Google Keyboard has changed its name as well as many other things in its latest update released this month. Gboard, as it’s now called, has been available on iOS for more than 6 months, however, has only just hit Android devices this week. If you have updated to the new style or are considering doing so, this guide will show you how to remove the one feature that is driving people crazy, the "G" search icon.
How to Group Video Chat Using Facebook Messenger.
The biggest and most bragged about feature of Gboard is the built-in Google Search function, which makes searching Google available from anywhere your keyboard will display. You no longer have to open your browser to search. If you have updated from an older version or have downloaded Gboard just recently, this function is quite sporadic in its activation. On some devices, it is active from the get-go and other devices it must be turned on manually.
Some of the Interesting Functions of Google's Gboard.
Gboard is quite an intuitive keyboard to use on Android, besides having the option to search from the keyboard, you can also search for emojis rather than having to flick through the ever-growing library. To do this, simply tap on the emoji button and a search field will display. Now just type in the type of emoji you are looking for, for example, Poo and it will display emojis relevant to your search.
There is also a similar function available to use for GIF’s, however, the GIF function is limited to certain boards and chats such as Google Hangouts. As the trend catches it will become more widely available.
If you are a more practical person, Gboard also allows you to toggle the number of rows displayed permanently on your keyboard, maximising the display area of your screen by reducing the keyboard's footprint. Multiple languages are also available for those users that are multilingual.
Note: The language option doesn’t work as well on Gboard as other keyboards in my opinion. Another keyboard worth trying if you switch between languages a lot is Fleksy. If you would like great multilingual support, that's quick to switch between languages, Fleksy will serve you well.
The last cool feature is the ability to change the theme of Gboard, which isn’t all that new of a concept, as most keyboards on offer also allow this option, However! Something that you can do theme-wise, that not many, if any at all offer, is the ability to set a custom background for your keyboard.
If you are a big fan of the new style keyboard but hate the Google search option it is possible to disable it without much trouble at all. If however, you are on the other side and don’t have it enabled and wish to decide for yourself if it is worth using, you can turn it on just as easily.
Disabling or Enabling the Google Search box on Google’s Gboard Keyboard (formerly Google Keyboard)
It doesn’t matter if you are trying to enable or trying to disable the search box at the top of Gboard, it is basically the same process. To begin, open Gboard keyboard Settings, which can be done from the app drawer. Once the settings menu is open, tap Search and toggle the Show “G” Button to either On or Off. It's that simple! You can now open your keyboard to double check the box is gone.
Whilst you are in the settings menu, it’s worth going into the Advanced box at the bottom and turning off Share usage Statistics and Share Snippets to get yourself a little extra privacy. Having the option to turn these settings on and off is probably just for show, but who knows if it does work why not use it.
