Ideas and tips for the most effective Android keyboard

Odds are, there is a good probability you are utilizing Gboard. We expect Google’s keyboard app is the most effective the platform has to supply for most individuals because it’s packed stuffed with goodies to make stickers, GIFs, copying, and pasting straightforward. Typically, nevertheless, Gboard will get in the way in which of what you need to sort – a few of this default behaviour is definitely supposed. So, what’s there to do about it? Lots.

We at Pocket-lint haven’t solely been longtime Gboard customers, however we additionally hold tabs on the newest characteristic bulletins popping out of Google. All of that is to say that we have got a couple of toggles you may swap on or off within the settings that can assist make your enter expertise faster and dependable. If that seems like one thing you will get together with, carry on studying.

What’s Gboard?

Earlier than we get too forward of ourselves, a few of our readers could be questioning what Gboard is. Merely put, it is a keyboard app that’s on each Android as well as iOS. Many producers like Google with its Pixel sequence, Motorola and Lenovo throughout their telephones and tablets, and different manufacturers will truly pre-load it because the inventory keyboard app. Probably the most notable exception on the Android facet of issues is Samsung – the corporate supplies its personal app because the default, although it’s styled very similar to Gboard. As well as, laptops and desktop machines operating ChromeOS even have the choice to make use of a digital keyboard that is just about a fork of Gboard. I’ve written up an accessibility information to ChromeOS speaking about this for our sister website, XDA-Developers.

If you happen to aren’t utilizing it already, yow will discover it on the App Store or Play Store.

Moreover built-in Google internet search, one in every of Gboard’s core capabilities is suggesting phrases as you are typing, whether or not it is ending a phrase or persevering with a sentence. It is even in a position to counsel phrases within the zeitgeist because of Google’s incorporation of federated studying into the app – the idea mainly sources anonymized Gboard output from all of its customers after which updates the app’s dictionary via common updates versus having a reside server connection. I’ve additionally lined this idea for one more sister website, Android Police.

Past the “good options,” you are in a position to sort all of the script and emoji you need with Gboard. You even have entry to a repository of free stickers in addition to a search engine for GIFs to stuff in all kinds of beautiful artwork and shifting footage into your messaging threads.

Gboard truly happened for iOS first in 2016 earlier than coming to Android later that yr, supplanting the prevailing and, on the time, similarly-featured – however for all intents and functions, a special app – Google Keyboard from 2013. In response to Android Authority, plainly app carried the typing expertise that the Google-designed Nexus sequence of smartphones had on the time.

How do I get to Gboard’s app settings?

Longtime Android customers could be aware of diving into Gboard’s settings since they need to manually activate the quantity row each time they arrange a brand new machine – we predict it is a primary necessity in any enter context, however Google apparently does not. In any case, perhaps you’ve got flipped on the setting that takes the Gboard app icon off your launcher, and also you’re on the lookout for the simplest strategy to entry Gboard’s settings. You possibly can navigate your system settings and seek for “enter strategies” or, as a substitute, choose a textual content subject to open the keyboard, then hit the four-square icon on its top-right nook. After these steps, hit the button labeled Settings.

From there, you may dive into the submenus and make Gboard yours. For instance, in the event you really feel like Gboard is contributing to the general litter in your launcher state of affairs, you may decide to make it disappear. Faucet into the Preferences part after which scroll all the way in which right down to the toggle for Present app icon.

Which Gboard settings ought to I swap first?

Alright, you’ve got entered the settings, now to the great half. Just under Languages is the Preferences part and it is obtained many of the levers you will need to push and pull. Here is what you will most likely need to search for first:

• Quantity row – It is a self-explanatory toggle, but it surely applies solely to QWERTY, QWETZ, or AZERTY layouts. In excessive edge circumstances, you might resolve to maintain it off in the event you’re involved in regards to the peak of the keyboard intruding into your view of the textual content subject.
• Present emoji swap key and/or present language swap key – These change the behaviour of the important thing within the bottom-left nook subsequent to the important thing that switches the keyboard to the numbers and symbols array. Each toggles can’t be turned on concurrently – both may be on or each may be off. If you happen to’re shifting throughout emoji and languages steadily, contemplate enabling the emoji swap key after which short-holding the spacebar to change between languages.
• One-handed mode – The keyboard is laterally squished for simpler thumb-only entry and is oriented towards both the left or proper edge, relying on what you’ve got chosen as your dominant facet.
• Lengthy press for smybols – When on, hinted symbols will seem within the higher portion of every key. You may enter these symbols by tapping and holding these keys. Within the numbers and symbols board, you may maintain a key to entry an expanded image financial institution. Transfer your finger to the image you need, then let go to enter.
• Present app icon – If you happen to’d moderately not see the Gboard icon in your launcher’s app drawer, hold this toggle off.

The Textual content correction submenu has some key settings.

• Block offensive phrases – That is a necessary toggle to show off if in case you have auto-correction turned on, however do not desire a bunch of ducking shot in your extra expressive missives. Glide typists, that is doubly so.
• Recommend Contacts – If you happen to use Google Contacts to retailer contacts, you might discover it helpful to have these names pop up within the suggestion bar.
• Undo auto-correct on backspace – Typically, you simply need to bash your keyboard or provide you with imaginary phrases and don’t desire auto-correct barging into your vibe. With out this toggle turned on, urgent backspace will take away the complete phrase. I’ve personally had this toggle turned off for means too lengthy.

You might need these two toggles within the Glide typing menu turned on and do not even understand it since you by no means use their related options:

• Allow gesture delete – You may delete complete phrases instantly by swiping left from the delete key.
• Allow gesture cursor management – You may transfer your enter cursor by holding down the spacebar and swiping left or proper upon it. Terrific for choosy textual content editors.

For Voice typing, you may mainly simply toggle the characteristic on or off after which decide whether or not to allow Sooner voice typing – Gboard will obtain voice knowledge in order that its language recognition engines work quicker and for while you’re not linked to the web.

The Emojis, Stickers & GIFs menu is the final that options gadgets you may work together with each day.

• Emoji fast-access row or Emojis in symbols keyboard – That is mainly Gboard’s solutions strip, however as a substitute of for phrases, it is for emoji. Turning both or each on will add a row of recommended emoji both on the principle keyboard or within the symbols keyboard.
• Recommendations whereas typing – You too can have emoji solutions seem in the principle solutions strip to save lots of on house. There are subtoggles for Emojis and Stickers.
• Emoji Stickers – You may ship emoji as stickers – this turns them from a Unicode character to a PNG picture.

What are some Gboard tips to find out about?

There’s extra to getting the most effective efficiency out of Gboard than simply flicking toggles, although. Listed below are some tips that you just may need to incorporate into your messaging workflow.

Copying and pasting photographs

The clipboard is a godsend for frequent copy-pasters, however it might probably additionally deal with photographs, too.

First, you will need to go to the Textual content correction part of Gboard’s settings and make sure the Present suggestion strip toggle is flipped on. Again out of that menu, then transfer to the Clipboard part and activate the next choices:

• Present not too long ago copied textual content and pictures in solutions bar
• Save current screenshots in clipboard

in the event you’ve not too long ago taken a screenshot or have copied a picture from any supply, you will note a chip in Gboard’s suggestion row that rests atop the precise keyboard containing that picture. Tapping on that chip will then insert it into no matter context you are presently in. Within the case of most messaging apps, will probably be uploaded as an attachment. Fb Messenger customers, be forewarned: utilizing this shortcut mechanically sends the image as a standalone merchandise.

Private dictionary pre-fill shortcut

You will have customized phrases or phrases that you just use with your loved ones, buddies, D&D teams, or vital others. You may already know which you can log these phrases into Gboard’s customized dictionary in order that they will not get auto-corrected into one thing else.

Head to the Dictionary part of Gboard’s settings, choose Private dictionary, after which, if relevant, choose an enter language (All languages could also be the only option normally).

To start out on a private entry, hit the plus (+) icon on the top-right nook. You may enter a phrase within the prime subject, after which a shortcode for that phrase within the backside one. Hit the arrow on the top-left nook to save lots of your entry.

When you have spell verify turned on, you’ll now not see that squiggly purple line beneath “blurgleflurg” or no matter you’ve got put into the dictionary. However for full impact, you will need to guarantee Gboard’s suggestion strip is turned on (it is in Textual content correction), then enter your customized entry’s shortcode. It ought to seem as a suggestion within the second slot of the bar. Faucet it, and your phrase or phrase will seem.

All of that rationalization appears just a little milquetoast for what we’re shaping as much as be a “tip” or “trick,” however the energy is available in what you place in as your customized entry. For instance, in my line of labor, I’ve to log many Pocket-lint article URLs on my cellphone in locations that are not internet browser tackle bars. So, I’ve made a customized dictionary entry for pocket-lint.com with a shortcode hooked up to it. That means, I need not flip between the letter board and the punctuation and symbols boards each time I must enter our website title. You will have your individual makes use of for this little hack, however hopefully, we have impressed one thing for you.

Altering emoji pores and skin tone

In 2020, Gboard adopted The Unicode Consortium’s Emoji 15.1 commonplace, permitting customers to change between 5 truer-to-life pores and skin tones the place relevant (assume faces on individuals and any physique elements) along with the default yellow we have all been accustomed to. All it’s good to do when deciding on emoji is faucet and maintain on a logo till a context menu seems after which choose the pores and skin tone you need to use. It is a useful trick, however in the event you have a tendency to make use of emoji as a type of self-representation greater than the rest, you ended up having to undergo the switching course of for every emoji you wanted to vary.

Google recognized this gap in usefulness and, in October 2023, it modified Gboard’s pores and skin tone-switching behaviour in order that altering one emoji’s pores and skin tone additionally modified all the opposite emoji’s pores and skin tones. The one main exception is with the handshake emoji the place you are in a position to customise the pores and skin tones of each arms.