How To Set Up Bluetooth On Android

More and more, people are starting to observe that tablets make decent productivity tools. With devices like the Microsoft Surface and iPad Pro condign more popular, y'all may be looking to create something similar with your Android device. With a Bluetooth keyboard, it'south simple. Here's how to connect one, and everything you lot can exercise with it.

How to Pair Your Keyboard

Setting up a Bluetooth keyboard with Android is very easy. First, you'll need a Bluetooth keyboard and, of course, an Android device. For this example, I'm using a Logitech Keys-to-Get keyboard.

In Android, enable Bluetooth if it isn't already on. To enable Bluetooth, simply go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the slider push button to "On". Then, plow on your Bluetooth keyboard and put it into pairing mode. (Information technology volition usually become into pairing fashion automatically after yous turn it on, though some keyboards may require an extra step—check your manual if you aren't sure.)

On the Bluetooth screen, your Android device should automatically search for and notice your keyboard. If you don't get information technology right the first fourth dimension, simply turn the keyboard on again and so tap "Search for Devices" to effort again. If it however doesn't work, make certain y'all have fresh batteries (or the keyboard is charged) and the keyboard isn't paired to some other device. If it is, y'all volition demand to unpair information technology before it will work with your Android device.

When Android finds your keyboard, select it under "Available Devices" and you lot should be prompted to blazon in a lawmaking.

If successful, yous will run into that device is now "Continued" and you're ready to go.

If you want to test things out, try pressing Windows+Esc on the keyboard (or Command+Esc if it's a Mac keyboard), and you will be whisked to your Home screen.

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How to Use Your Keyboard

You probably know y'all can use your keyboard to type out emails, web log posts, or any other longform text you want. Merely your keyboard can do more than type. Traditional Windows and Mac users know at that place's normally a keyboard shortcut for just about everything. So where does Android fall in terms of baked-in keyboard commands?

We'd say Android's keyboard shortcuts are "plenty, but not too much". There are definitely established combos you lot can employ to get effectually, but they aren't clear and there doesn't appear to be any i authority on what they are. Still, at that place is enough keyboard functionality in Android to arrive a viable option, if only for those times when you demand to get something done and an on-screen keyboard simply won't do.

Information technology'southward important to remember that Android is, and likely always will be, a bear on-beginning interface. That said, it does make some concessions to physical keyboards. In other words, you can get around Android adequately well without having to lift your hands off the keys, simply you lot will still take to tap the screen regularly unless you add together a mouse. For example, you tin wake your device by tapping a key rather than pressing its power button. If you have a password or PIN, yous can type it in with your keyboard, simply if your device is slide or pattern-locked, and then you'll have to utilise the touch screen to unlock it. Other things like widgets and app controls and features will besides take to exist tapped. You get the idea.

Keyboard Shortcuts and Navigation

Equally nosotros said, baked-in keyboard shortcut combos aren't necessarily abundant nor apparent. The one thing you lot can e'er practice is search. Any time y'all want to Google something, get-go typing from the Habitation screen and the search screen will automatically open and begin displaying results.

Other than that, here is what nosotros were able to figure out:

Esc = Become Back
Ctrl+Esc = Menu
Alt+Infinite = Search Page (say "OK Google" to phonation search)
Alt+Tab and Alt+Shift+Tab = Switch Tasks

Too, if you have designated volume part keys, those will probably work too. There are besides some dedicated shortcuts that launch apps similar computer, Gmail, and a few others:

Windows+C = Contacts
Windows+G = Gmail
Windows+L = Calendar
Windows+P = Play Music
Windows+Y = YouTube

Overall, this is not a comprehensive list, and there are no dedicated keyboard combos for the total array of Google's products. Granted, it'southward difficult to imagine getting a lot of mileage out of a keyboard with Maps, but with something like Continue, you could type out long, detailed lists on your tablet and so view them on your smartphone when you leave shopping.

You can also use the arrow keys to navigate your Home screen shortcuts and open the app drawer. When something on the screen is selected, it volition be highlighted. Press "Enter" to open your selection.

Additionally, if an app has its ain set of shortcuts, like Gmail or Chrome, some—though not many—will work in Android (non YouTube, for instance). Also, many "universal" shortcuts such as Copy (Ctrl+C), Cutting (Ctrl+X), Paste (Ctrl+V), and Select All (Ctrl+A) work in lots of apps.

Creating Custom Awarding Shortcuts

While custom keyboard shortcuts were really a part of the organization dorsum in the Gingerbread days, that is sadly no longer the case. Fortunately, there's an app for that (as with everything).

Information technology is chosen External Keyboard Helper (EKH), and while there is a complimentary demo version, the pay version is but a few bucks.

To apply it, starting time open the awarding and you'll encounter the main app screen. Don't worry nigh choosing a custom layout or anything similar that. Yous want to get directly to the "Avant-garde Settings".

From there select "Keyboard Mapping", and so "Application Shortcuts".

You lot tin have upwards to xvi custom application shortcuts. For this instance, let'southward create a custom shortcut to the Facebook app. Commencement, choose "A0", and from the resulting list, Facebook. You can do this for any number of apps, services, and settings. As you can now come across, the Facebook app has now been linked to awarding-zero (A0):

Now, go dorsum to the Advanced Settings page and choose "Customize Keyboard Mappings". You volition be prompted to create a custom keyboard layout—select "Custom 1".

When you choose to create a custom layout, you lot can do a keen many more than things with your keyboard. For example, many keyboards have predefined function (Fn) keys, which you can map to your tablet'southward brightness controls, Wi-Fi toggle, and much more.

A discussion of advice: the application automatically remaps certain keys when you create a custom layout. This might mess upwardly some existing keyboard combos. If you simply want to add some functionality to your keyboard, y'all can go ahead and delete EKH'due south default changes and starting time your custom layout from scratch.

To create a new combo, select "Add new key mapping".

For the new shortcut, allow's assign the Facebook app to open when Alt+F is pressed. To do this, tap the "Scancode" field and input the "F" primal on your keyboard—it will prove up as "33," equally this is the alphabetic character F's keycode. You tin can also change this later by using the "Change" button.

Now, let'south assign the Alt central to awarding "A0", previously designated as the Facebook app. In the "AltGr" field, enter "A0" so save the custom philharmonic.

From here on out, as long as you're using the custom layout you only created, the Facebook app should launch whenever yous press Alt+F on your keyboard. Like shooting fish in a barrel peasy.

External Keyboard Helper extends far beyond unproblematic application shortcuts, and if you're looking for deeper keyboard customization options, you should definitely cheque it out. Among other things, EKH also supports dozens of languages, and allows you to apace switch between layouts using a key or combo, add upwardly to 16 custom text shortcuts, and much more than.

You can gran the full version for $i.99 on the Play Store, but you lot can try the demo version for free. More all-encompassing documentation on how to use the app is also bachelor.

Dissimilar traditional desktop operating systems, you don't need a physical keyboard and mouse to employ a mobile operating arrangement. Y'all tin buy an iPad, Pixel C, or any other Android tablet and never need some other accompaniment or peripheral—they work as intended right out of the box. In theory, you could write an essay, volume, or anything else using merely the touch-based keyboard on a tablet—but that would be ho-hum and absurdly time-consuming. Not recommended.

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Using a keyboard with Android makes more sense in that state of affairs. You don't fifty-fifty need to add customizations (though they are prissy), because there are enough existing keyboard shortcuts in Android to get in usable. Plus, when it comes to inputting text such as in an editor or terminal application, we fully abet big, physical keyboards. Bottom line: if y'all're looking for a way to enhance your Android tablet, requite a keyboard a chance.