10 Google Keyboard shortcuts to speed up your mobile typing

The Google Keyboard or GBoard as [they] call it; on the surface looks like any ordinary keyboard. In fact is almost boring to look at.

But it's jam packed with features and tools that even the experienced GBoard user will find something new here (I certainly did!).

Learns as you type

No need to manually add words to a personal dictionary. Type a word once and you can gesture type it or find it in suggestions next time. Long press a suggestion to remove it from your 'learned words' or the keyboard dictionary.

Sync your learned words across devices to improve suggestions

enable in Gboard Settings→ Dictionary → Sync learned words

Unfortunately this is not available for G Suite accounts :( boo.

Gesture cursor control

Slide your finger across the space bar to move the cursor (don't press and hold, just touch and slide in a quick smooth action) - so cool!

Gesture delete

Slide left from the delete key to quickly highlight then delete multiple words in one movement

Make the number row available all the time

enable in Settings → Preferences → Number Row

Symbols hints

Show quick hints on your keys to access symbols with a long press (enable in Gboard Settings → Preferences → Long press for symbols)

Before

After

One handed mode

On large screen phones, pin keyboard to the left or the right of the screen by long pressing on Enter and selecting the thumb icon.

Fast symbols

Gesture from the '?123' key to temporarily switch to the symbols keyboard and insert a symbol. Long hold on the symbols key to get variant of that symbol

Fast capitalisation

Gesture from the SHIFT key to a character to capitalise it

Themes

Choose a theme with or without key borders to suit your style.