Install Guide

Which apps should I install?

You can install any one of these apps on its own, or any combination. The three most common setups are:

• JustType only — if you want the 8-key keyboard and you'll type using touch, switches, a joystick, or directional swipes (no head-tracking).
• JustType + HeadBoard (optionally + OpenBoard) — if you want to type with head movements. HeadBoard provides the head-tracking; JustType is the keyboard you'll type on. Add OpenBoard if you also want a traditional QWERTY layout available.
• HeadBoard + OpenBoard — if you want head-tracking with a traditional QWERTY keyboard (typing by tracing a continuous path across the keys, Swype-style), and you don't want JustType.

If you're not sure, read more on the For Users & Families page or email us — we're happy to help you decide.

Before you begin

Each of our apps is distributed as an APK file — that's just the standard format for an Android app. Normally Android installs apps from the Google Play Store; because our apps aren't on the Play Store yet, you'll download the APK directly from this page and install it yourself. This is completely safe — it's the same software, just delivered a different way.

You'll need:

• An Android phone or tablet. A 10-inch tablet works well, especially for HeadBoard.
• A recent version of Android. JustType needs Android 8.0 (Oreo) or newer; HeadBoard needs Android 9.0 (Pie) or newer. So if you plan to use HeadBoard (with or without OpenBoard), aim for Android 9.0 or newer.
• A Wi-Fi connection is recommended for the download. JustType is small (around 4.5 MB); HeadBoard (around 67 MB) and OpenBoard (around 55 MB) are larger.
• For HeadBoard: a working front-facing camera and enough light in the room for the camera to see your face clearly.

Step 1 — Allow your browser to install apps (one-time setup)

Before Android will let you install an app that didn't come from the Play Store, you need to give your web browser permission to do so. You only need to do this once.

The easiest way: just go ahead and download the app in Step 2 and tap the file. When Android blocks it, it will show a Settings shortcut that takes you straight to the right screen — turn on Allow from this source there, then tap back to finish installing. If you'd rather set it up in advance, here's the manual path:

1. Open your Android device's Settings app.
2. Tap Apps (on older devices this is Apps & notifications).
3. Tap Special app access (you may need to tap a "⋮" menu or "Advanced" to find it), then Install unknown apps.
4. Find the browser you're using to read this page (most likely Chrome) and tap it.
5. Turn on Allow from this source.

On Samsung devices the wording is nearly identical, under Settings → Apps → (browser) → Install unknown apps.

[Screenshot — Android "Install unknown apps" settings screen, with the "Allow from this source" toggle highlighted. Caption suggestion: "Turn this on for the browser you'll use to download the APK."]

That's it. You can now leave Settings and come back to this page.

Step 2 — Download the app(s) you want

Tap a Download APK button below to download the file directly to your Android device. If you're on a computer, point your phone's camera at the QR code instead — your phone will offer to open the link, and the download will start on your phone.

[Placeholder — confirm the wording of the "About JustType" / "About HeadBoard" links and whether OpenBoard should also link somewhere. Currently OpenBoard has no marketing page; do we want a short blurb anywhere, or is the description in this card enough?]

Step 3 — Install each APK

The install steps are the same for all three apps. If you downloaded more than one APK, just repeat these steps for each file.

1. Tap the download finished notification that appears at the top of your screen. If you missed it, open your Files or My Files app and look in the Downloads folder.
2. Tap the APK file — the filename will end in .apk.
3. You may see a warning from Google Play Protect — usually something like "Unsafe app blocked" or "Play Protect doesn't recognize this app's developer." This is normal for any app that isn't on the Play Store. Tap More details if needed, then Install anyway. [Decision for CPF: do we want to publish an APK checksum or signing fingerprint so cautious users can verify the file is genuine? If so, we'll add it here.]
4. Tap Install.
5. When installation finishes, tap Open to launch the app — or Done if you still have other APKs to install.

[Screenshot strip — 3 or 4 small images showing: (1) the download notification, (2) the Play Protect warning with "Install anyway" highlighted, (3) the standard Android install screen with "Install" highlighted, (4) the "App installed" confirmation with "Open" highlighted.]

Step 4 — First launch and setup

Once an app is installed, opening it for the first time is where you'll finish setup. You don't need to remember anything in advance — here's what to expect for each app so nothing catches you off guard.

JustType

Opening JustType takes you straight to its settings screen — there's no setup wizard. If JustType isn't switched on yet, you'll see a banner at the top that reads "JustType is not currently selected as your keyboard. Please enable it in system settings," with an Open Keyboard Settings button.

Turning JustType on is a two-step process that's easy to mix up — you have to enable it first, then separately select it:

1. Enable it. Go to Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Manage on-screen keyboards (the exact path varies by device — on Samsung it's under General management). Find JustType and turn its switch on.
2. Android will warn you that the keyboard "may collect the text you type." Don't worry — Android shows this for every keyboard. JustType has no internet access and sends nothing off your device.
3. Select it. Open any app with a text box and tap it so a keyboard appears. Tap the small keyboard-switcher icon in the bottom corner of the screen, and choose JustType.

On first launch you may also see a dialog titled "Permission Needed" asking to let JustType "display over other apps." This is only needed for the advanced Directional Selection and Mouse Joystick input methods. If you're typing by touch, you can safely tap Later.

Speech output works right away — JustType uses your device's built-in text-to-speech voice, so there's nothing to set up. If you'd like a different voice, that's an Android setting: search your Settings for "Text-to-speech" and choose or install a voice there.

JustType requests no camera, microphone, or internet access of its own. (Head-tracking, if you want it, comes from the separate HeadBoard app — see below.)

HeadBoard

Opening HeadBoard starts a guided onboarding. Here's what to expect:

1. A welcome screen — "Control your phone with facial gestures" — with a Grant access button.
2. Camera permission. HeadBoard uses your front-facing camera to see your face. You'll get Android's standard permission dialog (something like "Allow HeadBoard to take pictures and record video?") — choose While using the app.
3. Accessibility permission. This is what lets HeadBoard move the cursor and tap for you, so it's required. You turn it on yourself: go to Settings → Accessibility → HeadBoard, switch it on, and accept Android's confirmation. (On that screen it's described as "Allows headboard to run in the background while you navigate your device.")
4. Phone placement. The app reminds you to "Put your phone in front of you" and to "Make sure the camera is stable, with a clear view of your face." Propping it at about eye level on a stand works best.
5. Calibration. This part is hands-on. The app asks you to move your head to each extreme — it'll say things like "Perform 'Head Up'" — while on-screen meters fill up to record your range of motion. Move your head all the way in each direction until each meter reaches its maximum.

One thing that surprises people: on some screens the app refers to itself as "GameFace" or "Project Gameface" (for example, "Give GameFace access to Camera"). That's expected — HeadBoard is built on Google's open-source Project Gameface. It's the same app; nothing is wrong.

How you actually type: HeadBoard on its own only moves a cursor and taps or swipes for you — it isn't a keyboard. To type, you use it together with a keyboard (JustType or OpenBoard, below). Once both apps are installed and HeadBoard's Accessibility service is running, just set your chosen keyboard as active — HeadBoard automatically drives whatever keyboard is on screen, so there's nothing to manually connect. With JustType, you'll also find a Head Tracking option inside JustType's own settings (greyed out until HeadBoard is installed) where you can fine-tune sensitivity.

OpenBoard

Unlike JustType, OpenBoard opens a short setup wizard that walks you through it:

1. Welcome to OpenBoard → tap Get started.
2. Enable OpenBoard. The wizard says "Please check 'OpenBoard' in your Languages & input settings." Tap Enable in Settings, switch OpenBoard on, and accept Android's warning that the keyboard "may collect all the text you type" — this appears for every keyboard and is standard.
3. Switch to OpenBoard. Tap Switch input methods and choose OpenBoard as your active keyboard.
4. You'll see "Congratulations, you're all set!" — tap Finished.

To type hands-free with HeadBoard, no special OpenBoard setup is needed — gesture (swype) typing is on by default and HeadBoard's head movements feed straight into it. If you'd like to double-check, open OpenBoard's settings → Gesture Typing and make sure Enable gesture typing is checked. There's no separate "HeadBoard mode" to turn on.

If you have more than one keyboard installed (say JustType and OpenBoard), you can switch between them anytime using the keyboard-switcher icon that appears in the corner of the screen while you're typing.

Hands-free typing only works while HeadBoard's Accessibility service is running; on its own, OpenBoard is an ordinary touch keyboard. (You may spot an advanced "Lang vs Spatial Model Weight" slider under Gesture Typing — leave it at the default.)

Troubleshooting

The download didn't start, or my browser blocked it

Some Android browsers warn before downloading APK files. Look for a Download anyway or Keep button in the warning. If your browser refuses entirely, try opening this page in Chrome instead.

I tapped the APK and nothing happened

You probably haven't finished Step 1 yet. Go back and make sure your browser has permission to install unknown apps. If you downloaded the file in one browser but you're trying to install it from a file manager, you may need to grant the file manager that same permission too.

I see a "Play Protect" warning

This is normal. Android shows this for any app that isn't on the Play Store. Tap Install anyway. You can read more about Play Protect in Android's own documentation if you'd like.

I installed JustType (or OpenBoard) but I don't see it in my keyboards

This is almost always because the keyboard was enabled but not selected — they're two separate steps. First, open Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Manage on-screen keyboards (the path varies by device; on Samsung it's under General management) and make sure the keyboard's switch is on. Then start typing somewhere, tap the small keyboard-switcher icon in the corner of the screen, and pick it as your active keyboard.

HeadBoard's camera permission was denied

Open Android Settings → Apps → HeadBoard → Permissions → Camera and turn it on. Then re-open HeadBoard.

Something else is wrong

Please email us — see below. Tell us what you tried, what you saw, and (if you can) the Android version and the device you're using. We use real reports to improve this guide.

[Placeholder for reviewer — add any other common issues you've heard about from real users. Especially anything specific to particular Android versions, manufacturers (Samsung's One UI is a common one), or older devices.]

Stuck? We want to hear from you

If any step in this guide didn't work, or anything was confusing, please tell us. A real person reads every message, and your feedback is how this guide gets better.

hello@continuouspath.org