Samsung keyboard keeps stopping

[FPMK]

My wife's Samsung phone is completely unable to accept keyboard or voice input and I can't find a solution. Desperate for up to date, well considered advice. Here's our story:

Phone: Samsung S9, Model SM-A530F/DS. Android version 9, security patch level 1 Feb 2020.

1. Initiating problem: Pop-up message: "Samsung keyboard keeps stopping". Menu: App info/Close app
2. Clicked Close app: Returns to 1.pop up after few seconds.
3. Clicked App info: Samsung keyboard: Installed. Menu: Disable (greyed)/Force stop.
4. Clicked Force stop: Returns to 1.pop up after few seconds.

5. Tried to update/install anything that may help solve: Apps -> Google Play Store: Google Play Installed. Options Disable/Force Stop. Also enabled: "None set as default"
6. Clicked "None set as default" -> Clear defaults option greyed.

7. Tried to establish voice input: Settings -> Accounts & backup -> Account Services -> Settings -> Assistant -> Voice Match -> phone shown to be connected to our wifi -> message indicates no devices found for registering a voice match.

8. Apps -> Google Play Store: Installed. Disable/Force Stop options enabled.
9. Clicked "None set as default". 'Clear defaults' option greyed.

10. Rebooted phone (actually did this several times during above process, both Restart and Power off).
11. Re-tried setting default keyboard: Settings -> General management -> Language and input -> Default keyboard: Indicates "Samsung Keyboard".
12. Continued to get "Samsung keyboard keeps stopping" dialogue,

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Have you already tried clearing the cache and data from the keyboard app in Settings>Apps​?

 

[tube517]

Side note: That model number indicates a Galaxy A8 not an S9.

 

[B. Diddy]

Good catch -- I moved this from the S9 forum to the General Help forum instead.