One of the main reasons I haven’t switched to iPhone is Android’s superior customization features. You can make your Android skin look whatever you want.
But Android’s greatness isn’t limited to visual tweaks. Android is more functional and easier to use than any other mobile operating system that has ever existed.
I’m particularly impressed with the way Android gets the basics right – or maybe it does things so well that they look like the basics.
I haven’t counted how many Android features make me wonder if they’re well-done basics or a clever solution disguised as simplicity. But some keyboard features certainly fall into this category.
I’m particularly excited about an extremely useful Android keyboard shortcut that doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves: the clipboard manager.
I use the Clipboard manager shortcut daily to speed up my work, and here’s how to do it.
What is Android Clipboard Manager and why do I like it?
A digital clipboard can store a range of content, from text documents to images. He doesn’t do it alone. It stores this information only when you cut or copy a piece of content using a supported keyboard application.
This is the basic definition of a clipboard, and you’ll find it in all popular operating systems.
But Android isn’t just about mastering the basics, it’s also about making it easier for users to solve complex problems. This is why Android not only has a clipboard; instead, it has a Clipboard manager.
The advantage of having a Clipboard manager is that you can store different types of content and manage them at your convenience.
Android does this efficiently and better than any other mobile operating system, including iOS. I have to mention Apple’s operating system, because iOS’s built-in clipboard only stores the most recent item you cut or copied.
This is one of the main reasons why my iPhone 16e hasn’t replaced the Galaxy S21 as my primary phone. Android’s Clipboard manager lets me copy items in bulk and paste them later.
I use this feature every day on my Samsung Galaxy S21 and Motorola Edge 50 Neo to copy and paste repeated text, links, images, and screenshots.
Among all these features, the ability to store images and screenshots in the clipboard manager is my favorite. This way I avoid cluttering my gallery with temporary images and I don’t have to think about deleting them later.
On most Android keyboards, copied items are stored and remain in the Clipboard manager for an hour. It automatically deletes everything you copied to the Clipboard manager.
Pinned items are exceptions and you will need to remove them manually.
Overall, Android’s Clipboard manager is packed with features, but the best part is that it’s still easy to use.
How to Use Clipboard Manager in Android Keyboard Apps
This is not enabled by default on Android keyboard apps. You must enable the feature from the keyboard app you are using.
The clipboard manager is not buried under settings. You can access it directly from the keyboard interface of popular apps like Gboard and SwiftKey.
On SwiftKey, the shortcut to the Clipboard manager is available in the toolbar, which appears at the top of the keyboard when you press the down arrow option.
If you are using Gboard, the Clipboard manager is available under the four-square menu, which appears in the upper left corner of the keyboard interface. Tap on it and select Clipboard to enable the feature.
All of your copied items will appear in the Clipboard Manager if they are not more than an hour old. To paste what you’ve copied, go to the Clipboard Manager and choose the item you want to copy.
If you don’t want your keyboard app to automatically delete them, long-press the copied item and tap Pin. You can delete or unpin them the same way: long-press the pinned item and tap DELETE Or Detach.
You may benefit from additional features, depending on the keyboard app you use. For example, SwiftKey has a feature that allows users to reorder copied items in the Clipboard manager. This is not available on Gboard.
The best Android keyboard is subjective, so choose what’s right for you
Android allows developers to do more with their apps and, as a result, offers more features to users. That’s why you’ll see many Android apps far outperform their iOS counterparts.
This also applies to the Android operating system. Apps within the same category can vary greatly in the number of features they offer. Keyboard apps on Android are no different.
That’s a strong enough argument for why you shouldn’t chase the mythical best keyboard apps on Android. You should always ask yourself this: best for whom?
I need the Clipboard Manager to do my job more efficiently, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to use it. Your priorities may lie elsewhere, and the trick is to find them, then look for the app that does it best.
However, if you need a little bit of everything, you can’t go wrong with any of our recommended top-quality Android keyboard apps.
