If you’re even a little bit privacy-conscious, one of the smartest things you can do is start degoogling your life. Once you begin, you quickly realise how deeply embedded Google is in nearly everything we use—from search to maps, email, and even our keyboards.

Yes, your keyboard.

Most people take their mobile keyboard for granted, but it’s one of the most sensitive points of contact between us and our devices. Google’s Gboard, for example, is connected to the internet by default. And it’s not just Gboard—Samsung’s native keyboard also connects to the web… Why does a keyboard need to be online 24/7?

Think about it: the keyboard is how we enter everything—passwords, messages, search queries, and notes. Combined with the fact that our phones already store so much of our personal lives, using an always online keyboard massively increases our surface for exposure.

A few months ago, I discovered the FUTO Keyboard—a privacy-focused, open-source keyboard designed to work entirely offline, with no trackers and no unnecessary permissions.

I’ve been using it daily ever since, and I absolutely recommend it. It’s fast, minimal, and—most importantly—it doesn’t spy on you.

If you’re taking steps to reclaim your privacy, don’t overlook your keyboard. It might seem like a small thing, but it’s one of the biggest doors into your digital self. Shut it.