10 Gboard shortcuts that will give you super typing powers on Android

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• 10 Gboard shortcuts that will give you super typing powers on Android

            Si hay algo que los pterodáctilos de Android damos por sentado, es lo bien que sabemos lo malo que es escribir texto en nuestros teléfonos de bolsillo.

It's all too easy to lose sight of over time, but Almighty Goog, let me tell you: Android typing is an absolute joy. And all it takes is 10 seconds of trying to wrestle with on-screen keyboards on that other smartphone platform to appreciate our advantage. We've got a lot of great keyboard options in these parts too, but Google's Gboard keyboard has really established itself as the best all-round option for Android typing lately. That's largely due to its top-notch writing foundations and seamless integration of tasty Google intelligence, but it's also due to all the clever little shortcuts lurking just below its surface. So, in honor of the release of my new Android Supercourse shortcut - a free six-day email adventure that helps you discover tons of time-saving Android treasures - join me on this tour of rare and rare Gboard input shortcuts. Check them out, try them out and then let's go register for the course for even more super useful Android awesomeness.

Gboard shortcut n. 1: one second to one hand

Look, the problem has no solution: sometimes when you write you have to support yourself with one hand. (Let's keep the specific reasons to ourselves, shall we?) And Gboard has a great one-handed input mode that's incredibly easy to access. So next time one of your sensors is busy, try this: Hold down the Gboard Enter key for about a second. This will activate the Gboard system with one hand and reduce your on-screen keyboard to a smaller size. You can then dock your fun-sized mini keyboard to the left or right side of your screen for exceptionally easy access. JR From there you can use the onscreen controls to change the exact location of the keyboard. And when you're ready, you can also return it to its normal full-width mode with just one click. Pretty handy, right?

Gboard shortcut # 2: floating keyboard magic

Our next Gboard tip is the one we talked about earlier this summer, but I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention it in this collection: In addition to the one-handed keyboard contortion, Gboard has a floating keyboard on the side. All of that lets you move your QWERTY companion anywhere on your screen and even shrink it down to a super-miniature version that's easier to drag and drop. I mean, just look at this thing. Is not it adorable ?! JR I have all the information about that in this column, but what I wanted to call out here, in particular, is the shortcut associated with this system: once you've put Gboard in this floating mode, you can hit the keyboard down on the screen to plug it back in and get back to normal. See? JR It's fast, efficient and almost therapeutic to do.

Gboard shortcut # 3: the old press and hold

One of Gboard's handiest Android typing shortcuts is the way the keyboard lets you display both numbers and special characters just by pressing regular keys. It's a much faster way to get to what you need than navigating through the various subscreens to find items (especially if you're typing while pressing). The secret lies in an environment located in the heart of Gboard's wet virtual intestines. Here's how to find and activate it:

• Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top row of Gboard. (If you don't see this icon here, tap the left arrow on the left edge of this row to reveal it.)
• Look for the gear-shaped Settings icon on the screen that appears.
• Tap "Preferences," then scroll to the bottom of this screen.
• Do you see the line titled "Long press for symbols"? Toggle the toggle next to that suction cup to turn it on, and while you're at it, go ahead and toggle the toggle next to "Popup on keypress" if it's not already enabled.

Now exit that menu and open Gboard again, and you should see a bunch of useful secondary key options in the upper-right corners of each key on your keyboard. You can then press and hold any key for about a second to display your alternate option. JR If you have a dedicated row of numbers at the top of your keyboard, you might even consider turning it off to reduce the size of the keyboard, as this setting serves the same purpose and makes those numbers just as accessible. The option to do this is in the same area of ​​the Gboard settings that we just visited.

Gboard shortcut n. 4: the other scoring station

This long-press method is by far the fastest way to access the most popular forms of punctuation on Gboard, if you ask me, but some common characters are strangely missing from this layout. Among them is the Humble Slash (not to be confused with the Humble Slash, which is so good but not available as a keyboard). To experience this simple angled line that we all love, press and hold the Gboard dot key for a second, then swipe left to find and activate the appropriate symbol. JR However, remember that this only includes the dodge slash, not the dodge slash. The closest thing to the latter on Gboard is the top emoji.

Gboard shortcut n. 5: a faster route to setup

Speaking of Gboard and scoring, here's a terrific little shortcut worth filing away in the back of your personal brain for future use: Next time you need to access Gboard's settings, ignore the multi-step method that we did a minute ago and instead press and hold the comma key on the keyboard for a second, slide your finger up slightly, and then release. And damn, would you watch what happens? JR Game, scenery, party.

Gboard shortcuts # 6, 7, 8 and 9: the gliding sisters

The following set of Gboard shortcuts is from my largest collection of Gboard tips, and it's all about saving amazing time swiping your favorite Android keyboard. The rapid fire summary:

• You can slide your finger along the Gboard space bar to move the screen cursor in any text field.
• You can swipe up from the "? 123" key to find and access more special characters at a glance.
• Swiping up from the Gboard Shift key will allow you to quickly capitalize any letter.
• And swiping left on Gboard's backspace will give you an easy way to delete a bunch of text at once.

To learn more about all of these controls and how to take advantage of them, check back to this solid guide from Gboard.

Gboard shortcut n. 10: writing tips

Last but not least is one of the lesser-known gems of Gboard these days, and that's the surprisingly efficient on-screen typing keyboard system. It's true (and write too) - you can actually write text by scribbling on your screen with a stylus, your finger, or whatever appendage you like (be careful...). This can be a handy way to enter text in the right kind of situation, and it's also just a fun hack to try. To turn on Gboard's handwriting mode yourself, put your fancy feet back in the keyboard settings, then hit "Languages," then the Add Keyboard button. Type "English (US)" (or your preferred language), then make sure "Handwriting" is active and highlighted at the top of the screen. Have I understood? Good. Now just hit the Done button to apply the changes. JR Pull up Gboard again and you should now be able to press and hold space or tap the new globe icon next to it to toggle between the standard keyboard layout and your new recognition system. 'Handwriting. And once you've got that writing canvas open, all that's left to do is type, type, type, and watch Google's virtual genius translate your unreadable scribbles into normal text almost instantly. JR As you can see above, it works even if your handwriting resembles the desperate scribbles of a drunken baby moose. (This moose and I have a lot in common.) Remember: there's a lot more where this came from. Come join my amazing free Android shortcut course for six full days of efficiency-enhancing Android knowledge, from faster ways to bypass your phone to advanced app actions, better browsing secrets, and many other opportunities for advanced Android knowledge. All those saved seconds definitely add up, and just as importantly, they make you feel like a total tech wizard.

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