How to Change the Keyboard Color on Your Phone

Change the color of your keys on Android and iPhone

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on June 18, 2021
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
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Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
    Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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    Android

    What to Know

    • Android: Tap Settings > Additional Settings > Keyboard & Input Method > Gboard and pick a color.
    • iPhone: Change from white to black by tapping Settings > Display & Brightness > Dark.
    • iPhone users need a third-party app such as Gboard to change the keyboard color entirely. 

    This article teaches you what you need to know about changing your keyboard color on an Android phone and an iPhone. 

    Can I Change My Keyboard Color on iPhone?

    Unless you want to install a third-party app such as Gboard, the only way to change the keyboard color on an iPhone is to turn on Dark Mode, so you change the keyboard from white to black. Here's how to do so. 

    1. Tap Settings.

    2. Tap Display & Brightness.

    3. Tap Dark.

      Steps required to change from light to dark background and keyboard on iOS

    4. Your keyboard is now dark, along with many other apps and services on your iPhone.

    Can I Change My Keyboard Color on Android?

    On an Android phone, you can change your keyboard color quite easily. Here's how to do it on a standard Android phone.

    Some Android phones have slightly different layouts, so the options may be slightly different.

    1. Tap Settings.

    2. Tap Additional Settings.

    3. Tap Keyboard & Input Method.

      Steps required to change keyboard look on Android

    4. Tap Gboard.

      This may be called something slightly different. Tap on the name of the keyboard you're currently using if this is the case.

    5. Tap Theme.

    6. Tap a color or background image.

      Steps required to change keyboard theme on Android

    7. Tap Apply.

    How Do I Change My Keyboard From Black to White? 

    If you're using an iPhone, your only option is to change the keyboard from white to black or black to white, as explained above. For Android users, though, the process is slightly more varied. Here's how it works. 

    1. Tap Settings.

    2. Tap Additional Settings.

    3. Tap Keyboard & Input Method.

      Steps required to find Keyboard options on Android

    4. Tap Gboard. 

      As before, this may be named something slightly different depending on your Android setup.

    5. Tap Theme.

    6. Tap Default or a white color to change your keyboard background to white.

      Steps required to change keyboard theme color on Android between white or black

    Can I Use a Third-Party App on iPhone to Change Keyboard Color?

    Android phones don't require third-party apps, as they already allow you to change keyboard color. However, iPhone users can use third-party apps to create a similar effect. Here's how to do so using Gboard, Google's keyboard app.

    1. Install the Gboard app from the App Store.

    2. Open the app and tap Get Started.

    3. Tap Keyboards > Allow Full Access.

      Steps required in iOS to allow Gboard full access to change keyboard color

    4. Tap Allow.

    5. Reopen the Gboard app.

    6. Tap Themes.

    7. Tap your choice of color.

    8. Open the keyboard in any app to see the keyboard in your new choice of color.

      Steps required to change keyboard theme using Gboard on iOS

    Why Would I Want to Change Keyboard Colors?

    Curious about why changing keyboard colors is so appealing? Here's a quick overview of the reasons why it's useful.

    • Accessibility. If you have any kind of issue with your vision, such as trouble seeing things in dim light or color-blindness, a change of keyboard color can help you see things more clearly.
    • Being able to customize. Your phone is your phone, and it's likely you want to make it feel more personal to you, whether through a fun background, a neat phone case, or by changing the keyboard color to something that looks good to you.
    FAQ
    • How do I change the keyboard backlight color on my laptop?

      Whether or not you can change your keyboard backlight color depends on your device manufacturer and model. For example, on a Dell Latitude, you'd press Fn + C to cycle through available colors. Gaming laptops often have color options. Check your device documentation to see what options you have.

    • If I can't change the backlight color, can I adjust the brightness?

      Yes. Most laptops have backlight adjustment settings. If you have a Windows 10 laptop, first enable the backlight by going to the Windows Mobility Center > Hardware and Sound. Toggle on Keyboard Backlight and then adjust its brightness.

    • I have a Corsair gaming keyboard. Can I change the color of the background light?

      Yes. You can set a specific background color for one key or groups of keys, and you can also add special foreground lighting effects. To change background colors, go to your profile and select the Lighting tab. Use the color palette to assign colors to keys. To choose foreground colors, go to the Lighting tab and click the Effects drop-down menu.

    • How do I change the color on my Razer gaming laptop's keyboard?

      To change a Razer keyboard's lighting effects and colors, open the Razer Synapse software tool, navigate to the Lighting tab, and customize your lighting.

    • How do I change the color on my MSI gaming laptop's keyboard?

      Open your Start menu and access the SteelSeries software. Select MSI Per-Key RGB Keyboard > Config and then explore preset configurations or create custom lighting effects.

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