Fix problems with Gboard
If you have issues or privacy concerns with Gboard, try these steps.
Before you start
- Restart your device: Many apps and processes run in the background, and sometimes they can interfere with Gboard.
- Rebooting your phone restarts all these processes and can resolve minor malfunctions.
- Update the Gboard app: Make sure you have the latest version of Gboard from Google Play for Android.
- Updates frequently include bug fixes, performance enhancements, and compatibility improvements.
Gboard is crashing, freezing, or unresponsive
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps & notifications or Apps 👁 and then
Gboard. - Tap Storage and cache 👁 and then
Clear cache. - If the issue persists, tap Clear data or Clear storage.
- This resets Gboard to its default state.
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps 👁 and then
Gboard 👁 and then
Force stop. - Reopen your keyboard.
Important: If Gboard is your only keyboard app, install a secondary one.
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps & notifications 👁 and then
Gboard. - To remove the app, tap Uninstall.
- Open Play Store.
- On the search box enter:
Gboard - Tap Install.
If issues started immediately after a Gboard update, uninstalling updates can revert the app to a more stable version.
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps 👁 and then
Gboard. - At the top right, tap More 👁 More
👁 and then
Uninstall updates.
Typing lag or incorrect key presses
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps & notifications or Apps 👁 and then
Gboard. - Tap Storage and cache 👁 and then
Clear cache. - If the issue persists, tap Clear data or Clear storage.
- This resets Gboard to its default state.
- On your Android device, open any app where you can enter text, like Gmail or Keep.
- At the top of the keyboard, tap Settings 👁 Settings
👁 and then
Advanced. - Turn off Personalization.
- This adapts Gboard to your typing and voice typing usage patterns. This can reduce input lag.
- On your Android device, open any app where you can enter text, like Gmail or Keep.
- At the bottom left of your keyboard, touch and hold the comma, then move your finger to access Settings 👁 Settings
. - Tap Text correction.
- If it causes unwanted alterations to your text, turn off Smart compose or Auto-capitalization.
- To view predictive text and word suggestions, turn on Show suggestion strip.
For smoother typing, stick to one or two active languages.
Voice input problems
To grant Gboard microphone access:
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps or App management 👁 and then
Gboard 👁 and then
Permissions. - Tap Microphone.
- Select Allow only while using the app.
To allow Voice typing functionality:
- On your Android device, open any app where you can enter text, like Gmail or Keep.
- Tap in the text entry field.
- At the top of the keyboard, tap Settings 👁 Settings
👁 and then
Voice typing. - Turn on Voice typing.
- For improved responsiveness: Turn on Faster voice typing.
- For Pixel 6 or newer devices: Turn on Advanced voice typing features.
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap Apps & notifications or Apps 👁 and then
Gboard. - Tap Storage 👁 and then
Clear cache. - If the issue persists, tap Clear data.
- This resets Gboard to its default state.
- After setting up a new Pixel phone, it might take a few hours for necessary updates to download.
- Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi, restart it, and charge it overnight.
Restore Gboard
Switch back to Gboard
If Gboard switches to another keyboard, you can switch it back.
- On your Android device, open any app where you can enter text, like Gmail or Keep.
- Tap where you can enter text.
- At the bottom of your keyboard, touch and hold Globe 👁 Globe
. - Tap Gboard.
Add Gboard back to your keyboard list
When you update Gboard, it could disappear from your keyboard list. To add it back:
- On your Android device, go to your Settings app.
- Tap System 👁 and then
Keyboard 👁 and then
On-screen keyboard. - Turn on Gboard.
Remove words & check privacy
Gboard saves the words you type to help you with spelling, and to predict searches you could be interested in. These words are saved only to your device. You can delete saved words whenever you want.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open any app that you can type with, like Gmail or Keep.
- Tap where you can enter text.
- At the top of the keyboard, tap Settings 👁 Settings
. - Tap Dictionary 👁 and then
Delete learned words. - To confirm that you want to permanently remove these words, enter the number provided.
- Tap Ok.
We know that what you type on your Android device is personal, so Gboard keeps your info private.
What Gboard sends to Google
- Your searches are sent to Google to get search results.
- Usage statistics are sent to let us know which features are used most often, and to help us improve.
- If you use Gboard's talk-to-text feature, your voice is sent to Google for transcription.
What Gboard doesn't send to Google
- Anything you type, other than your searches, like passwords or chats with friends.
- Saved words aren’t sent. You can delete saved words at any time.
How to send feedback to Gboard
If you use an Android device, you can send feedback directly from Gboard or through Android Settings.
Send Quality Bug Report (recommended)
If you experience issues with Gboard, you can submit a bug report to help our team improve.
- On your Android device, open any app where you can enter text, like Gmail or Keep.
- On the left side of the suggestion strip, tap Menu 👁 Image
. - Tap Feedback.
- For faster access in the future, you can drag this icon to the main toolbar.
- A form opens to describe your issue.
- The field "Quality bug report:" is added at the start.
- Enter a detailed description of the bug you experienced.
- To submit your report, tap Send.
Send feedback through comma on Gboard
- On your Android device, open any app where you can enter text, like Gmail or Keep.
- At the bottom left of your keyboard, touch and hold the comma, then move your finger to access Settings 👁 Settings
. - At the bottom, tap Help & feedback 👁 and then
Send feedback.