Is WordBoard safe? What Allow Full Access really means
When you add WordBoard as a keyboard, iOS asks you to turn on Allow Full Access and shows a fairly alarming warning. That warning is written for every third-party keyboard, not for WordBoard specifically. Here is what the permission actually does, why WordBoard needs it, and what WordBoard does not do with it.
Quick answer
WordBoard needs Allow Full Access for one reason: it is the only way iOS lets a keyboard read data saved by its own app. The keys you create in the WordBoard app can only appear in the WordBoard keyboard once Full Access is on. The permission also technically allows network access from the keyboard, but WordBoard does not use it. The only data type on WordBoard's App Store privacy label is purchase history, listed as not linked to your identity.
Why iOS keyboards need Full Access at all
Apple runs every third-party keyboard in a locked-down sandbox. Without Full Access, a keyboard cannot share storage with its companion app and cannot reach the network. That is great for privacy, but it also means a keyboard like WordBoard, where you build your keys in the app and tap them in the keyboard, cannot see anything you have saved.
Apple does not offer a narrower "share data with my own app only" switch. Sharing data between a keyboard and its app and allowing network access sit behind the same toggle, which is why iOS shows the same broad warning for every keyboard that asks for it.
What WordBoard uses Full Access for
From the WordBoard support article on Full Access: sharing data between a keyboard and an app requires Full Access, so the keys you create in the app can only appear in the keyboard when it is enabled. The same article notes that the permission also allows things like network access from the keyboard, and that WordBoard does not use those features.
| What Full Access allows on iOS | Does WordBoard use it? |
|---|---|
| Reading keys, folders, and templates saved in the WordBoard app | Yes. This is why it is required. |
| Keyboard actions that hand off to the app, like Open App from the + button | Yes |
| Network access from inside the keyboard | No |
| Sending what you type to a server | No. WordBoard does not collect or transmit your typing. |
What you can check yourself
You do not have to take our word for it. Two things you can verify on your own:
- The App Store privacy label. On WordBoard's App Store listing, scroll to App Privacy. The only data type listed is purchase history, and it is marked as not linked to your identity. There is no entry for keystrokes, contacts, location, or usage data.
- Password fields. iOS never lets any third-party keyboard, including WordBoard, type into secure fields like passwords. iOS switches back to the system keyboard there automatically, whether Full Access is on or not.
How to turn Full Access on or off
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Go to General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards.
- Tap WordBoard in the list.
- Turn Allow Full Access on, and confirm the iOS prompt.
You can come back to the same screen and turn it off at any time. If WordBoard is not in the list yet, see how to add and switch keyboards on iPhone first.
What stops working without Full Access
If you leave Full Access off, the WordBoard keyboard still installs, but it cannot read what you have saved in the app, so your keys will not show up in the keyboard. Keyboard shortcuts that depend on the app, like the + button's Open App and quick add options covered in creating keys from the keyboard, also need it. In short, Full Access is not an optional extra for WordBoard. It is what connects the app you build keys in to the keyboard you tap them from.
FAQ
- Is WordBoard safe to use? Yes. WordBoard uses Full Access only to share your saved keys between its app and keyboard. It does not use the keyboard's network access and does not collect or transmit what you type.
- Why does WordBoard need Allow Full Access? iOS only lets a keyboard read data saved by its own app when Full Access is on. Without it, the keys you create in the WordBoard app cannot appear in the WordBoard keyboard.
- Can WordBoard see my passwords? No. iOS does not allow any third-party keyboard to type into secure password fields. The system keyboard takes over in those fields automatically.
- What data does WordBoard collect? The only data type on WordBoard's App Store privacy label is purchase history, listed as not linked to your identity.
- Why does iOS warn that a keyboard can transmit anything I type? Apple shows the same warning for every keyboard that asks for Full Access, because the permission bundles app data sharing and network access together. It describes what the permission could allow, not what a specific keyboard does.
- Can I turn Full Access off later? Yes. Go to Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, WordBoard and switch off Allow Full Access. Your keys will stop appearing in the keyboard until you turn it back on.