Microsoft today released an update for SwiftKey that includes a handful of new features including emoji prediction and enhancements to 3D Touch gestures.

Users who tap on the emoji key will now see a new prediction panel that automatically suggests up to 18 relevant emoji depending on what they type, saving them the trouble of searching through the entire list.

ios new themes fan SM B
The update also includes eight new "Oxygen" themes adding up to a spectrum of vibrant colors for SwiftKey keyboards. The new hues can be found in the Design section of the app and include Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Light Blue, Blue, Purple, and Pink.

In addition, Microsoft said it had made substantial improvements to the responsiveness of 3D Touch gestures in SwiftKey on supporting iPhones, including those that trigger cursor control and cursor movement. Haptic feedback has also been implemented for some keyboard actions, such as opening the emoji panel.

Lastly, SwiftKey added support for 15 new languages including Egyptian Arabic, Tanglish, Bambara, Wolof, Mossi, Greenlandic, and Northern Sami. See here for the full list.

SwiftKey is a free download for iPhone and iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

69Mustang Avatar
98 months ago
Yes it is currently listed as a warning under Third Party Keyboards setting under General settings on iOS.

There's no way in hell im using a third party keyboard, specially from Microsoft or Google, who value my privacy like pedophiles value innocence...
Wouldn't it serve you better to know what Swiftkey does instead of perpetuating an unsubstantiated idea that using it opens you up to a nefarious privacy plot by Microsoft? I assume you to be an intelligent person who values knowledge over speculation. I mean, why guess when you can easily find out exactly what they do?
https://support.swiftkey.com/hc/en-us/articles/201466641-Why-does-SwiftKey-need-Full-Access-
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgara Avatar
98 months ago
If my understanding is correct, Once using a third party keyboard, one opens up a security hole.
That's my question too, it used to be the developer had acces to all what you typed on this keyboard, is this still the case?
Yes it is currently listed as a warning under Third Party Keyboards setting under General settings on iOS.

There's no way in hell im using a third party keyboard, specially from Microsoft or Google, who value my privacy like pedophiles value innocence...
Each keyboard you add will have a switch in the settings that either allow or deny "Full Access". In some cases, Full Access returns what you've typed to the developer. I've turned those off for the several keyboards I've added to my iPad and iPhone.

My biggest gripe about all these third party keyboards is that Apple does not allow access to the microphone when using these apps. This is an Apple problem, not a developer problem. I use dictation all the time, so that is a big let down for me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cronbo Avatar
98 months ago
That's my question too, it used to be the developer had acces to all what you typed on this keyboard, is this still the case?
Yes it is currently listed as a warning under Third Party Keyboards setting under General settings on iOS.

There's no way in hell im using a third party keyboard, specially from Microsoft or Google, who value my privacy like pedophiles value innocence...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wide opeN Avatar
98 months ago
Firstly, thanks for the article and news update, as this is the keyboard I use.

Secondly, am I reading this right!? Microsoft!? Since when do they own SwiftKey!?

Thirdly, I've had SwiftKey installed since 3rd party keyboards were allowed and love it!!! This seems like it makes the app even better!!!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
98 months ago
Yeah because Microsoft hasn't put in back doors on their software before... And of course they're going tell you they did and put it on a webpage if they did?
In their own words:
"That warning message (which is displayed before a user allows Full Access) is there to make sure you are aware of what is technically possible before making a decision about whether to trust the developer of a keyboard extension."

You can trust whomever you want, but the FACT remains, it's a security hole. Good luck with that... make sure to type all your passwords using a third party keyboard....


Pretty sure if Swiftkey was doing anything close to what you imply Apple would kick them out of the App Store forthwith. But hey, it makes more sense for me to believe your unsupported accusations instead of trusting Apple to ensure devs are doing what they claim.

By your definition of security hole, every app on the App Store is a security hole since they can all hypothetically change things behind the scene. Security consciousness is a good thing. Unfounded and unsubstantiated implications under the guise of security is not.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jhfenton Avatar
98 months ago
Meh. I was excited when I saw emoji prediction, but it still requires you to switch to an emoji keyboard to see their predictions. Until they offer inline emoji prediction (e.g. xoxo = blowing kiss emoji) like the Apple keyboards, Swiftkey's few advantages aren't enough.

Apple and Swiftkey both need to figure out how to handle 3 simultaneous languages (e.g. English, French, and Spanish), ideally with context recognition.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Leak Reveals All-New Design

Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app. Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
2024 App Store Awards

Apple Explains Why It Removed TikTok From the App Store in the U.S.

Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action. Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:28 am PST by
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhon...
airtag 4 pack blue

AirTag 2 Launching This Year With These 3 New Features

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:11 am PST by
After a four-year wait, a new AirTag is finally expected to launch in 2025. Below, we recap rumored upgrades for the accessory. A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025. While he did not offer a more specific timeframe, that means the AirTag 2 could be announced by the end of June. The original AirTag was announced...
iPhone SE Dynamic Island Majin Bu

iPhone SE 4 Leak Shows Dynamic Island, Casts Doubt on Rumored 'iPhone 16E' Name

Monday January 20, 2025 9:01 am PST by
A new iPhone SE is widely rumored to launch this year, and the device has potentially been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass. In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning an iPhone SE (4th Gen), which casts doubt on the alternative "iPhone 16E" name rumored for the device. However, the name in the source code could be a...
iPad Pro vs iPhone 17 Air Feature

Here's How Thin the iPhone 17 Air Might Be

Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...