The built-in keyboards for iOS and Android provide all the basic features for typing text, but if yous want access to more than avant-garde options, you should try Google's Gboard keyboard. Available for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, Gboard lets you lot add together text by vocalization, past handwriting, or past sliding your finger from one letter to another. Gboard also allows you to find and add emojis, GIFs, and results from Google searches. And Gboard can translate text into a unlike language as you type–at to the lowest degree on Android.

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The setup for Gboard differs between Android and iOS. The bones keyboard functions work similarly on both platforms, only the Android version is more robust and offers more features. On some Android devices, such equally a Pixel phone, Gboard is already installed and gear up equally the default; on other Android devices, you have to download and install Gboard yourself. Download Gboard for Android from Google Play and for your iPhone or iPad from the App Store.

Assuming Gboard isn't already gear up as the default, open the app. Tap Enable in Settings on Android or Get Started on iOS. On Android, turn on the switch for Gboard. On iOS, tap the Keyboards option for Gboard in Settings and turn it on. By default, the Android version accesses sure information yous blazon, such as search terms, in lodge to provide results or offering personalized suggestions. On iOS, you lot specifically demand to enable full access to allow your search results to be sent to Google. On iOS, tap the link for About Third-Political party Keyboards & Privacy to acquire about Gboard's data collection. Privacy is always a concern, but if y'all want to apply Gboard to its fullest, you'll need to allow full access.

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On Android, tap the button to select Input Method and select Gboard. On iOS, go out Settings and open the Gboard app. You may exist asked permission for Gboard to admission your contacts–y'all can employ the keyboard without this access, only if you want to see suggestions for names of contacts, permit this access. On Android and iOS, you're then taken to the Gboard Settings screen where you tin tweak various options. You can review and fine-tune these options, simply I suggest trying Gboard at this point–yous can always return to the Settings screen another time to suit specific items.

Open an app in which you type text, such as e-mail or messaging. On Android, Gboard is automatically in charge. On iOS, concur down the earth icon and switch to Gboard. Equally yous type, Gboard offers suggestions to consummate your current word, but there are other ways to enter text. Through glide typing, swipe your finger from one key to the next to spell out a word. As you glide your finger, a blue line connects from one grapheme to the next. To enter text by voice on Android, tap the microphone icon. On iOS, hold downwards the spacebar to activate a dissimilar screen. Speak your text and characters (Figure A).

Figure A

Side by side, you can search for different types of content and insert the results into your text. Tap the Google icon. Blazon the word or term for which yous want to search. Google displays cards for resulting webpages. Tap a specific upshot to add its link to your text (Effigy B).

Effigy B

Tap the GIF icon to find animated GIFs for your search term. On iOS, tap the Epitome icon to wait for images related to your search term. You lot can likewise search for specific items. For example, if yous search the give-and-take restaurants, Google displays the names of local restaurants. Tap the ABC icon to return to the keyboard. Tap the Google icon once more. On iOS, you tin can search for content in YouTube, Maps, and your contacts. On Android, tap the outset icon to search for stickers and the second icon to search for animated GIFs. Tap a GIF to insert information technology (Figure C).

Effigy C

The Android version of Gboard can also human activity as a translator. Tap the Google icon and select the 3rd icon for Google Translate. Ready the source and target languages. Type your text, and the translated words announced as you type (Figure D).

Figure D

You tin can easily move your cursor and select text in the Android version. Tap the Google icon and select the 5th icon. To movement your cursor, tap one of the arrow keys. To select text, tap the Select button and then tap one of the arrow keys. After you've selected text, tap Cut or Copy so tap Paste to motion it to a different spot (Figure E).

Figure Eastward

If y'all wish to tweak any of the settings, tap the Gboard icon. You can now adjust certain preferences, the keyboard's visual theme, the text correction, glide typing, voice typing, the lexicon, and the search options.