While Apple may collect data that you type using the iOS keyboard to improve predictive texting, the company also uses differential privacy to protect user data.
If you insist on having a third-party keyboard app, we’d recommend disabling Full Access at the very least. If you have them on your device now, delete them and just stick with the native iOS keyboard. When it comes to typing passwords, for example, Apple forces the use of the native iOS keyboard.īut even beyond passwords, there are likely still plenty of data types that could be threatened by the use of third-party keyboard apps. Why to stick with the native iOS keyboard The native iOS keyboard has a number of privacy and security benefits compared to third-party solutions.Īpple does have some safeguards to protect users from third-party keyboards.
But no more than any other “free” app that you download to your phone. With that being said, it’s likely that Bitmoji is still collecting some data from you. The company also says that it can’t read anything typed into the native iOS keyboard, or any other third-party keyboard. The app requires full access so that it can connect to the internet and download your Bitmoji characters. Bitmoji itself is actually a third-party keyboard app and it asks for full access. One popular app that comes to mind is Bitmoji.īitmoji allows users to create personalized emoji characters and use them as stickers in Messages and elsewhere in iOS. There may be some exceptions to the rule above: third-party keyboards that don’t have traditional characters. If you’re still a third-party keyboard aficionado, be sure to read up on the privacy policy of the company in question. That’s not to say that granting an app full access means they’re spying on you. More nefarious keyboards may spy on what you type.
Some keyboards will monitor your typing to give you predictive or personalized suggestions.
Why a keyboard app needs access to the internet depends on its usage. As such, they aren’t able to send or receive any data from the company’s servers. Without full access, third-party keyboard apps aren’t allowed to use your iPhone’s cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Why do keyboard apps ask for Full Access?Īs for why most third-party keyboard apps ask for or require full access to function, it largely comes down to internet connectivity. And in 2017, Ai.Type suffered a data breach that exposed nearly 31 million user records. In 2016, SwiftKey users noticed other people’s emails populating their apps. To be clear, the majority of keyboard apps aren’t setting out to collect and use this data in a nefarious way.īut if their policy is to collect everything you type and store it on their servers, it’s inevitable that something confidential or sensitive will be caught along with everything else.Īnd even if they aren’t using that data in a nefarious way, there’s still a chance that it would be leaked inadvertently. Credit card numbers, addresses, social security numbers, etc. That may sound rather innocuous until you realize just how many sensitive things you type on a daily basis. That includes text that you’ve written before you enabled full access. When you grant a keyboard full access in iOS or iPadOS, you’re giving them the ability to access, record and transmit anything you type using their keyboard app. Most of the privacy and security risks of third-party keyboard apps come from something called “full access.” Unfortunately, most third-party keyboards apps ask for said access.īut even if you’ve seen Apple’s default warning message, you may still be confused about “full access” and what it means for you and your device. But in many cases, that isn’t always going to be the best idea. Privacy and security risks of third-party keyboards Third-party keyboards need “full access” to function properly in a lot of cases.
How to find third-party keyboards on your iPhone or iPad.Why to stick with the native iOS keyboard.Why do keyboard apps ask for Full Access?.Privacy and security risks of third-party keyboards.