title: Performance
description: Optimize keyboard speed and responsiveness
category: Troubleshooting
difficulty: intermediate
Performance
Optimize CleverKeys for better speed, responsiveness, and battery efficiency.
Quick Summary
| Issue | Common Cause | Solution |
|---|
| Slow typing | Neural predictions | Reduce beam width |
| Lag on open | Large clipboard | Reduce history limit |
| Battery drain | Haptics, animations | Reduce feedback |
Typing Speed Issues
Issue: Predictions appear slowly
Causes:
| Cause | Impact |
| High beam width | More processing |
| Many languages | Multiple dictionaries |
| Large vocabulary | Longer search |
Solutions:
- 1. Reduce beam width
- Settings > Neural Prediction section > Beam Width
- Try 3-4 instead of 6+
- 2. Reduce languages
- Keep only languages you actively use
- Each language adds processing overhead
Issue: Key press feels delayed
Solutions:
- 1. Check haptic timing
- Haptic feedback adds slight delay
- Settings > Accessibility > Vibration Duration
- Try reducing or disabling
- 2. Reduce visual feedback
- If your device has slow rendering
- Disable key borders or reduce opacity in Appearance settings
Startup Performance
Issue: Keyboard slow to appear
Solutions:
- 1. Reduce clipboard history
- Settings > Clipboard section > History Limit
- Use smaller limit (e.g., 25 instead of 50)
- 2. Clear unused profiles
- Settings > Activities > Backup & Restore
- Delete unused exports
- 3. Reduce installed layouts
- Settings > Activities > Layout Manager
- Remove layouts you don't use
Issue: First swipe word slow
Explanation:
Neural model loads on first use. This is normal behavior.
Why this happens:
- • The ONNX model is loaded into memory on first swipe
- • Subsequent swipes are fast as the model is cached
- • This is a one-time delay per keyboard session
Memory Usage
Factors Affecting Memory
| Factor | Memory Impact |
| Language dictionaries | 5-30 MB each |
| Clipboard history | Varies with content |
| Neural model | ~10 MB |
| Personal dictionary | Usually < 1 MB |
Reduce Memory Usage
- 1. Remove unused language packs
- Via Settings > Activities > Layout Manager
- Delete unneeded layouts
- 2. Reduce clipboard history
- Settings > Clipboard > History Limit
- Smaller = less memory
- 3. Clear cache periodically
- Android Settings > Apps > CleverKeys > Storage
- Clear Cache
Battery Optimization
Battery Impact Factors
| Feature | Battery Impact |
| Haptics | Medium |
| Neural predictions | Medium |
| Clipboard monitoring | Low |
Reduce Battery Usage
- 1. Reduce haptics
- Settings > Accessibility > Vibration Duration
- Use lower duration or disable
- 2. Disable unneeded haptic events
- Settings > Accessibility section
- Turn off Haptic Key Press, Haptic Suggestion Tap, etc.
Performance Settings
Quick Performance Profile
For maximum speed on older devices:
| Setting | Value |
| Beam Width | 3-4 |
| Vibration | Off or Light |
| Clipboard Limit | 25 items |
Quality vs Speed
| Priority | Settings |
| Speed | Lower beam width, fewer haptics |
| Quality | Higher beam width (6-10), full haptics |
| Balanced | Default settings |
Device-Specific Tips
Older Devices
- • Use lower neural settings (Beam Width 3-4)
- • Disable haptics if laggy
- • Keep fewer layouts installed
- • Reduce clipboard history
Low-Memory Devices
- • Remove unused language packs
- • Reduce clipboard history to 10-25 items
- • Clear cache weekly
High-Performance Devices
- • Can use maximum neural settings (Beam Width 10-12)
- • Enable all haptics
- • Keep many languages
Tips for Best Performance
- • Regular cleanup: Clear cache monthly
- • Update regularly: Updates often include performance improvements
- • Report issues: Unexpected slowness may be a bug
- • Test changes: After adjusting, test typing feel
[!TIP]
If keyboard suddenly becomes slow, try clearing cache first. Many issues resolve with a cache clear.
Common Questions
Q: Will disabling predictions make typing faster?
A: Yes, but you lose a key feature. Try reducing beam width instead of disabling.
Q: Does keyboard size affect performance?
A: Minimally. Render time is slightly higher for larger keyboards.
Q: Why is swipe typing slower than tap typing?
A: Swipe requires neural processing. This is expected behavior.
Q: Should I use battery optimization for CleverKeys?
A: No. Battery optimization may cause keyboard to be killed, making it slow to appear.
Related Topics
- • Neural Settings - Prediction configuration
- • Haptics - Vibration settings
- • Common Issues - General troubleshooting