How to adjust font size in Gboard and other hidden tricks: Complete guide with gestures, editing, emojis, and more

¿How to adjust font size in Gboard and other hidden tricks? If you've recently noticed that your phone's keys are becoming too small or, on the contrary, taking up too much space, the good news is that Gboard lets you easily adjust their height and position. In addition to changing the keyboard size, there are a handful of hidden gestures and functions that will make you write faster, with fewer errors and without going crazy searching for emojis or symbols.

In this guide, you'll find a clear explanation of how to customize Gboard to your liking and a repertoire of tricks that you should have on hand: From the new text editor, integrated clipboard and instant translation, to creating your own GIFs or stickersYou'll also see how to adjust the system keyboard on Android (and on other platforms like Samsung), alternatives when you still can't see clearly, and what options are available on iOS.

How to adjust the keyboard size and position in Gboard

Gboard incorporated a key improvement: You can resize the keyboard and reposition it to make typing more comfortable, especially if you have large fingers or a huge screen.

Option 1 (from the keyboard itself): Open Gboard, tap the button with the letter G and enter the tools menu. If you don't see all the options, click on the three dots icon to expand them.. Find the one-handed mode and activate it.

When you enter that mode you will see some icons on the side of the keyboard. Use the icon below to resize by dragging the corners and adjust the size to your preference. Use the center button to move the keyboard slightly up or down.

Option 2 (from Settings): Open the keyboard options (hold the comma and release over the gear, or tap G and then Settings) and go to Preferences. Go to 'Keyboard Height' to choose between Very Low, Low, Medium-Low, Normal, Medium-High, High or Very HighThis route is ideal if you want a fine-tuning that lasts.

Quick access to Settings and toolbar customization

Setting up Gboard is very easy from the keyboard itself. Press the G in the top left corner and tap Settings; if it doesn't appear, tap the three dots to see more shortcuts. You can also access the gear by holding down the comma.

Customize the toolbar to have what you use most just a tap away. From the three dots, drag the shortcuts you are interested in to the top bar (for example, Translation, GIF, Clipboard, or Cursor Keys) and remove any that don't help you.

To give it a different touch, go to Theme. You can choose flat colors, gradients or options with background, and whether or not to enable the key border. If you prefer a dark look, you can set it here regardless of the system mode.

If you prefer Gboard to appear as an app in the drawer, go to Advanced Settings and turn on 'Show app icon'. This way you will also access its settings from the launcher., not just when the keyboard is opened.

Text editing, cursor keys and clipboard

Text editing in Gboard just got more powerful. The new editor makes it easier to copy, cut and paste without having to fight with the system selector.

Activate 'Cursor Keys' from the toolbar or the three-dot menu to access a mini-navigation keyboard. With arrows you can move through the text and select precisely before copying or deleting.

Gboard comes with a built-in clipboard: save what you copy for up to an hour to reuse. Go to Clipboard (from the toolbar) and activate it the first time; from there, you'll see your recent clippings ready to paste.

There are also gestures that make editing much faster: slide your finger across the space bar to move the cursor precisely. And, if you swipe from the backspace (DEL) key to the left, you'll bulk-select text to delete when you release it..

Efficient writing: gestures, capital letters and signs

If you like to type without lifting your finger, turn on 'Swipe to Type'. Link letters and Gboard guesses the word; it works surprisingly well, even when you're walking or using one hand.

To switch between upper and lower case, select the word(s) and tap the shift key repeatedly. The keyboard rotates between Uppercase, Lowercase and First Letter Capital, perfect for titles or proper names.

If you need to lock the caps lock for an entire word, double-tap or hold the shift key. It's fast and saves you from having to touch the key on every letter..

Punctuation shortcuts: Press and hold the period to display common signs (! ? () and more). You can also type a period by double-tapping the space bar., ideal when you chain long sentences.

To avoid wasting time switching between keyboards, open the symbols with and, if necessary, the calculator-type numeric key with . If you want even more speed, in Preferences activate 'Hold to see symbols', and you will have the secondary characters in each letter with a long press.

Emojis, GIFs, and stickers (including your own GIFs)

From the G and the toolbar, go to GIF and search for the one you want. The search engine is powered by one of the largest libraries on the Internet, and keep your recent GIFs for on-the-fly reuse.

Want to create your own custom GIF? Go to GIF and tap the camera icon. You can record a few seconds with the headlamp, add effects and text, and save it for reuse. or send it in your messaging apps.

In Stickers, you'll find dozens of ready-to-use packs. Gboard also allows you to create "Your Thumbnails": Generate stickers with your face from a photo and customize stylesIf you use Bitmoji, you can also integrate it.

To find emojis without wasting time, tap the smiley face and use the search. You can also tap the drawing icon and sketch the emoji you have in mind.; the keyboard will suggest similar ones as you draw.

Important: The emoji suggestions in the predictive bar work great, but they're intended for English. If you type 'cat' it will suggest the cat emoji.. Still, you can always show recent emojis on the symbol keyboard by enabling the option in Preferences.

Integrated voice dictation and translation

In the top bar, next to the predictions, you'll see a microphone. Tap to dictate and Gboard will transcribe what you say.; if you say 'comma' or 'period', it will insert the corresponding punctuation.

No data or poor coverage? Go to Settings > Voice typing > Offline speech recognition and download your languages. Hide offensive words if you want automatic censorship or disable it if you prefer to see them as is..

Instant Translation: From the three dots, add the Translate tool to your toolbar. Type in your language and the keyboard will send the translated text to the output language., without changing apps or copy/pasting.

The G Search button can display embedded results (quick translations, videos, etc.) ready to share. If you don't use it, turn off 'Show the Search button' in Settings > Search. and free up space.

Languages, dictionaries, and keyboard styles

You can use multiple languages ​​at once: Gboard detects which one you're typing in and adapts suggestions and corrections. Activate all the languages ​​you are interested in and switch between them with the globe key if you beat three at once.

Layouts and styles: In addition to the classic QWERTY (with or without ñ), Gboard supports AZERTY, QWERTZ, Colemak, Dvorak, or the 'PC' layout. Change the language layout from Settings > Languages so that your flow is the same in every language.

Fun fact: In English (US), you can enable 'Morse Code' as an input method. Allows you to adjust times to separate characters and words, and it's a fun nod if you like to experiment.

If you prefer to write freehand, add 'Handwriting' to the language you use. Works with finger or stylus and recognizes characters as you draw, useful on large screens or when you don't want to type.

Personal Dictionary and Abbreviations: Add your own terms and shortcuts in Settings > Dictionary > Personal Dictionary. For example, define 'xtk' to suggest the long name you usually type.And if you want your learned words to appear on all your devices, turn on sync.

Floating keyboard and one-handed mode

The 'Floating' option reduces the keyboard to a window that you can drag around the screen. It is ideal when you need to see content that is covered by the lower keyboard.. When you tap Float again, it returns to its normal position.

One-handed mode places the keyboard against the side and makes it narrower. Use it to type with your thumb without stretching. With the side icons you can invert the side, reposition and adjust the size.

Adjust the keyboard on Android (and Samsung)

If you prefer to tap on system settings, go to your phone's Settings and select the Language and input methods section. Search for 'Virtual Keyboard' and select the active keyboard (Gboard or whatever you use).

Within Gboard, open Preferences to access 'Keyboard Height' and fine-tune how much screen space it takes up. Try the 'Very Low' to 'Very High' levels until you feel comfortable.If possible, open a chat app while multitasking to see the result in real time.

On Samsung devices running One UI 6 or higher, the path changes: Settings > General management > Samsung Keyboard settings > Size & transparency. There you can resize the native Samsung keyboard with a preview., although the logic is similar to Gboard.

Please note that menu names may vary depending on the manufacturer or version. The general route always goes through Language/Input and then 'Virtual Keyboard', where you choose your keyboard app and change its size.

More useful Gboard settings

Number in first row: If you often type numbers, enable 'Number Row' in Preferences to have it fixed. Saves taps and avoids switching to the numeric keypad Every two for three.

Vibration & Sound: In Preferences > Keystroke, adjust whether the keystroke sounds when pressed, its volume, haptic intensity, and the menu delay when pressed and held. Customize the keyboard feel to make it feel natural coming from another keyboard.

Suggestions and corrections: Under 'Spelling check', choose whether you want next-word suggestions, autocorrect, automatic capitalization, or filter out offensive terms. You can include names of your contacts and learned words for finer hits.

Annoying suggestions? Tap and hold the suggestion in the top bar and drag it to the trash to delete it. Over time, if that word reappears a lot, the model may suggest it again., but this way you clear out what you don't want. To learn more about deleting on Gboard, check out this article: How to delete suggestions on Gboard?

If you still can't see the keyboard properly: accessibility and alternatives

Adjust the interface size: In Settings > Display, you can change the 'Display size' or density to make everything, including the keyboard, appear larger. A small adjustment can make all the difference without touching the keyboard..

Turn on magnification: In Accessibility, enable magnification by triple-tapping or using the volume keys. It will allow you to zoom in on the keyboard or any part of the screen. when you need it.

Voice dictation: If typing is a chore, Gboard's microphone is your friend. Type, dictate, and let it transcribe while you add a comma or period.; it's very convenient if you have your hands full.

External keyboard: Connect a Bluetooth or wired keyboard if you're looking for long-lasting comfort. You will write as on a computer and see the app in full screen. while chatting or taking notes.

Try other keyboards: Fleksy stands out for its speed and gestures, and allows you to resize the keyboard by pinching. SwiftKey shines with its predictions based on your style and also lets you adjust dimensionsThere are many options with advanced customization in the Play Store.

If nothing feels comfortable, the phone may not be the right fit for your hand. A thicker cover can improve grip and control., and in extreme cases, considering a larger phone may also make sense.

On iOS: what you can do and how

The native iOS keyboard does not allow you to change its size directly. The solution is to install third-party keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey from the App Store., which do add height options, gestures, and more comprehensive predictions.

To enable them: download the keyboard, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > 'Add New Keyboard', select it, and grant it full permissions if you want all the features. This way you will have it available in any app. with the globe icon to toggle.

Useful iOS options: You can use 'Screen Zoom' in Display & Brightness to make everything look bigger, or force keys to appear in uppercase by going to Accessibility > Keyboards. Both settings improve keyboard readability. without switching apps.

Quick FAQ

Do all keyboard apps allow resizing?

The most popular ones (Gboard, SwiftKey, Fleksy) yes. Some basic options do not include height adjustment., always check the Settings of each app.

Can you make the keyboard bigger on iPhone without apps?

The native keyboard does not allow resizing, but You can use Screen Zoom and activate Shift keysFor more control, install Gboard or SwiftKey.

With all of the above, you have at your disposal a keyboard that adapts to you and not the other way around: Adjust height and position, master gestures, use the clipboard and built-in translation, automate with a personal dictionary, and switch between languages ​​and styles based on your context. Once you configure Gboard to your liking, typing on your phone goes from being a chore to fluid and even fun.