Archive
This post is archived and may contain outdated information. It has been set to 'noindex' and should stop showing up in search results.
How To Get Dark Keyboard Background In Android 5.0 Lollipop
Nov 25, 2014MobileComments (11)
The new default keyboard in Android 5.0 Lollipop has a light/white background, which is a departure from previous versions of Android that had a dark background. If you want to change it to a dark background, or revert to the previous Holo keyboard style, follow these steps.

Step 1
On any screen where the keyboard is up, such as when text messaging, long-hold on the , (comma) key until a settings cog pops up, then release:

Android 5.0 Lollipop Keyboard


Step 2
On the menu that pops up, click "Google Keyboard Settings":

Android 5.0 Lollipop Keyboard


Step 3
On the Google Keyboard Settings screen, tap "Appearance & layouts":

Android 5.0 Lollipop Keyboard


Step 4
On the Appearance & layouts screen, tap "Theme":

Android 5.0 Lollipop Keyboard


Step 5
On the Theme screen, you can select from several different keyboard themes. Choose "Material Dark" if you want the new style keyboard but with a dark background. You can also revert back to Holo, which was the keyboard used in Android 4.4 KitKat:

Android 5.0 Lollipop Keyboard
Comments (11)
Add a Comment
Peter Lee   Mar 02, 2019
Thank you! Just needed the information about the comma key and it was easy to do on Android 8.
Roland Bonilla   Nov 10, 2018
{ANDROID} I have to admit tha's one of the names I'm in love with Thank you.
Kat   Jun 26, 2018
THANK YOU! I finally had to update my nexus 5 from 4.4.x to 5.x and wasn't thrilled with the default white keyboard. I wasted an hour searching for an app that would make the keyboard dark (none of them worked).
Michelle Trahan   Jul 26, 2016
Thank you!
H Winston Hines   May 18, 2016
thank you...was able to get close to old dark background but "holo" is now not available on my verizon motorola
Alex Paulsen   Sep 18, 2015
That's because Samsung ****ed with it before it made it into your hands. They use their own software to try and offer an experience different from the other manufacturers. It certainly is different, but not in a favourable way.
Katherine Guy-Verstraete   May 28, 2015
does not work on my GS5 say's Samsung keyboard settings not Google keyboard settings???
Dario Canelon Sanchez   May 22, 2015
It did work in my Motorola.
Mohammad Safaei   Mar 20, 2015
not working on Samsung s5.
David Tremain   Mar 08, 2015
Thanks for the info on color change
Nina Cristina   Feb 04, 2015
I wanna all the background color change to dark, how?