• March 29, 2024

Gboard keyboard tips and tricks on Android

Gboard is one of the top, and most likely even the best, keyboard app for Android devices. The utility has a ton of advanced features that allow you to use Google search, install GIFs, emoticons and do a lot of other useful tricks. Some of the functions are not obvious to use for an ordinary user, which is why this list of tips and tricks appeared. With these tricks, you can get the most out of Gboard.

New Gboard features

There is an English-language site 9to5Googlewhich always posts upcoming Gboard changes. The portal analyzes the innovations in the beta version of the keyboard and indicates upcoming news. In speed they will become available to all users. Google is currently testing an updated sticker tab. In a future version, the section is less like a classic keyboard with emoji, and more and more similar functions, known for GIF search. Using the search field and suggestion block, you can create your own collection of stickers and add them to the keyboard tab.

Google also tweaked some settings. In version 8.8 of Gboard, an important change is the ability to stretch and shrink the size of the keyboard. However, according to the list of updates, in modification 8.9, the dimensions will again become fixed. But there will be several items to change: “Normal”, “Medium High”, “High” and “Very High”. Also in the opposite direction: “Medium-small”, “Small”, “Very small”.

The next important innovation is the now fashionable dark mode. After activating it, you will notice more contrasting colors of the symbols, and the icons will turn white instead of gray.

G button – Google search

This is the most useful and unique ability of Gboard. The developer allowed to use not just the standard Google search engine, but a special one developed directly for Gboard. Instead of being bounced to another window with a search application, the keyboard integrates Google and tries to quickly respond to a query in the form of cards.

It is not difficult to use the search engine in Gboard, just click on the characteristic G symbol in the upper left corner, set a query and get the result. Some of the most relevant answers, according to Google, will appear just above the keyboard. If you are interested in one of the search results, you can click on it. The keyboard will display a card and the answer you are looking for.

Search GIF and emoji

The greatest personal expectations were related to this innovation. With frequent use of social networks, there is often a desire to reuse sent GIFs and emoticons. With the built-in Google search function, it is now possible to find and compose your own list of interesting emojis. It should be mentioned that GIF search on Android now looks a bit limited when compared to its iOS counterpart. Also, GIFs cannot be sent via Gmail, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. But the feature works on G + and Facebook Messenger.

To search for emoji and GIFs, you need to tap the emoji on the left side of the keyboard. At the bottom of the Gboard, a similar icon is displayed for detecting GIFs. Now it remains to find the drawing that is of the greatest value. This is especially useful if you want to use emoticons or GIFs that have been seen on the Internet and really liked. For the search, you can use the word – the name associated with the emoji and gif.

That’s not all, as Gboard can automatically suggest emojis. If you don’t want to dig into the endless list of emojis, you can quickly select the appropriate option from the menu of suggestions. Google relies on text and provides a fairly accurate selection of recommended items.

Multilingual typing and language switching

Gboard got a very convenient feature – the ability to correct words between installed languages. You can type the word Android on the Russian keyboard layout and the system will automatically correct it in the English manner. Gboard is a pretty smart technology, so it usually detects what the user wanted to type correctly.

If this feature is of little value, you can still switch between languages. It is easy to do this if you already have the required language sets, just touch the globe next to the space bar or touch and hold your finger on the Space button. In both cases, there is a switch between languages.

Typing without lifting your finger

The feature is not new on Android, but it is very handy, and in the latest version of Gboard it has been significantly upgraded. The touch processing system has been updated, the animation has become smoother, and the accuracy of word prediction has improved. By default, swipe typing is active in the keyboard, although you can turn it off in the settings if desired. Usually it is enough to slide your finger over 2-4 letters and Google will automatically complete the word. At first, you need to get used to it a little, then it will be difficult to imagine life without such a function, because it saves time at times.

One-handed dialing mode

Almost all modern smartphones are quite large and it is very difficult to reach all the letters on the keyboard with one hand. Sometimes the phone also slips out during such attempts. For such situations, Gboard allows you to enable one-handed mode, in which the working window is compressed. It can be glued to the right or left side of your smartphone.

There are two ways to activate the mode. To implement the first option, you need to hold down the smiley or coma button and touch the image of a hand with a square. An alternative activation mode is to touch the G button in the upper left corner and click on the hand symbol in the square. You can return to the usual mode of use by clicking on the square of 4 arrows pointing outward.

Spacebar – touch pad

To delete the wrong words or the entire letter, you had to move the location of the marker – it is very difficult, inconvenient and nerve-racking. Google has found a way to make life easier, Gboard lets you use the spacebar as a touchpad. After finishing printing, you need to slide your finger along the space bar to one of the sides and the cursor will move to the appropriate place. True, the option is available only in the horizontal direction, you cannot move up and down that way. Perhaps such an opportunity will appear soon.

Quickly delete multiple words at once

No more touching the Backspace button a million times to delete long sentences. By overexposing this key a little, you can lose not only unnecessary letters, but also a significant part of the useful text. Gboard lets you select and delete multiple words at once.

The action to complete the procedure is like a hybrid of a space as a touch line and a slide for typing. To clear a field from a couple of sections of text, you need to touch the back button and slide your finger to the left on the keyboard. First you have to get used to it a little. If you did everything right, you will be able to select several words at once. The further you move your finger to the left, the larger the fragment will be selected. The selection will take place immediately after you finish touching the keyboard.

Adding a line with a constant number

Other keyboards have long offered similar functionality, and now Gboard is among them. Each user can add a line with a permanent number to the top area. To enable the feature, you need to go to “Settings” in the “Settings” section and activate the item “Numeric string”.

Quick entry of headwords

A little trick will come in handy for those who have started to master swipe typing. While this may not be a big advantage for the user, it can come in handy for those who regularly use finger-free typing. To avoid having to press the Shift key each time to change the keyboard to uppercase mode, you can simply press and scroll through a letter.

Fast character entry

The method for entering characters is similar to the method for setting capital letters in Gboard. You just need to press the “? 123” button once, and then slide your finger over the symbol. When you stop touching, the keyboard will switch to alphabet mode.

Fast punctuation

Small trick, but easy to miss. To avoid having to press the “? 123” button to set punctuation each time, you can hold down the semicolon key on the alphabet keyboard. When held for a long time, it unfolds into a small window with special characters.

Double space instead of tab

To skip a lot of space, similar to tabs in computer versions of editors, you can simply double-click on the spacebar. Gboard will automatically replace them for the period.

Calculator style numeric keypad

The reader may have noticed that the default numeric keypad is rather unwieldy. It is not always appropriate to use numbers in a horizontal row. If this causes some inconvenience, then you can switch to the design of the number block by analogy with a calculator. The numbers will be placed in a large square block in the center. To switch to a more ergonomic view, touch the “? 123” button and then press the 1234 key next to the space bar.

Fraction

Many people know that when you long press on a letter from the language keyboard layout, you can select a different character. The same works with numbers. When you touch and hold your finger on the numbers in Gboard, a large selection of fractions appears.

Constantly used words

There are some words or combinations of them that are difficult to enter. This could include an email address. Gboard took care of the users and made it possible to create shortcuts for frequently used words. For this purpose, the “Personal Dictionary” function is used. It is easy to use it, just go to the keyboard settings, select “Dictionary” and go to the “Personal Dictionary”.

Deleting suggested words

Has the reader entered too much Google search things that friends shouldn’t know about? Don’t worry, everyone ended up on dubious services “by accident”. Fortunately, Gboard allows you to erase some of the words from its own memory. It is enough to click on the offensive word and move it to the trash.

Voice typing in Gboard

Don’t want to type a message manually or are your hands busy with something else? Gboard can say everything you need to. Just click on the microphone image and let the keyboard translate speech into text. You just need to remember that Google saves voice commands.

Switch themes in Gboard

Gboard now has the ability to install different themes, including our own. You just need to click on “Settings” and select the appropriate design. The catalog of pre-selected topics is huge, most likely the reader will be able to find a suitable one from this list. If you want to get creative, it’s worth uploading your own theme.

For now, that’s all I wanted to mention in regards to Gboard. The keyboard continues to evolve by leaps and bounds and acquires more and more smart, advanced features. Perhaps this list will be replenished soon.

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