diff --git a/java/res/values/strings.xml b/java/res/values/strings.xml
index e5341f67a..73fb7bd7a 100644
--- a/java/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/java/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@
     <!-- Settings screen title for keyboard theme settings [CHAR LIMIT=33] -->
     <string name="settings_screen_theme">Theme</string>
 
+    <!--  Option for enabling or disabling the split keyboard layout. [CHAR LIMIT=65]-->
+    <string name="enable_split_keyboard">Enable split keyboard</string>
+
     <!-- Option name for including other IMEs in the language switch list [CHAR LIMIT=30] -->
     <string name="include_other_imes_in_language_switch_list">Switch to other input methods</string>
     <!-- Option summary for including other IMEs in the language switch list [CHAR LIMIT=65] -->
diff --git a/java/res/xml/prefs_screen_appearance.xml b/java/res/xml/prefs_screen_appearance.xml
index 7719c058b..036b66553 100644
--- a/java/res/xml/prefs_screen_appearance.xml
+++ b/java/res/xml/prefs_screen_appearance.xml
@@ -26,4 +26,9 @@
         android:fragment="com.android.inputmethod.latin.settings.CustomInputStyleSettingsFragment"
         android:key="custom_input_styles"
         android:title="@string/custom_input_styles_title" />
+    <CheckBoxPreference
+        android:key="pref_split_keyboard"
+        android:title="@string/enable_split_keyboard"
+        android:persistent="true"
+        android:defaultValue="false" />
 </PreferenceScreen>
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/AppearanceSettingsFragment.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/AppearanceSettingsFragment.java
index f5e4d33a2..a9884ba13 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/AppearanceSettingsFragment.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/AppearanceSettingsFragment.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package com.android.inputmethod.latin.settings;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.R;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.define.ProductionFlags;
 
 
 /**
@@ -29,6 +30,10 @@ public final class AppearanceSettingsFragment extends SubScreenFragment {
     public void onCreate(final Bundle icicle) {
         super.onCreate(icicle);
         addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.prefs_screen_appearance);
+        if (!ProductionFlags.IS_SPLIT_KEYBOARD_SUPPORTED
+                || !Settings.getInstance().getCurrent().isTablet()) {
+            removePreference(Settings.PREF_ENABLE_SPLIT_KEYBOARD);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -38,4 +43,4 @@ public final class AppearanceSettingsFragment extends SubScreenFragment {
                 findPreference(Settings.PREF_CUSTOM_INPUT_STYLES));
         ThemeSettingsFragment.updateKeyboardThemeSummary(findPreference(Settings.SCREEN_THEME));
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/Settings.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/Settings.java
index 0de2d8831..529f8a093 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/Settings.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/Settings.java
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public final class Settings implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChang
             "pref_include_other_imes_in_language_switch_list";
     public static final String PREF_KEYBOARD_THEME = "pref_keyboard_theme";
     public static final String PREF_CUSTOM_INPUT_STYLES = "custom_input_styles";
+    public static final String PREF_ENABLE_SPLIT_KEYBOARD = "pref_split_keyboard";
     // TODO: consolidate key preview dismiss delay with the key preview animation parameters.
     public static final String PREF_KEY_PREVIEW_POPUP_DISMISS_DELAY =
             "pref_key_preview_popup_dismiss_delay";
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/SettingsValues.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/SettingsValues.java
index 270b22a4a..57610221c 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/SettingsValues.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/settings/SettingsValues.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.inputmethod.EditorInfo;
 
 import com.android.inputmethod.compat.AppWorkaroundsUtils;
+import com.android.inputmethod.latin.Constants;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.InputAttributes;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.R;
 import com.android.inputmethod.latin.RichInputMethodManager;
@@ -79,6 +80,9 @@ public class SettingsValues {
     public final int mKeyLongpressTimeout;
     public final boolean mEnableMetricsLogging;
     public final boolean mShouldShowUiToAcceptTypedWord;
+    // Use split layout for keyboard.
+    public final boolean mIsSplitKeyboardEnabled;
+    public final int mScreenMetrics;
 
     // From the input box
     public final InputAttributes mInputAttributes;
@@ -157,6 +161,9 @@ public class SettingsValues {
         mDoubleSpacePeriodTimeout = res.getInteger(R.integer.config_double_space_period_timeout);
         mHasHardwareKeyboard = Settings.readHasHardwareKeyboard(res.getConfiguration());
         mEnableMetricsLogging = prefs.getBoolean(Settings.PREF_ENABLE_METRICS_LOGGING, true);
+        mIsSplitKeyboardEnabled = prefs.getBoolean(Settings.PREF_ENABLE_SPLIT_KEYBOARD, false);
+        mScreenMetrics = res.getInteger(R.integer.config_screen_metrics);
+
         mShouldShowUiToAcceptTypedWord = Settings.HAS_UI_TO_ACCEPT_TYPED_WORD
                 && prefs.getBoolean(DebugSettings.PREF_SHOW_UI_TO_ACCEPT_TYPED_WORD, true);
         // Compute other readable settings
@@ -225,6 +232,11 @@ public class SettingsValues {
         return mEnableMetricsLogging;
     }
 
+    public boolean isTablet() {
+        return mScreenMetrics == Constants.SCREEN_METRICS_SMALL_TABLET
+                || mScreenMetrics == Constants.SCREEN_METRICS_LARGE_TABLET;
+    }
+
     public boolean isApplicationSpecifiedCompletionsOn() {
         return mInputAttributes.mApplicationSpecifiedCompletionOn;
     }