How do popular Android keyboards (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, SwiftKey) handle cloud prediction and what privacy settings are available?
Executive summary
Popular Android keyboards use a mix of local models and cloud-based prediction to improve accuracy and cross-device personalization, and that combination determines their privacy footprint; Gboard and SwiftKey both transmit metadata and (in some configurations) text samples to servers, while Samsung’s keyboard has been flagged for less-transparent clipboard and cloud behaviors in community reporting [1][2][3]. All three offer settings that reduce telemetry or cloud sync—though what is sent by default and what remains unknown about “small samples” or telemetry varies by vendor and is described differently across their privacy notices and third‑party analyses [1][4][5].
1. How cloud prediction works in practice: model updates, telemetry and “small samples”
Cloud prediction typically means a keyboard sends usage signals or examples back to a vendor to refine language models or to synchronize a user’s personalized predictions across devices; researchers and vendor docs show that these signals can include language, word length, app context, timing metadata, and in some opt‑in modes, snippets or “small samples” of typed text used for model improvement [1][4]. Independent testing and vendor disclosures indicate telemetry often includes per‑word metadata such as the app where text was entered and exact input time, and some vendors explicitly say encrypted samples or language modeling data are used to build or sync personal dictionaries—details that determine whether cloud features add privacy risk [1][4].
2. Gboard (Google): default behavior, what’s sent, and controls
Google’s Gboard sends usage statistics and prediction‑related telemetry to improve the product, but exposes a user-facing toggle—“Share usage statistics”—that when turned off reduces what the keyboard transmits, removing data like word lengths and the apps where the keyboard was used according to reporting [1][5]. Privacy guides and reviews note that Gboard functions reasonably well offline for many features (spellcheck, suggestions) but still relies on cloud connectivity for some advanced features and web‑integrated tools, and opinions remain mixed because Google’s broader data‑collection practices color trust in Gboard’s cloud features [5][6].
3. SwiftKey (Microsoft): cloud sync, “Help Microsoft improve” and past incidents
Microsoft’s SwiftKey offers a cloud sync/personalization feature (“SwiftKey Cloud”) that collects language modeling data to personalize predictions and synchronize them across devices, and its privacy policy states telemetry and metadata are collected—researchers have found that SwiftKey sends per‑word metadata (language, length, app, timestamp) and that if users do not disable the “Help Microsoft improve” option, “small samples” of text may be transmitted to servers, although the exact mechanics and sample sizes are not publicly detailed [1][4][1]. Historical bugs and reporting (e.g., leaked email suggestions) amplify concerns that cloud prediction and sync can expose sensitive strings if mis‑implemented, and several guides recommend disabling cloud features to minimize risk [7][2].
4. Samsung Keyboard: integration, opaque cloud links and community concerns
Samsung’s default keyboard is tightly integrated with Galaxy devices and offers conveniences like clipboard history and Samsung Cloud sync, but community reports and user concerns emphasize a lack of transparency over clipboard storage and the potential for clipboard contents to be saved or synced—an issue raised in Samsung community threads and summarized in user‑facing complaints about control and potential cloud leaks [3]. Independent security analyses included Samsung IMEs among a set of vendors where transport encryption or update practices varied, and reviewers urge scrutiny because Samsung’s documentation is less explicit to end users than Google’s or Microsoft’s on what telemetry is collected [1][3].
5. What privacy settings are available and practical steps
All three keyboards provide user controls: Gboard and SwiftKey expose toggles to disable usage statistics and cloud sync/personalization features, and SwiftKey requires explicit opt‑in for cloud features that enable cross‑device sync, while third‑party guides recommend disabling “Help improve” or “Share usage statistics” to reduce telemetry [5][4][7]. For users seeking maximum isolation, reviewers and privacy guides point to open‑source or offline keyboards (AnySoftKeyboard, OpenBoard, HeliBoard) that avoid network calls entirely—an alternative when vendors’ policies or undocumented “small sample” behavior remain murky [1][7][8].
6. Balance of risk and benefit: predictions vs. data exposure
Cloud prediction improves accuracy, multilingual switching, cross‑device personalization and new AI features, but it comes with tradeoffs: vendors document telemetry and language modeling collection, researchers have observed per‑word metadata transmissions, and past bugs show cloud features can leak content if misconfigured—users must weigh feature value against the residual risk and use available toggles or offline alternatives where privacy is paramount [1][4][7].