When the predictive text on your Fairphone 5 stops working, it can really slow you down. You might find it's not suggesting the next word, the autocorrect is making bizarre changes, or the whole keyboard feels a bit sluggish. The good news is, this is almost always a software hiccup that you can fix yourself.
I'd start with a simple restart, as it clears out temporary glitches. Just press and hold the power button for a few seconds and tap 'Restart'. If that doesn't bring the suggestions back, the following steps will.
Check Your Gboard Settings
The Fairphone 5 uses Google's Gboard as its default keyboard. First, make sure the predictive text feature, called 'Show suggestion strip', is actually turned on. Open any app where you can type, like Messages, and tap to bring up the keyboard.
Look for the gear icon in the suggestion strip above the keys and tap it. If you don't see the icon, tap the three dots on the far right of the suggestion strip, then tap the gear icon. In the settings menu, tap 'Text correction'.
Here, ensure the switch next to 'Show suggestion strip' is turned on. While you're here, you can also adjust options like 'Next-word suggestions' and 'Personalized suggestions' to tailor how the predictions work.
Clear the Gboard Cache and Data
If the settings look right but it's still not working, the app's temporary files might be corrupted. Clearing the cache is a safe first step that won't delete your personal dictionary or settings.
Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps. Find and tap on 'Gboard'. Tap Storage & cache, then tap 'Clear cache'. Test the keyboard to see if predictions return.
If the problem persists, you can go back to the same menu and tap 'Clear storage' or 'Clear data'. This will reset Gboard to its default state, so you'll lose any saved words, custom dictionaries, and theme settings. You'll need to go through the initial setup again.
Update Gboard and System Software
An outdated app can cause all sorts of weird behavior. Open the Google Play Store, tap your profile picture, and go to Manage apps & device. Under 'Updates available', see if Gboard is listed and update it.
It's also wise to check for a full system update. One of the big perks of the Fairphone 5 is its promise of 8+ years of software support, so updates are frequent. Go to Settings > System > System update to check for and install any available updates, as these often include bug fixes for the keyboard and other system components.
Try a Different Keyboard App
As a quick test, you can install another keyboard from the Play Store, like Microsoft SwiftKey or OpenBoard. After installing, you'll need to enable it. Go to Settings > System > Languages & input > On-screen keyboard.
Tap 'Manage on-screen keyboards' and toggle on the new keyboard you installed. When you go to type somewhere, you'll see a keyboard icon in your navigation bar; tap it to switch between your installed keyboards.
If predictive text works perfectly on the new keyboard, it confirms the issue is isolated to Gboard. You can stick with the new one or use this knowledge to focus on fixing Gboard.
Reset App Preferences
This is a broader reset that won't delete your app data but will revert all your app-specific permissions, notifications, and default apps back to factory settings. It can resolve conflicts that might be affecting the keyboard.
Go to Settings > System > Reset options. Tap 'Reset app preferences' and confirm. You'll then need to re-grant permissions to apps when you use them next, and you may need to re-select Gboard as your default keyboard.
Check Language and Input Settings
Sometimes, the issue is that the system language and keyboard language are out of sync. Go to Settings > System > Languages & input. Tap 'Languages' to make sure your primary language is set correctly.
Then, go back and tap 'On-screen keyboard' > 'Gboard' > 'Languages'. Ensure the language you're typing in has a toggle switch turned on. If you only have one language enabled, try adding a second one (like English UK if you use US) and then removing it, as this can refresh the language pack.
