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If you’ve stuck with the SwiftKey keyboard over the years and plan to continue doing so, this post is for you. That’s because Microsoft’s deadline to retire third-party backup services for SwiftKey is almost here. That means any users using Google or Apple accounts for backup will not be able to access their accounts.
For months, Microsoft has been advising SwiftKey users to switch to OneDrive-based backup. The final deadline set by the software giant is May 31, i.e., which is tomorrow. And although the deadline for this transition has been sliding, Microsoft does not seem keen on another extension.
That’s why it’s ideal that you switch to logging in using a Microsoft account. While the keyboard will continue to work as usual, you will lose any data associated with your typing.
according to the data Microsoft’s support page, the said data contains your personal dictionary, or the set of custom words (or non-words) you’ve typed using the SwiftKey keyboard that it has saved, as well as a prediction model that is customized based on your personal dictionary. That could be especially valuable if you use swipe gestures to type quickly, something SwiftKey has mastered over the past 15-plus years.
If you don’t switch before tomorrow, you will also lose access to the “Backup & Sync” option in the keyboard.
The process of switching over to a Microsoft account isn’t tedious. But to make it simpler for you, here are the steps:
Microsoft’s act of forcing users can undoubtedly seem annoying. But if you resort to switching, Microsoft will give you the opportunity to earn up to 1,000 Reward Points that you can use at certain online stores, for Xbox discounts, or to donate to a charity of your choice.
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