am on the network and I receive a gmail, then I look at it. Am I charged data or talk?

  12. Kathryn says

    And is Wi-FI and My Network the same thing?? Or is My Network just my home network? I am brand new at this!! Whew!! Also old!!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for the questions, Kathryn. We’re happy to help! On your phone, My Network refers to the Consumer Cellular network, which includes data if you have a text and data plan. When you access Gmail or other email, you will be using data from your plan. The great news is that you can use Wi-Fi, which will allow you to go online and email without using any data from your plan. If you have Wi-Fi at home, or if you visit a business or location offering it, you can connect your phone to the that. You can find Wi-Fi in your phone’s settings, and you will want to make sure it is turned on. Then, when you are around a Wi-Fi signal, follow the prompts on your phone to connect. That’s it! We also offer great How-To videos on our Support page that will show you how to connect to Wi-Fi using your phone. We’re also available to help you at 888-345-5509, whichever works best for you. In no time, you’ll be a smartphone expert!

    • Christine E. says

      Kathryn, I am 70+…my curiosity, imagination & most of my logic is still entact…we never really loose those gifts. However, our confidence is another issue. Oh I forgot about time..it definitely has been embattled. It seems like the world moves in what seems to me, moves way to fast. For example, a second feels more like a minute, etc. Ya know, like a $20 bill today accomplishes what $5 did when I was in Collage. As for Stylus products, just go to any office supply or art store (office better) Find yourself an employee & tell them you are in the beginning stages of educating yourself on best products to help you with your issue. Most folks can help you with most things. There is an insane variety of anything you can think of. BEST RULE OF THUMB? KEEP THINGS SIMPLE & TRY TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT YOU NEED BECAUSE YOU CAN GET OVERWHELMED & CONFUSED TO A LEVELYOU’VE NEVER IMAGINED POSSIBLE. It is great fun though & I’ve learned a great deal of useful info. Good luck AND don’t let anyone discourage or intimidate you or your level of knowledge. You go girl. Age is a 3 letter word & a number. Details that some keep track of as if it were an exact science HA!!! Good luck & be proud of your ‘badass’ self. Its definitely a character-building experience. Stay healthy during your new adventure. Your brain thanks you.✌

  13. John T says

    I have used a stylus with my Huawei Vision phone for quite some time and it works great. I carry a ballpoint pen all the time, so I bought a pen with a rubber cover on the end. Simply retract the ballpoint and you have a soft stylus. Next best thing to using voice to dictate text messages.

  14. Nancy E says

    I, and many others served by Consumer Cellular, want a larger data plan than 4 Gigs! Can you “go to bat” for us to help us get it?

  15. vivian sullivan says

    I have a question. My phone keeps saying to insert SIM card! Do I need a new SIM card? Thanks so much!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for commenting, Vivian. I’m glad to see that Jason was able to assist you, and get the issue resolved. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you today. We appreciate you taking the time to reach out to us!

  16. Sue M says

    Microphone option works only about 20% of the time.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, Sue. The microphone works best if there is little background noise, and if you speak slowly and clearly. We’ve found that helps quite a bit! We appreciate you taking the time to post today!

  17. Betty smith says

    The voice on my navigation works fine if I try and use it in my house. However when I’m in my car I only get the map version and no voice. I make sure the data is turned on but still doesn’t work. I have a Huawei ascend mate 2.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      That’s a great question, Betty. It sounds like a setting within your Maps app. Once you’ve opened the app, select the menu icon in the bottom right corner. Make sure that Mute is not selected, which should allow you to hear the turn by turn instructions again. Also, be sure that data and navigation are turned on. If you continue to have the issue, feel free to give us a call at 888-345-5509, and we can help you troubleshoot it further. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us today!

  18. Anita says

    I have been a CC customer for a little over a year now and am very pleased with your service. I have a Motorola Moto G phone. I want to know how to block a phone caller from repeat callings and text messages.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re glad to hear that you are enjoying our service, Anita! Unfortunately, we can’t block incoming calls to your phone, but you can add numbers to a certain list that will send them straight to Voicemail. You can do this by adding this number to your contacts, then selecting the “Settings” icon in the top right corner. Then, select “Add to auto reject list”. That way, you won’t be bothered by their calls any longer. We also recommend adding your phone number to the national Do Not Call registry. If we can answer any other questions for you, we would be happy to speak with you over the phone at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you taking the time to comment, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

  19. Jack Miller says

    TCL 5004S phone. Auto capitalization suddenly stopped. Also when I tap a letter I feel vibration but no sound. This occurs on rest and email.

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for taking the time to post, Jack. You may be able to adjust the auto-capitalization and sound by checking Keyboard & Input and Sound respectively in the settings of your phone. If you need assistance, you can give us a call at 888-345-5509 or chat with us here.