When trying to type anything, do you ever find that your mind wanders and you forget the next word or phrase? I bet you do because it happens to me all the time.
I’m scrolling through posts on Facebook, and I find something funny to post a comment below.
I jot down to the comment section, and while I stare at my keyboard like an idiot – I realize I forgot what I was about to write. The predictive text does wonders when you’ve got a problem like that.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out how to activate this smartphone feature. It’s as simple as turning on a few options inside your mobile device’s settings!
In this piece, we will take a look at the inner workings of predictive text as well as discuss how to take advantage of the feature.
Step-by-Step Guide to Using Facebook’s Predictive Text
Let’s break down the process of using predictive texts on Facebook.
Step #1: Select Predictive Text in the Keyboard Preferences
These steps differ on different devices.
On Android
If you are an Android user, you must review your settings first. Go like this:
- Find “System management” from settings.
- Tap on “Language & Input.”
- Tap on “TouchPal Custom Version.”
- Select the “Prediction“ option.
- Tick the “Prediction” box.
On iOS
If you are an iOS user, these are the steps you would need to follow:
- Navigate to the Settings app.
- Select “General.”
- Tap on “Keyboard.”
- Find “Predictive.”
- Toggle the switch on.
Step #2: Launch Facebook and Touch the Type Area
You will have to launch the Facebook app and touch either the “search bar or “Comment” below a post or the “What’s on your mind?” feature for your keyboard to pop up.
Step #3: Start Typing Your Sentence (Just 3-4 Words)
Wherever you wish to type, start typing your sentence but stop after three or four words.
You will notice a strip above your keyboard suggesting you the next words.
Step #4: Tap on the Correct Proposed Word
Three words are generally given to you while you write; these are the ones you’ve used most.
For instance, if you use the word “fortunately” somewhat often, it will appear in the list of recommended words whenever you start typing “Fort.”
Step #5: Tap the Next Word That Fits
If you often use a phrase like “In a meeting, call you back later,” then entering “In a” will suggest the words “meeting” and “call” as well as maybe offering “you back later” as one of the phrase suggestions.
In the beginning, predictive text may not recall your most frequently used terms and phrases, but that might save you time in the long run.
How Does Predictive Text Work?
Predictive text is widely used, yet few are familiar with the inner workings of this cutting-edge system.
However, while being a highly advanced innovation, it is still extensively error-prone, which frequently encourages people just to deactivate it. Let’s take a brief look at how predictive text functions.
The predictive text relies on the texts you’ve already written to make accurate predictions.
When you input the same words and phrases repeatedly, the vocabulary develops. The algorithm will then rate these terms based on how likely you’ll use them again in your text.
If predictive text corrects a mistake in your text, you have three options: accept it, disregard it, or add a new term to your vocabulary so the system won’t make the same mistake again.
Including a certain term in your dictionary is highly recommended to prevent it from being detected several times.
Though you choose to accept the change, the keyboard will proceed as if the word you wrote is incorrect and will persist in suggesting adjustments whenever you write it again.
This will happen regardless of whether or not you accept the fix. If you overlook a term, the keyboard assumes it’s correct but not one you use frequently.
Once your keyboard learns how often you use a certain term, it will allow you to use it whenever you enter anything similar.
The keyboard “learns” new words from your dictionary. If you employ a similar key sequence or phrase pattern, predictive text will recommend it.
Keep in mind that although the predictive text is a contemporary feature, it is not flawless and relies on how you use it to work correctly for you.
The Takeaway
It might have sounded complicated at first, but now that you’re aware of it completely, predictive text is quite a handy feature.
Agree or not – it saves you time and prevents you from typos that would lead you to embarrassment.
After all, we’re just humans, right?
We end up making mistakes!
But predictive text eliminates that possibility and saves you a few seconds!
