Samsung A3 Predictive Text Disappeared after Marshmallow software update HELP!

[TheMoog]

Hi. I've a brand spanking new Samsung A3 (2016) phone (Model number: SM-A310F running Android version: 6.0.1) I bought it because it had a 3x4 keyboard with predictive text for typing (I have a neurological condition so that simple button layout and software is essential for me to be able to use all the features and the Internet fully)

Today my phone automatically updated its Marshmallow OS without me knowing till it was too late to stop it, and now the predictive text doesn't work except in the Memo and Messaging apps, apparently. It's basically rendered the phone mostly useless to me as it no longer meets the only real requirement I had of it.* I'm gutted. I've only had the thing a fortnight and now I can't use it anymore.

I'm not technically minded so please can some of you gurus explain in lay terms what, if anything, I can do to get it fully working again? Thanks.

 

[Tim1954]

Settings... Language and input... Samsung keyboard... English (uk or usa).... 3x4...
Then go to settings, about device, software updates and uncheck auto updates...
The device just defaulted to that standard keyboard after update.. Good luck! If you have any issues, there are multituded of helpful persons here, so feel free to join the forums and ask anything! Happy days!

 

[TheMoog]

Hi. I've a brand spanking new Samsung A3 (2016) phone (Model number: SM-A310F running Android version: 6.0.1) I bought it because it had a 3x4 keyboard with predictive text for typing (I have a neurological condition so that simple button layout and software is essential for me to be able to use all the features and the Internet fully) It has been working perfectly for two weeks.

Today my phone automatically updated its Marshmallow OS without me knowing till it was too late to stop it, and now the predictive text doesn't work except in the Memo and Messaging apps (and this forum!), apparently. It's basically rendered the phone mostly useless to me as it no longer meets the only real requirement I had of it. I'm gutted. I've only had the thing a fortnight and now I can't use it anymore.

I'm not technically minded so please can some of you gurus explain in lay terms what, if anything, I can do to get it fully working again? Thanks.

For clarity because someone misunderstood this elsewhere, I'm not asking how to turn on predictive text: it is definitely turned on. I'm not asking how to turn on the 3 x 4 keyboard: it is definitely turned on (and is called the Samsung keyboard on my model). What I want to do is fix the fault that came with the new Marshmallow update that now means that predictive text when using the 3 x 4 keyboard no longer works in various apps and online text boxes such as Google. Thanks all.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! First, try going to the App Manager, tap More>Show System, select Samsung Keyboard>Storage, and Clear Cache.

If that doesn't help, then try uninstalling updates to Android System Webview, since the latest update has been causing other issues with the Samsung Keyboard. Go to the Google Play Store, search for Android System Webview, and Uninstall.

 

[TheMoog]

Welcome to Android Central! First, try going to the App Manager, tap More>Show System, select Samsung Keyboard>Storage, and Clear Cache.

If that doesn't help, then try uninstalling updates to Android System Webview, since the latest update has been causing other issues with the Samsung Keyboard. Go to the Google Play Store, search for Android System Webview, and Uninstall.

Thanks for your advice. I've just done both those things (the phone asked me if I wanted to take Android System Webview back to factory settings and I clicked yes, I assume that was the right thing to do?) and then I restarted my phone. But it still won't type with predictive text in Google. What have I missed?

 

[B. Diddy]

You did it correctly, so it sounds like that wasn't the issue. You don't have Google Play Store set to automatically install app updates, do you? Because if you do, then it could have automatically updated after the reboot. (BTW, you don't have to reboot the phone after uninstalling the updates for that app.)

 

[TheMoog]

I don't know. Like I said, I'm not technically minded. It'll be whatever the settings were when I got the phone from the shop. The predictive text is also not working on Facebook, I notice.

So what can I do to get it working?

Edited to add: my fitbit app has definitely not been updated (I can tell because it's one of the apps Google Play is telling me to update) and predictive text isn't working in that either but it did before the Marshmallow update. However the Google app isn't prompting for an update but it too doesn't work with predictive text now whereas it used to before the Marshmallow update. I don't know if that answers your question about the Google Play updates versus the Marshmallow update and their relevance to this new issue. Anyway, it was definitely the Marshmallow update that triggered this problem.

 

[B. Diddy]

It sounds like you don't have it set to automatically update apps, but you can tell by opening the Play Store app, swiping in from the left, tapping Settings, and seeing what the Auto-Update Apps option is set to.

My guess is that there was some kind of incompatibility introduced with the Marshmallow update. It might require Samsung to patch the Samsung Keyboard app. The best I can suggest for now is to send feedback to Samsung about this, and perhaps try out some alternate keyboards on the Google Play Store.

 

[TheMoog]

Thanks again. A quick download of another keyboard gives me exactly the same problem. I can't use it as is because it doesn't meet my needs as a disabled person. If i restore the phone to factory settings will it be fixed?

 

[B. Diddy]

If i restore the phone to factory settings will it be fixed?

Not sure, because a factory reset would not revert you back to Lollipop. You'd still have Marshmallow, and therefore the same issue might persist.

 

[TheMoog]

Oh no. I've just realised it's eating the battery power really fast too. This is a disaster. It's simply not fit for purpose. I don't know what to do.

 

[B. Diddy]

Ok, here's another thing to try -- wipe the cache partition, which won't erase any personal data. Follow the steps here, but instead of selecting Wipe Data, make sure to select Wipe Cache Partition: SAMSUNG A300F Galaxy A3 - How to Hard Reset my phone - HardReset.info

 

[TheMoog]

Thanks. I'll give it a go