When your ASUS ROG Phone 9 starts suggesting bizarre words or its predictions seem completely off, it can really slow you down, especially when you're trying to chat or type quickly. The issue usually stems from the keyboard's learning data getting corrupted, a simple software hiccup, or a setting that's been accidentally changed. Let's get those predictions working correctly again.
Restart Your ROG Phone 9
This is always the best place to start. A quick restart can clear out temporary glitches that might be affecting the keyboard's prediction engine. Just press and hold the power button until the power menu appears, then tap "Restart." If the touchscreen is unresponsive, you can force a restart by holding the power button down for about 15 seconds until the device vibrates and reboots.
Clear the Keyboard App Cache
Your keyboard stores temporary data to help it run smoothly, but this cache can sometimes become corrupted. Clearing it is a safe first step that won't delete your personal dictionary or settings. Open your Settings app and go to Apps > See all apps. Find and tap on "Gboard" (which is the default keyboard on the ROG Phone 9).
Tap on Storage & cache. Here, you'll see the option to "Clear cache." Go ahead and tap that. This only takes a moment and often resolves odd predictive text behavior immediately.
Check Your Gboard Smart Compose Settings
The ROG Phone 9 uses Gboard by Google, which has powerful AI-driven predictions. Sometimes a specific feature within Smart Compose might be causing the strange suggestions. Open any app that uses the keyboard and tap to bring it up.
Tap the gear icon on the top row of the keyboard to go directly to Gboard settings. Alternatively, you can go through Settings > System > Languages & input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard. Inside Gboard settings, navigate to Text correction.
Here, make sure "Show suggestion strip" and "Next-word suggestions" are toggled on. You can also try toggling "Personalized suggestions" off and then back on to refresh its connection to your typing history.
Retrain Your Personal Dictionary
If the predictions are wrong for specific words or names you use often, you might need to give Gboard a nudge. While in the Gboard settings, go to Dictionary > Personal dictionary. Select your language (e.g., English (US)).
Tap the "+" icon to add any words that keep getting corrected or predicted incorrectly. Type the word exactly as you want it, and you can even add shortcuts. For example, add your nickname with a shortcut so typing "nn" suggests it. This manual override is very effective for gaming handles or specific slang.
Update Gboard and System Software
An outdated keyboard app or system software can lead to prediction bugs. First, check for a Gboard update. Open the Google Play Store, tap your profile picture, and go to Manage apps & device. Under "Updates available," look for Gboard and update it.
Next, check for a system update. ASUS regularly releases updates for the ROG Phone series that can include fixes for the AI and machine learning models that drive predictions. Go to Settings > System > System update and tap "Check for update." If you're gaming a lot, I'd recommend enabling bypass charging from the Game Genie menu when installing updates while plugged in to avoid extra heat.
Reset Gboard to Default Settings
If predictions are still wildly off, resetting Gboard can be the nuclear option that works. This will erase all your personalized settings and learned words, so it's a fresh start. Go to Settings > Apps > Gboard > Storage & cache.
This time, tap "Clear storage" or "Manage space," then look for an option to "Delete learned words" or "Clear all data." Confirm the action. After this, you'll need to go through the Gboard setup again, but the corrupt data causing the bad predictions will be gone.
