Google’s virtual keyboard is full of shortcuts for typing faster, as well as very handy functions. Here’s how to activate and use them.
Don’t like the keyboard of your Android smartphone? Replace it with Gboard, Google’s virtual keyboard, which has very practical shortcuts! To do this, first download Gboard and launch the app. It will offer you to replace your current keyboard by going to the Android settings.
Once this is done, Gboard is active and you can take advantage of the following typing functions and shortcuts:
1 – Automatically translate a text
Need to send an SMS in a language you don’t speak well? Google’s translation function is integrated into Gboard. To use it, tap the small circle with a G, which brings up the function bar, then the translate icon on the right.
Select the original language and the destination language. Then just type the text for it to be automatically translated.
2 – Use the Google search function
To insert a place, for example a restaurant, in your text, type its name in the search box to the right of the icon with a G. This launches the Google search service, as if you were in a web browser. Select the answer that suits you to insert it in your text. Convenient, for example, to send the address of a restaurant quickly to a friend.
3 – Insert emojis and animated GIFs
Touch the icon with a G to display the function bar (as in step 1), then touch the first icon to use emojis. The second icon allows you to insert animated GIFs which are also accessible by tapping in the area at the bottom of the screen (see the central image below).
4 – Access additional functions
Touch the icon with a G to display the function bar (as in step 1), then touch the icon with three small dots. You then have the choice between three functions. The first is used to edit the text while the second is used to change the background of the virtual keyboard. The most interesting is the third function which reduces the size of the keyboard to be able to use it with one hand. You can place the keyboard on the right or on the left, or even wherever you want.
5 – Easily control the cursor position
Place your finger on the space bar on the keyboard and drag left or right on the bar with your finger. This moves the cursor through the text you are creating.
6 – Quickly access special characters
Tap the area ? 123 located at the bottom left of the keyboard and, without removing your finger, drag it to a letter. This displays the special character associated with the letter. By removing your finger, the character is inserted into the text. For some letters, you can choose between several special characters. The top line of the keypad provides access to numbers.
Another solution to access the special character of a letter is to keep your finger pressed for a few seconds.
To do this, you have to go to the keyboard settings and toggle the switch Long press to display symbols. You can also systematically display the numbers by flipping the switch Line of numbers. But in this case, the keyboard takes up more space on the screen.
7 – Change to uppercase
Tap the uppercase icon at the bottom left and, without removing your finger, drag it to a letter to put it in uppercase in the text.
8 – Insert fractions
To insert a fraction, touch the? 123 area then press a number on the keypad for a few seconds.
The different fractions are then displayed and you just have to select the one that suits you.