External keyboard for android phone?

April 11, 2025 11:43 AM

I'm tired of typing on a touchscreen. Should/can I buy an external keyboard for my android? Which one?

After a lifetime of complaining about how much I hate to type on a touch screen, I've just started using messages.google.com so that I can send SMS messages using my full-sized laptop keyboard. It's so much better!

But... now I'm even more annoyed at other phone apps that don't have a desktop equivalent. I've just realized that I can probably just buy a dang keyboard for my phone. I see lots of $20 bluetooth keyboards for sale on . Will any random bluetooth keyboard work with with any random phone?

Bonus points if you can suggest a particular keyboard that will have a similar key feel to my beloved post-butterfly macbook pro.

My current phone is a 2023 Moto G Stylus but I would also enjoy being able to replace the phone without having to replace the keyboard.

posted by eraserbones to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

Will any random bluetooth keyboard work with with any random phone?

That should be the case, if both devices are functioning properly.

I have a generic no-name Bluetooth keyboard that I've occasionally used with my Android phones for years. I can't give you a recommendation, because the brand name was just a nonsense string of letters, as is the case with so many Chinese products, and I don't see anything with that brand name for sale now. But I think I paid $35 or less for it. What something similar would cost you now, after inflation and tariffs, I have no idea.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:57 AM on April 11

I love a compact computing setup (I long for the netbooks of old), and so I've had a few tiny folding bluetooth keyboards. I've really liked the Targus Ergonomic Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard -- compact but not uncomfortable, easy connection to Android/PC/iOS devices, durable, keeps a long battery charge, and has a decent key feel for a bitsy board.
posted by ourobouros at 12:16 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]

Yes, probably any bluetooth keyboard will work with it, including Apple wireless keyboards.

Personally, I'd recommend a Nuphy Air 60.

Most keyboards more portable than that are crap in my experience. The one exception would be the TextBlade, but you'll never find one, unfortunately.
posted by dobbs at 12:18 PM on April 11

I've had ancient Bluetooth 3 double-fold keyboard up to modern Bluetooth 5 mechanical keyboards, little portable console-mini-keyboard with touchpad (Bluetooth), and more, all working with my Pixel 6. So the short answer is yes, most Bluetooth keyboard will work with most phones.

Most Bluetooth keyboards are simple membrane (aka rubber dome). Though good ones will have "guide mechanisms". The original was "scissors type", then Apple came up with their "butterfly type", but it's exclusive to Apple, and it was so unreliable, they went back to scissor-type on their Magic Keyboards.

Most wireless modern mechanical keyboards will also offer Bluetooth. And low-profile mechanical keyboards may yet make a convert out of you yet.
posted by kschang at 12:19 PM on April 11

This random internet stranger bought the following for taking on vacation so I could stay in touch. Double check suitability for your needs, I just used them for a couple weeks with my Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite :

Logitech Bluetooth Pebble K380 Keyboard

Pebble Wireless Mouse with Bluetooth

Rigid case to hold the above
posted by forthright at 12:31 PM on April 11

Yes, Bluetooth keyboards are pretty much universal.

For my iPhone, I have the Logitech MX Keys Mini. It will easily connect to three different Bluetooth devices. I use it not only for my iPhone and iPad, but for my Windows laptop at work. It's quiet and small and feels good to type on. I see no reason it shouldn't work perfectly well with your Android.
posted by lhauser at 12:41 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]

I have one from Nor-Tec that was quite cheap and works just fine.

Two possible alternative solutions: if the app you want to type into doesn't have a desktop option, but you have a messenger app that does and allows you to send messages to yourself (WhatsApp and Telegram do this), you can use that messenger app as a shared clipboard between desktop and phone.

Second option: use a text to QR code generator to turn about a paragraph of text into something your phone can scan. You'll get the option to copy the scanned text into your phone's clipboard.
posted by demi-octopus at 12:43 PM on April 11 [1 favorite]

Another option is that a lot of phones these days support wired keyboards with the appropriate adapter, you want a USB-A to USB-C adapter, the USB-C end goes into your phone and a regular USB keyboard will plug into the other end.
posted by BungaDunga at 1:24 PM on April 11

MyProtoArc XK01 is never far from my phone unless I am driving. Syncs to 3 different machines, and seems very well integrated into android phones. Works fine with my Windows machine alternating with my Android phone, each selected with its own button.

USB-C rechargeable, very long battery life, and scissor-switch keys that I find satisfying to touch-type on.

The hinge mechanism strikes me as a little fragile, and it wants a flat surface to unfold onto.
posted by the Real Dan at 2:22 PM on April 11

i finally gave in to this same frustration with typing on my phone, and bought an iclever folding bluetooth keyboard — it’s tiny and super portable! only complaint is that the apostrophe and a few other keys are in different places. however, if you want something portable (folds to about the size of my phone, but 1/2 slim) then would recommend.
posted by tamarack at 8:51 PM on April 11 [2 favorites]

Before you commit, please TRY the keyboards. Some have smaller keys than usual, some have odd layouts, some have odd keyfeel. I have a whole collection of these Bluetooth keyboards (more than 6) and I don't like to type on most of them, except for the AK84 BT, but it's too heavy for carrying around as it's a 75% mechanical keyboard with RGB lights.
posted by kschang at 9:29 AM on April 12 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you all! I have just discovered that my partner has an Apple bluetooth keyboard (which I thought was wired because she keeps it plugged in all the time to charge.) I will start by giving that at a try, and then pick one of the recommended brands above to buy my own if I'm convinced.
posted by eraserbones at 6:49 AM on April 13