Type by Swiping Now Available for PRIV on BlackBerry Keyboard

Since we launched PRIV by BlackBerry last November, many of you have asked for extended keyboard features. You can already swipe to access the symbol picker, swipe to delete words, flick to accept suggested words and even use swipe gestures on the slider keyboard. Now, by popular demand, the latest BlackBerry Keyboard update brings another gesture to PRIV that will help you type even more efficiently – Type by Swiping.

(Read about other new goodies in our recently-released Android 6.0 Marshmallow update.)

And it works not just on the touch screen, but on the slider keyboard as well.

Faster one-handed typing

When you type, instead of lifting your finger and pressing individual keys, you can slide your finger between keys to form words. Between words, slide your finger to the spacebar, or lift your finger. Our auto prediction takes care of the rest.

For example, to type “Good morning,” start with your finger on the G key, then slide your finger across the keyboard to O, and so on.

Turn on Type by Swiping

To turn on this feature, follow these steps:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen once with two fingers or twice with one finger.
2. Tap  > Language and Input> BlackBerry Keyboard Settings > Type by swiping.
3. Turn on the Touch screen keyboard or the Physical keyboard switch.

Why isn’t Type by Swiping on by default?

We want you to be able to choose! When you turn on type by swiping, the other keyboard gestures (swipe for symbols, swipe to delete) are turned off, since the keyboard gestures and the movements that you make when you swipe to create words are very similar.

For future updates, we’re looking into ways to distinguish between different gestures with more certainty so that you can use both with ease.

Type by swiping is one of the new PRIV features bundled with the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. It’s also available on PRIV devices running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop simply by updating the BlackBerry Keyboard through Google Play. Enjoy these new options, and stay tuned for even more updates to PRIV’s features, languages and more!

If you want to know more about PRIV, check out what our fans are saying, look at the official PRIV product page and watch our how-to demos. If you are wondering where you can get your hands on a PRIV, check out our availability blog. Many carriers such as AT&T in the U.S. and Rogers and Bell in Canada are also offering PRIV at new, lower prices (as low as $299.99 on two-year contract in Canada or $21.34/month with zero down at AT&T).