kenji nx android keyboard not working

Games like Tomodachi Life need text input — naming a Mii, typing a town name — and on Kenji-NX Android the keyboard never appears, or appears then freezes. This is the single most reported Android input bug, and it’s almost always a permission or setting issue, not a broken game.

Why the keyboard doesn’t show

Android blocks apps from drawing over other apps unless you explicitly allow it (“Display over other apps”). Kenji-NX’s on-screen keyboard needs that permission. Without it, the game waits for input that can never appear, so it looks frozen.

Fix it

1. Grant the overlay permission
   In Android Settings → Apps → Kenji-NX → Appear on top (or "Display over other apps"), turn it on. This is the fix for the keyboard not appearing at all on Android 10 and newer.
   The keyboard pops up when the game asks for text.
2. Enable the on-screen keyboard in Kenji-NX
   Open the emulator's input or system settings and make sure the software/on-screen keyboard is enabled. If it's off, the game has no input method to fall back to.
   Typing in a game text field registers characters.
3. If it freezes after appearing
   A keyboard that shows but then locks up is a known app-level bug. Dismiss and re-open it, and check for a newer Kenji-NX build — these freezes are being reported against specific versions.
   You can complete a text entry without the keyboard hanging.

If touch input itself is dead

When it’s the touchscreen that doesn’t respond (not just the keyboard), that’s a separate issue — see the white screen page’s renderer checks, and confirm Kenji-NX has input permission for your device.