I often wonder what my phone knows about me. Contacts, location, and browsing history are all obvious. But only after checking my Gboard settings did I realize my keyboard had been sending data to Google the entire time I’ve used my Pixel.
Not my actual words, exactly. But close enough to make me uncomfortable.
Cloud typing features process keystrokes online to improve keyboard predictions. The catch is that your layout habits and custom vocabulary leave your device. Once I realized how much data was being sent to Google’s servers, I turned it off. Here’s what I found and how you can do the same.
I tried an open-source keyboard to stop Google from learning my typing habits
I gave up Gboard after learning what really happens to your typing data
What cloud typing sends to Google (and why it matters)
How Gboard’s usage statistics work
Gboard, Google’s keyboard app and the default on Pixel phones, includes several great features, many that sync (copy data between devices via the internet) or share your data with Google’s servers (remote computers that store and process your information). Gboard sends usage statistics and diagnostics to Google. This helps Google improve autocorrect and next-word predictions, but your typing habits still train its model, whether you realize it or not.
Usage statistics include which keys you tap most frequently, how often you accept or ignore autocorrect suggestions, your emoji plus GIF usage patterns, and whether you use voice input. This data is not tied to specific words, but it builds a detailed picture of how you interact with your keyboard. Across millions of users, it feeds Google’s machine learning models to improve predictions and corrections.
Personalized suggestions can sync your learned words and custom vocabulary across devices via your Google account. It’s useful if you often swap phones. It also means your personal dictionary, which can include names, nicknames, slang, and phrases you type repeatedly, lives in the cloud.
Google isn’t malicious. Still, if you type in sensitive info, and we all do, you likely don’t want your habits stored remotely.
How to turn off cloud typing in Gboard on Android
Turn off Learned Word Sync and delete stored data
The settings aren’t buried, but you must know where to look. Here’s the path on a Pixel with Android 15 or later:
- Open the Gboard app from your app drawer (or go to Settings -> System -> Keyboard -> Keyboard apps -> Gboard).
- Select Privacy.
- Find Share usage statistics — toggle this off. This stops Gboard from sending diagnostic and usage data to Google.
- In the Gboard settings, tap Dictionary, then Sync learned words. Turn it off to stop backing up your vocabulary to your account.
- While in the Dictionary, tap Delete learned words and data to delete what’s collected.
That’s it. Gboard still autocorrects and predicts, and your learned words remain stored locally. You’ve just stopped sending data back to Google.
One note: if you turn off sync, your learned words won’t transfer to a new phone. For most, losing cross-device sync is a minor inconvenience worth the privacy gain.
How to disable data sharing on the Samsung Keyboard
Turn off Predict Text across devices
If you use Galaxy, the Samsung Keyboard, which some users no longer use, has a similar feature. Samsung routes personalization through its own servers, but the idea is the same.
To review your options:
- Go to Settings -> General Management -> Samsung Keyboard settings.
- Choose Privacy and review what’s enabled.
- Look for Personalization settings and Predict text across devices — the latter syncs your typing data across Samsung devices signed in to your account.
Samsung has made these controls reasonably accessible in recent versions of One UI. It takes about two minutes to review and dial back anything you’re not comfortable with.
Beyond Predict text across devices, check whether Personalization is toggled on under the same menu. This setting allows Samsung to use your typing data to refine suggestions tied to your account. Turning it off keeps your personal vocabulary on-device, the same trade-off you make with Gboard. Neither change affects basic autocorrect; it still works without a server connection.
What to expect after turning off cloud typing
On the surface, nothing changes. My keyboard still autocorrects, predicts, and learns new words locally. The experience is the same.
The difference is how it feels, not how it works. I’m no longer feeding my typing to a server for tiny gains in autocorrect accuracy. Switching just makes sense.
If you rely on voice-to-text or syncing with a tablet, you may want these features enabled. But for most Android users, turning them off is a quick privacy win.
Android privacy isn’t one step. No single fix exists, but turning off background data features adds up. Your keyboard is a smart start — it sees everything you write.
From here, consider reviewing your clipboard history settings. On most Android phones, clipboard managers can retain copied text, including passwords and account numbers. On Pixel, check Settings -> Security & privacy -> Privacy control for a broader look at which apps can access sensitive data. These small adjustments compound quickly.