topic Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour in Tablets

Strange physical keyboard behaviour

sgzmd — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 13:42:48 GMT

Hey folks,

I have two questions about Samsung Tab s7+ physical keyboard:

1. How can I use multiple layouts with it, e.g. English/French? I have multiple layouts set up for Physical Keyboard, pressing Shift-Space (or any other combination - Ctrl-Space, Alt-Shift) shows on-screen toast that layout has changed, and it changes the layout of on-screen keyboard, but doesn't change physical keyboard state.

2. Whenever I start typing with physical keyboard connected, on-screen keyboard shows. Selecting keyboard symbol in the tray and unchecking "On-screen keyboard" does basically nothing - keyboard is still shown.

Here's how it looks. Pressing keyboard up/down button on the physical keyboard doesn't seem to have any effect. I am normally using gBoard but it works exactly the same (for both questions) with Samsung's.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

Maroš — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 14:53:59 GMT

turn on DEX mode, then go to settings, there is an option turn it on or off

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

degreeze — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 20:32:28 GMT

I have same problem (the first one) with multiple language layouts for physical keyboards on S7 tablet. And it's Samsung OneUI problem that needs to be fixed ASAP.

The thing is that language selection menu in "Settings > General management > Language and input > Physical keyboards" does not support multi select and allows you to choose only one language. Same behavior for Samsung Keyboard and Gboard.

I tried same steps with same bluetooth keyboard on different device (on latest Android One) and it's working flawlessly. And that is only because then i go to "Language and input > Physical keyboards" and click on any keyboard - i see list of languages with multi select options.
Problem on S7No problems on Android One device

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

nrsyn — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 13:06:02 GMT

I face the same problem too. I already go to the setting as per mentioned and already unchecked 'on-screen'. but the on-screen keyboard still appear

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

prorokrak — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:29:01 GMT

No fix even after a year? I am facing the same problem with Tab S5e with OneUI 3.1. I can setup the keyboard correctly on my other device Oneplus3 with Custom ROM Android 11 but not on the Samsung device. I am stuck with English and there is no way to change it. Or, more precisely, I have changed in the settings language to Slovak (tried both with Samsung keyboard and Swiftkey) but the settings do not work. No Slovak characters can be entered, just English layout.

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

Jonail — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:44:19 GMT

its not a device-specific issue. in my case everything works fine if use samsung keyboard. GBoard has only one physical language in the settings and at the real. But, oddly, pressing shift + spacebar changes onscreen GBoard language.

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

Ignacio83 — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 08:22:25 GMT

There's a workaround.

1. Add keyboard button on navigation bar: Settings > General management > Keyboard list and default

The button appears at the bottom right corner of the screen when you type

2. When you need to use a physical keyboard, use this button to switch to Samsung keyboard. Takes 2 seconds.

Now you're able to change the language of the physical keyboard.

3. When you do not need physical keyboard, switch back to your preferred virtual keyboard (e.g. Gboard)

Not ideal, but better than nothing

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

THISISOTTER — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 10:18:52 GMT

2022, still having this problem. (tab S7)

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

THISISOTTER — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 04:26:31 GMT

It is a Samsung tablet OS issue, probably INTENTIONALLY due to manipulate user to use a Samsung Keyboard input method over the third party one. If it is not, they should have fixed it already due to it is a default way of Android OS that allow user to be able to select a multiple Languages with one Physical keyboard.

And Of course, this will happen to other third party keyboard too, not just Gboard (tested on Tab S7 at 18th March 2022 on)

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

Oleksandr Zalishchuk — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 11:19:31 GMT

Your workaround is good, thank you.

I am still waiting for Samsung to fix this issue.

Re: Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

bmariam89 — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 18:41:19 GMT

I somehow had managed to remove that button and was trying to get it back. Thanks for the help.
Its easier to choose the on screen keyboard for when I am using the keyboard at night but turn it off for the times I find it easier on a physical keyboard.

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

bmariam89 — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 19:03:42 GMT

I just use the physical keyboard without changing the language for when I am speaking Portuguese but the characters are almost the same than English. Just have to use c instead of ç, and forego éóàáãô but its for family so they understand. There may be a way to change it but I am not sure I would remember the shifts, and control needed for that. I have the samsung keyboard, which came with the samsung tab s8.
You can try following the screenshots and let me know if they help you.

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

dsent — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 11:59:03 GMT

This is so ridiculous. The end of 2023 is approaching, and this years-old problem doesn't seem to be neither fixed, nor even worked on. Samsung just ignores their customers' needs.

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

Orlean — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 05:22:49 GMT

Very frustrating. However I did something and can not replicate on second device. I have now two samsung keyboards listed in the physical keyboard. And I can now switch languages (works on two different physical keyboards). If I can do it for Gboard ....

edit: Actually, on my other samsung (tab s20) when I selected now samsung keyboard it appear in the physical keyboard as two separate keyboards, each with different language. Again ... wish the Gboard did the same

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

dsent — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 08:00:49 GMT

Well, it's quite unlikely that Gboard will do that, as every other vendor except Samsung works with the stock Android system and doesn't create separate keyboards for every language. Samsung does its own thing that is not supported by anyone else. Basically, it's up to Samsung to stop that and change their system to work like Gboard (and every other Android keyboard).

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

Alex Nachev — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 12:02:12 GMT

Heyyyy Samsung.... we pay the premium ... let us chooose our keyboard to be gboard!!!! Allow it in DEX tooo. Dont be an apple.

Re: Strange physical keyboard behaviour

dsent — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 12:17:34 GMT

They've changed the behavior in One UI 6. Now the layout switches between all enabled languages of all enabled keyboards. But you can't disable Samsung Keyboard, so the best case scenario with 3rd party keyboards is that you're stuck with one extra layout (you have to have Samsung Keyboard enabled and at least one language there).

This is better than it was previously, but still not nice.