Fix: Samsung Galaxy S7 stock keyboard issues in Android Nougat

Upgrades are, by default, presented as something that should improve users experience and provide the more feature-rich interface. Sadly, that’s not what happened to Samsung keyboard after the Nougat upgrade.

Users are reporting overall usability issues with fun-favorite part of the Samsung S7. Since this isn’t exactly a secondary feature but rather a primary, we can’t shy away from criticizing the approach Samsung took in the latest changes. Some users are reporting keyboard crashes while others are supposedly missing the options that were essential in the everyday use.

For that purpose, we prepared a list of workarounds that should, at least, relieve you of the possible bugs that come into play after the latest update. If you have had a hard time adjusting to unpleasant changes, make sure to check the list below.

Update your OS

As we already stated, the problem with the keyboard emerged after the update to Nougat 7.0. Samsung, the market champion, somehow managed to prolong the updates and even, after a long wait, provide its users with underperforming software. The stock keyboard is only one thing that’s affected.

Luckily, they managed to present more firmware updates over time, and some of those are addressing the keyboard bugs. So, a logical step would be to check for the system updates and install them. Most of the time, the Android updates are automatic, but you might as well check for them manually, just in case.

1.  Open Settings.
2. Tap System update.
3. If the update is available, tap Install Now.

Restart the keyboard

Standard apps are many times started and closed through the everyday use. That’s not the case for the built-in features that are always active. What you can do with those can’t be done within the user interface. You’ll need to dig deep into the app settings and force them to stop. After that, they reinitialize and, hopefully, work as intended.

1. Tap Settings.
2. Open Apps.
3. Tap All to bring out the system apps.
4. Open Samsung Keyboard.
5. Tap Force Stop.

Clear cache and data from the keyboard app

Even though the stock keyboard is obviously a pre-installed on your Samsung S7, you can still clear its data and cache. This would remove possible corruption within the essential files. Have in mind that this will erase your personalized dictionary and other keyboard-related settings.

On the other hand, we think that’s worth a shot, especially if you’re accustomed to the stock keyboard. Consequently, it’s better to make it work and configure it from a scratch than to switch to a third-party replacement.

1. Tap Settings.
2. Open Apps.
3. Tap All to include the system services.
4. Find the Samsung keyboard and open it.
5. Tap Storage.
6. Tap Manage space.
7. Clear Data and Cache.
8. Restart your device.

If that’s not working in your favor, you can always reset the personalized keyboard settings from within the keyboard settings themselves.

Reset keyboard personal settings

Everything you do that in some manner includes your Samsung keyboard is stored within the app. Starting from predictions and personal dictionary going to the language of choice and similar settings — everything is stored in here. Due to some changes after the update, your Samsung keyboard might be malfunctioning.

In that scenario, an obvious step is to reset the keyboard to factory settings so you can hopefully use your Samsung Galaxy S7 just like before the ”upgrade” emerged.

Follow the instructions below to reset the keyboard to factory settings and resolve the issue at hand:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Open Language and input.
3. Scroll to the bottom.
4. Tap Reset settings.
5. Confirm the selection.

Use an alternative keyboard

As you’re probably aware, there’s an abundance of different keyboards on the Play Store. We are well aware that the Samsung’s native keyboard was the input of choice for the majority of Samsung users, but until they sort it out, you can check for alternatives. The first keyboard that crosses our mind is Google’s solution is this department, called Gboard. Due to close relation to other Android’s Google-powered features, it should be a most viable replacement for Samsung keyboard.

Alternatively, you can roam through Play Store and find something else. As we already stated, there are so many keyboard apps out there, that there’s a great chance you’ll find something that suits you feature-wise.

Restore factory settings

Finally, if your bond with the Samsung keyboard’s performance on Marshmallow is too strong, you can always perform a factory reset. It won’t get you back to the previous version of Android OS (that’s where flashing comes into play), but it still should clear the infringement created while upgrading.

We advise you to use a PC suite to backup your files, so you can later restore them with ease. On the other hand, you can backup your data on cloud service and restore it within the device itself without PC.

1. Backup your data.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Open Backup and Reset.
4. Tap Factory Data Reset.
5. Tap Reset Device.
6. Choose Delete All and confirm the selection.

After the device resets, and the process is finished, you can restore your files. Hopefully, your keyboard will regain the previous functionality.

That should wrap it up. We certainly hope that some of these workarounds proved helpful. Additionally, don’t forget to share your experience or post a question in the comments section below. We look forward to it.