Can someone help me quickly please with my floating keyboard on screen?

[Divisionoflabour89]

I don’t know what I did!

Android tablet.

Must have pressed something I shouldn’t.

In messenger, all of a sudden, keyboard - in compact format - appears at top of screen but only lower half of it. So not able to type messages in usual rectangle at bottom of screen and anyway half of alphabet missing.


Tried:

• turning in and off - no luck
  
  
• searching Google for solution to ‘floating keyboard’ but it involves finding three dots and finding one with line through it, but that is missing off top of screen
  
  *tried manipulating size of floating box with touch pressure - some blue boundary lines appear - but only poss to make it smaller not larger, and can’t get it to move back to where it was
  
  Can any kind person help please?

[UpTheAnte]

I'm not sure exactly but have a look in Settings under Accessibility.

[Divisionoflabour89]

Thank you. Will try that.

[tribpot]

Do you know what keyboard you're using? Very likely it's the stock keyboard for your brand of tablet, so Samsung keyboard or similar.

One sort-of solution may be to download Google keyboard, I prefer it anyway (I even have it on my iPad, ha ha). Then in settings -> System -> Languages and input change which keyboard is active.

[TwoMonthsOff]

On iPad you just ‘pinch it out’ to full size again, is that what you mean? Sorry if not

[Divisionoflabour89]

I can’t see anything obvious.

I have looked at display and accessibility in settings

why would anyone want a tiny floating keyboard that slides side to side but not down, in first place?

[Divisionoflabour89]

Thank you for these suggestions!

It’s not an iPad sadly!

Its a cheapo Android Le Novo provided by work! Very reliable up until now!

I’ve tried pinching and moving, but can only get it to slide side to side, not down, and can only get it to go smaller.

will try and download Google keyboard

thank you for these suggestions!

[Divisionoflabour89]

Btw I am posting on my iPhone here!

Can’t type on tablet atm obviously!

😧

[dew141]

I did this but can't remember how I fixed it. Sorry, it was very annoying!

[Divisionoflabour89]

Ok I can’t download Google keyboard bc half of the keyboard is missing off top of screen so the ‘o’s are missing, along with other letters!

[Divisionoflabour89]

@dew141

I did this but can't remember how I fixed it. Sorry, it was very annoying!

Yes indeed! 😄😅

I will just have to keep playing with it.

but have been trying for an hour and have work deadline! Argh!

[tribpot]

I actually think the Google keyboard may be the default for Lenovo tablets anyway, based on what I've found.

I've just turned my Google keyboard on my phone into a floating one, and I can indeed drag it partly off the screen. But all I need to do to drag it back on again is touch it at the bottom (near that white line below the space bar) and then move my finger down the screen.

[Divisionoflabour89]

I think it’s something to do with chat, bc when I press on box, “customise your chat” comes up with a list of colours! Not at all helpful!

[dew141]

I think it helped rotating into landscape mode first. It's the next bit I can't remember. The challenge is that the sodding keyboard sits over the bits you want to press.

There's a few ideas on this page

techshift.net/how-do-i-turn-off-split-keyboard-on-android/

[Divisionoflabour89]

@tribpot

I actually think the Google keyboard may be the default for Lenovo tablets anyway, based on what I've found.

I've just turned my Google keyboard on my phone into a floating one, and I can indeed drag it partly off the screen. But all I need to do to drag it back on again is touch it at the bottom (near that white line below the space bar) and then move my finger down the screen.

Thanks again tripot!

the touch sensitivity of the screen has become a bit sticky over the years. Maybe it’s that!

will have another go though!

[tribpot]

It only seems to do it if you touch near that white bar below the space bar, that has to 'light up' before it will move.

Rotating it to landscape is a good shout as well.

[Divisionoflabour89]

rotating good idea! Thank you!

funnily enough I have managed to change the floating keyboard in to French and English settings so far but it’s still floating 😄

[Divisionoflabour89]

Thank you dew141

using tips from your list I have managed to drag it to bottom of screen!

and now as you say it is covering but you want to access - but half way there!

[Divisionoflabour89]

bit not but!

[Divisionoflabour89]

whoo hoo! Success!

It’s slotted back in!

Thank you so much everyone! Much appreciated!

Particularly Tribpot and Dew141!

Can actually finish my work now unfortunately😃😂😃

[dew141]

Awesome! I share your pain, how can it be so easy to inadvertently turn on and almost impossible to turn off?!

[Divisionoflabour89]

And yes you were right TwoMonthsOff it was all about “pinching it down and out” in the end if anyone comes on here in future and has same issue. Rotating also helps.

[Divisionoflabour89]

@dew141

Awesome! I share your pain, how can it be so easy to inadvertently turn on and almost impossible to turn off?!

Yes I think it must be a design glitch! And doesn’t help when screen old and “sticky”.

The other slightly sinister thing is though that it kept diverting me to a “allow access to microphone” box when I was attempting to fix it, so maybe there is some ulterior motive built in?

[tribpot]

I don't think that was too sinister, it must have thought you were trying to turn on voice typing (which is also a good feature).

Anyway much relief it's now sorted, sorry you now have to finish your work 😆

[Divisionoflabour89]

@tribpot

I don't think that was too sinister, it must have thought you were trying to turn on voice typing (which is also a good feature).

Anyway much relief it's now sorted, sorry you now have to finish your work 😆

Yes I am probably over-thinking there on reflection Tribpot!

Thank you again! Work all finished thankfully.

Hope everyone has a good Easter break!