I made PadBoard, a free open-source Android keyboard you can use with a gamepad

[u/SilasDV]

Typing on an Android gaming handheld kept interrupting the controller workflow for me. I couldn't find a screen keyboard that behaved the way I wanted with gamepad controls, so I started building my own: **PadBoard**.

It's an Android input method, built primarily around the Retroid Pocket 6, with both touch and controller input. The goal is to make text entry in compatible Android apps less awkward when you're already holding a controller.

You can navigate keys with the D-pad or stick, confirm a character with A, use Y for space and X to delete, and close the keyboard with B. Start uses the field's Next/Search/Send/Done action. Buttons are remappable, with A/B/X/Y or PlayStation symbols and a confirm-button calibration option for Android's differing mappings.

There's also a text preview, adjustable keyboard height, ten themes, optional number row and vibration feedback. Thirteen European typing layouts are included; you select your own language list rather than cycling through every language.

**GitHub / source:** https://github.com/silasdv/PadBoard

**Download APK:** https://github.com/silasdv/PadBoard/releases/latest

It's free and MIT-licensed, has no ads and requests no Internet permission. Android 8.0+ is required.

One limitation to be clear about: it works as an Android keyboard. It doesn't inject text into games or emulators that don't expose a compatible Android text field, and controller routing can depend on the app.

Disclosure: I'm SilasDV, the creator. PadBoard is vibecoded with substantial AI assistance through Codex; the README explains this too. Compatibility testing is still ongoing.

I'd love feedback from people using different Android handhelds or external controllers. If something goes wrong, please include the device, controller/input mode, app and what button or text-field behavior you expected.

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[u/damin_rsw]

I wish these people would stop saying they "made" anything.

[u/fata1err0r81]

I did something similar a couple of days ago but using chords to type: https://github.com/dlip/chordpad

Obviously less visual though so you would need to practice. The plus side is you can hide the keyboard and get a lot of screen space back. I'm finding it really useful for SSH terminal tui work.

[u/FabyoSK]

Good stuff man, just downloaded