Remove the G-button from the Android keyboard
If you are using the official Google Keyboard application on Android, now called Gboard, then you may have noticed that it features a new G-button at the top of the keyboard.
You can tap on it to run web searches directly in the keyboard interface, regardless of application you are in. For instance, if you are in WhatsApp, you could runi a search for "funny image", and paste a link to one of the results.
While this can be useful, it can also be awfully distracting especially since it is rather easy to tap on the G-button accidentally to bring up the search interface.
Remove the G-button from the Android keyboard
As you can see on the screenshot above, a tap on the G-icon opens the search interface. Google displays suggestions and an option to type custom search queries. Results are returned in the interface, with news and weather searches always only a tap away.
If you don't need the icon, because you don't need the functionality that it provides you with, or because it gets in your way, you may want to remove it from the keyboard.
While you can get rid of the G-button, there does not seem to be a way currently to remove the full line the G-icon is placed in.
Here is how you remove the button:
- While in the chat interface, tap on the G-button and then on the preferences icon that is displayed next to other icons and the search interface.
- Select Search on the Gboard keyboard settings page that opens.
- There you find the option to hide the "G" button, and an option to disable predictive search.
If you toggle the Show "G" button switch, the button itself is removed. The main issue however is that the line that it was placed on is still there. Basically, what happens is that the button is replaced by an arrow icon.
A tap on the icon does not trigger the search interface directly, but it displays options to run searches and to open the settings among other things.
There does not seem to be an option right now to remove that line completely which means that you are left with dead weight in the keyboard layout that you have no use for and can't remove.
Closing Words
Many Android users may find the new Gboard "G" Button useful. It enables them to run searches without having to switch to another app to do so. That's the use case that Google is pushing with the update.
Those that don't require it on the other hand have no option to remove it completely from the keyboard. Well, technically, you could install another keyboard app and start using it.
Now You: What's your take on the Gboard app update?
When I follow what this article says I don’t see the search bar when I click preferences can someone please help me I would love to get rid of the button from my gboard
Google has to constantly change things with each and every part of every single thing they have in use. Each team has their own responsibilities and their own little part of Google that they manage, so those that are on the keyboard team need to make changes just for the sake of making changes. They will accept any ideas and see which ones are actually possible. If they don’t come up with anything, no changes or additions, good or bad, they will appear to not be accomplishing anything at all. That means replacement of team with fresh people with new ideas, getting rid of the team for that little pie e of Google they were controlling, maybe simply handing that over to another team that can handle it and their part as well. Basically it comes down to doing something, just to do something, regardless of how users like it, need it or want to get rid of it. Users are not who they care to please, you and I are never considered when they decide on anything. If you think you’re voice is heard you really are misunderstanding what Google is all about. The more they can appear on every single thing you look at the more imbedded in your mind they become, until you finally accept the fact that no matter what you do you cannot escape Google, you can’t turn it off, you can’t make anything that they want you to see be hidden, they don’t care if you stop using anything affiliated with Google because they know that you don’t know that Google has their hands in every single part of you’re telephone and on line experience, copying your every move, every line of text, what your eyes focus on and for how long, everything you say, regardless of who or what you’re saying it to. It’s all stored somewhere, even if they can’t use it now they’ll get to it eventually to use it all in some way to get your money, control your life, allow you to only see what they want you to see, only know what they want you to know, only allow you to buy from their predetermined choices, ultimately controlling your life and you agreed to it all when you searched with Google, bought at Amazon, opened a Gmail account, used Google maps, paid using any online payment option, were suckered into any Alexa device, fire TV, Amazon prime account, turned on your Android phone, etc…
How can I get rid of the gif button? Not just in gboard, but also in messenger? Everywhere, if that’s possible.
Thanks!
How do you get GBoard OFF Android altogether – it refuses to go.
One of my word processing apps because of the extra G line takes up all the typing space except for 1 line (so have to now use another keyboard. Another problem this makes is that within my processor, the drop down menus I can reach the bottom settings because the gboard with the G and Mic on the extra line overlap the drop down menu. WTF does Google think when it does this stupid shit? Sure it’s great when you want it and/or need it, but it has to be able to be toggled… and that is baby-shit to do so again wtf are they thinking?
All about more ad revenue. The more you google the more google charges advertisers and the more advertisers know about you.
I only installed this keyboard because it’s one of the few good ones that can also remove all the junk above the keyboard, so I can actually use more of my screen. Now with this empty line it’s crap again….
Funny, an article about getting rid of one of the nicest new little features G has added in a while
I’m all-Google and now I can get to all the stuff I want to read/follow so quickly, including my EPL scores, the most important thing in life!
Personally I’m not a fan of it, was tempted to go back to stock Samsung keyboard until I found the settings to disable the G button and all the emoji stuff.
I swear, I’m getting sick of Google. Just leave me alone man, stop shoving yourself into my face, please. I hope the EU will get you so you crawl back a little like Microsoft did a decade or two ago. (Except they’re getting cocky again, need another slap)
blah blah blah
Wow, that REALLY added to the conversation!
G+1
That actually convinced me. I love Google now!
I found the option to turn on the number row again after GBoard removed it. Now how do I get the top-row symbols on a long press (long press 1 for “!”, 2 for “@”, etc.) back?
Funny how I see this article about disabling the G button after discovering the setting to enable the G button by myself because it wasn’t auto enabled.
Conceptually it’s great although in practice I’ve yet to actually use it. I forget it’s there and just open a browser when I want to search something.