What evidence might a mobile keyboard retain?¶
A mobile keyboard may retain learned words, custom dictionary entries, clipboard content, emojis, languages and synchronised typing data.
Keyboard artefacts have several sources¶
Suggestions can derive from repeated typing, contacts, built-in dictionaries, language models or cloud services. Clipboard entries may preserve copied text or links. Third-party and built-in keyboards differ, and shared devices complicate attribution.
Use them as leads¶
Identify keyboard type, settings and sync account. Corroborate unusual words, usernames or phrases with messages, apps, searches and account records. A suggestion does not show when, where or by whom a term was typed.
Key takeaway
Keyboard data can identify useful terms and copied material, but it rarely proves a specific act without app, account and user context.
