Some Gboard users can now customize the toolbar on the virtual QWERTY

On May 31, 2023

As a long-time Android user, the Gboard virtual QWERTY has always been my keyboard choice especially since everything I need is just a tap away. Earlier this year Google slowly started to rollout a revised customizable toolbar for Gboard and now the dissemination of the update has picked up speed. If you’re a member of the Gboard Beta program and have version 13 running, you should have the revised Gboard toolbar on your Android phone right now.

Fortunately, I am a Beta member (I’ll explain how you can find out if you are and how to join) and my Pixel 6 Pro is running Gboard version 13 so I so have the new toolbar on the app. Instead of the ellipses that used to take you to different features, with the update you’ll find a round circle icon with four squares inside on the left side of the toolbar above the top row of keys on the QWERTY. Tap on that and you’ll be able to customize the toolbar to include six icons that you are a tap away.

Update to Gboard allows users to customize the toolbar

Let’s say that your Gboard toolboard currently includes Stickers, GIFs, Google Translate, Settings, Floating (to have the QWERTY float on your display), and Theme. But you want to replace the Theme icon with the Voice icon. So after you tap the round circle icon with four squares inside, long-press on the Theme icon and drag it down to under the heading that says “Hold and drag to customize.” You then long-press on the Voice icon and drag it to where the Theme icon previously was. Release your finger, and that is all there is to it.

Now, to check which version of Gboard that you’re running, go to Settings and in the Search settings bar at the top of the screen, type in Gboard. Go to the bottom of the screen and tap on Gboard App info. At the very bottom of the display you will see the version of the app you’re running. Again, you want it to be version 13 or higher with the Beta designation at the end.

You need to be a Gboard Beta tester to customize the toolbar now

If you want to see if more Gboard Beta testers are being accepted by Google, open up the listing on the Play Store and scroll down. If Google is still accepting Beta testers for the app, you’ll see a place on the Play Store listing asking if you want to be a Beta tester for the app.

The update does allow you to customize the Gboard toolbar to have the features you use the most right at your fingertips. And eventually, the new Gboard toolbar will be available for all Android users of the app.

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