Gboard’s new Emoji and GIF picker enhances experience on tablets and foldables
Top 3 Key Points:
- Gboard’s emoji and GIF picker is redesigned for larger screens like tablets and foldable devices.
- The new layout shows categories on the left and emoji, GIFs, and stickers on the right for easier navigation.
- The update is currently available for Gboard beta users and will roll out to more devices soon.
Google has revamped its Gboard app for Android, bringing a redesigned emoji and GIF picker tailored specifically for tablets and foldable devices. This update improves the experience of choosing emojis, stickers, and GIFs on bigger screens, making the process more seamless and user-friendly.
Emoji usage has become part of everyday communication, so smartphone keyboards need to make it easy to find the right emoji, sticker, or GIF. While some platforms have struggled with this—like iPhones not having emoji search for years—Gboard has always been ahead in offering a good experience. Now, with the latest beta version (v14.6.02), Google is further enhancing Gboard for larger screens.
The main improvement is the new layout, where categories like emojis, GIFs, and stickers are displayed along the left side of the screen, while the actual selections appear on the right. On smaller screens, Gboard only shows icons for these categories, but on larger devices, users now see full-text labels for easier browsing. The search bar has also been enlarged to make it even more accessible.
This change makes a big difference on foldable devices, where previously GIFs were awkwardly displayed in just one or two rows. The updated interface now shows several rows, making it much more convenient to browse through options. On tablets, the layout is even more spaced out, with additional tools for quickly switching between emojis, GIFs, and stickers.
So far, this update has been spotted on devices like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 6. It appears that updating the Gboard app on certain devices, such as the OnePlus Open, is enough to trigger the new layout. However, it seems this change is not yet live for all users, as it’s still being tested in the Gboard beta program.
Google is expected to release this update to the wider public soon, giving all users access to the improved emoji and GIF picker on larger screens. For now, only those enrolled in the beta version of Gboard can enjoy this new feature.