PC Keyboard in Android

PC keyboard in Android

Good as it is, the Google keyboard in Android can be frustrating if you need to enter mixed letters and numbers. You must either slowly long-press numbers, or keep switching back and forth between letters and numbers 3-row layouts. Wouldn't it be nice to have a 4-row layout with both letters and numbers like your PC?

Happily, there is a way (starting with Android 4.2) to have this cake and eat it too, by enabling 4-row "PC" layout, with an easy way to toggle between 3-row and 4-row layouts. Here's how to do it in Lollipop (Android 5):

switch layout

1. Open Settings > Language & Input.
2. Make sure Current Keyboard is set to Google Keyboard.
3. Open Google Keyboard.
4. Open Appearances & layouts.
5. Open Custom input styles.
6. Click + to add a style.
7. Select desired Language, select PC for Layout, then Add.
8. Return to Google Keyboard Settings.
9. Select Languages.
10. Turn Use system language off.
11. Turn on your new PC layout (in addition to your standard layout).
12. Close Settings.

You should now have a globe icon just to the left of the space-bar on your keyboard. Selecting (touching) that globe icon should toggle between your active layouts.