Google has launched a new keyboard app that lets you handwrite in Android.

Google Handwriting Input is the new app. It's for handwriting messages and even emoji. The idea is that handwriting as an input method can allow for natural and intuitive input for text entry, so Google included support for both print and cursive writing in 82 languages and 20 different scripts.

You could use the app just for fun, or if you have trouble typing on a virtual keyboard, you can use it to communicate more easily. It works with or without a stylus. You can also toggle between local or cloud-based handwriting recognition, with the latter being more accurate, though it requires an internet connection.

"By building on large-scale language modeling, robust multi-language OCR, and incorporating large-scale neural-networks and approximate nearest neighbor search for character classification, Google Handwriting Input supports languages that can be challenging to type on a virtual keyboard," explained Google in a blog.

Google Handwriting Input, which is the result of many years of research at Google, features a light teal colour scheme by default, but you could always change it to a dark theme if you prefer. You can read more about what the app can do via Google's new FAQ page.

If you'd like to skip all that and try it now, it's available in the Google Play Store as a free download.