On Android, you type Morse code on your phone by enabling the Morse layout in Gboard: go to Settings, tap System, then Languages and input, then Gboard, then Languages, select English (US), swipe right to find Morse code, and tap Done. On iPhone, open the Gboard app, tap Languages, tap Add Language, and select Morse Code (US). In both cases, you switch to the Morse keyboard by tapping the Globe icon when typing and selecting Morse code.
What Gboard’s Morse Keyboard Does
Gboard’s Morse keyboard gives you two keys: a dot (.) and a dash (-). You type each character’s Morse sequence, and the keyboard converts it to a letter after a short pause. You can adjust how long the keyboard waits before committing a character (the “character timeout” setting). There is also a word timeout that groups letters into words automatically.
Google describes the full setup in their help documentation, and separately in the Android Accessibility Help.
The feature was developed in 2018 in partnership with Tania Finlayson, an assistive technology developer who has used Morse code to communicate since childhood. As Google explained at launch, the goal was to make Morse input available to anyone — particularly people who cannot use a standard touch keyboard due to limited mobility.
Android Setup: Step by Step
- Install Gboard from Google Play if it is not already your default keyboard.
- Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
- Tap System (on some phones: General management or similar).
- Tap Languages and input.
- Tap Virtual keyboard, then Gboard.
- Tap Languages, then select English (US).
- Swipe right through the options until you reach Morse code.
- Tap Done.
- To activate: open any text field, tap the Globe icon, and switch to Morse code.
Note: Gboard Morse is available for English (United States) on devices running Android 5.0 and higher, per Google’s official documentation.
iPhone and iPad Setup: Step by Step
- Install Gboard from the App Store.
- Open the Gboard app.
- Tap Languages.
- Tap Add Language.
- Scroll down and tap Morse Code (US).
Note from Google’s documentation: if you already have more than 3 languages configured in Gboard on iOS, you need to remove one before adding Morse.
To switch to Morse when typing:
- Open any app with a text field.
- Tap where you want to type.
- Touch and hold the Globe icon.
- Tap Morse code (US).
Typing with Dots and Dashes
Once in Morse mode, type your message character by character:
| Letter | Sequence | Letter | Sequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | .- | S | … |
| E | . | T | - |
| I | .. | N | -. |
| M | – | O | — |
For a full table of all letters and digits, see the Morse code alphabet chart.
The keyboard converts your dot-dash sequence to a letter after the character timeout elapses (adjustable in settings). If you want manual control, set the timeout to “Never” and tap the spacebar when you finish each character.
Gboard Morse Settings Worth Knowing
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sound on keypress | Plays a click for each dot or dash |
| Character timeout | How long Gboard waits before committing a character |
| Word timeout | How long before letters form a word (off by default) |
| Key repeat | Lets you hold a key to repeat dots or dashes |
Connecting an External Switch
Gboard for Android supports external switch devices — physical buttons a user might activate with a hand, foot, or head. The system automatically assigns the switch’s outputs to the dot and dash keys. This makes the Morse keyboard accessible to users with very limited motor ability who cannot reliably tap a touch screen.
For setup, go to Settings, then System, then Languages and input, then Physical keyboard, and turn on “Show virtual keyboard.”
Alternatives to Gboard
If you want to practice sending and receiving Morse rather than typing text, the Morse Trainer app (iOS/Android) provides practice audio and decoding exercises. The Morse code translator on this site works in any mobile browser: type text and get the dot-dash output, or type dots and dashes and decode them.
See how to learn Morse code for a structured learning plan and Morse code for kids for a simpler starting point.