Modifier keys on Android Emacs with Anysoft Keyboard
Hi everyone, I just started using the Android port of emacs. I'm using Anysoft Keyboard since I already use it, with the terminal layout since it comes pre installed. But I also tested the hackers layout and it has the same issue.
So I must admit I'm a bit of a noob in emacs, only recently I started writing my own elisp. And even more of a noob when it comes to android, in the sense I have no clue how these virtual keyboards even operate. So I apologize if this feels low effort, but the problem is I don't even know what to look for. I don't even need a complete solution, just some pointers on what to look for would be appreciated.
So the problem is the modifier keys (shift and control) don't work on space, the arrow keys, backspace and tab. Emacs just sees the key without the modifier (I tested with C-h k).
I do have (modifier-bar-mode 1), but the problem is it's way too small and it shows up at the top of the screen so it's rather clunky to use. I could rebind the commands, but I would really like to keep my keys unified between my machines.
I was wondering if there's a way, within emacs, to make the modifiers work normally. Claude suggested (setq overriding-text-conversion-style nil), but I couldn't figure out what it does with C-h v. I feel like this is some fundamental feature of emacs and I'd better not mess with it until I do some deep research.
Again, any help on how to even approach this issue would be appreciated.
Last minute addition: As I was writing this, it occurred to me that I should test this on termux. I tested with C-h k on termux emacs and cat -v on termux itself. Neither see the modifiers, so the issue appears to be the keyboard. In this case, what do Android Emacs users usually do? Is there a different keyboard I could install that would work with emacs? Preferably from F-droid, but at this point I'm willing to try any FOSS solution.
p.s: I forgot to mention, the modifiers work normally on regular keys.
Posted Jul 11, 2026, 1:27 PM UTC