Gboard is the keyboard of choice for many iPhone users. Sure, the default iOS keyboard is visually a better fit, but Gboard is more practical for a lot of people. Especially bilingual users, as it doesn’t require manual language switching (along with some additional perks).
Even though Apple doesn’t like it when you use a third-party keyboard (or any other app (especially from Google)), it doesn’t forbid it either. However, you have to go through a setup to enable Gboard to function properly on your iPhone. The whole process is seamless most of the time. But there’s also space for potential problems.
If you encountered a problem where you can’t set up Gboard on your iPhone or it stops working, I’ll try to help you in this article.
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Fix: Can’t set up Gboard on iPhone
If you can’t even set Gboard up, there’s either a bug inside the app, or you didn’t complete the setup properly. Either way, I’m going to show you a few solutions that will, hopefully, help you properly set Gboard up on your iPhone.
1. Restart your iPhone
I personally encountered this problem when I got my new iPhone. I tried every possible solution I could think of, but nothing helped. Gboard was missing from the settings, so I couldn’t add it to the list of keyboards. And then I restarted the phone. As soon as it booted up, Gboard magically appeared in the keyboards list, and I was able to finish the setup. I encountered zero problems with it ever since.
As trivial as it sounds, a simple restart may be the solution. Especially if you’re setting up your iPhone for the first time and it has to deal with multiple app installs at the same time. Something might get mixed up in that whole mess, causing Gboard to not work properly. Something that a quick restart fixes.
Even though this is the only solution that helped me, I’ll list some additional workarounds, because your situation may be different than mine and your problem may require another solution.
2. Check the necessary permissions
You need to grant a few permissions to Gboard for iPhone to allow it. Although the app gives you the necessary instructions, it won’t hurt if we repeat them here, just so you can be sure you got everything right. Here’s what you need to do:
- Go to Settings, and search for Keyboards.
- Tap Keyboards > Add New Keyboard…
- Add Gboard from the list of third-party keyboards.
- Now, tap Gboard and toggle the Enable Full Access option.
3. Check your Region settings
And now a few words in case you can’t even install Gboard on your iPhone. Gboard is only available in select regions around the world. This means, if you’re not in the US or (most of) Europe, there’s a chance Gboard isn’t available in your region. You’ll know if that’s the case when you search for Gboard in the App Store. If you can’t find it, it simply isn’t available for you.
In case Gboard isn’t available in your Region, you can either find an alternative keyboard or change your Region settings. While changing your Region settings will allow you to download Gboard and other previously unavailable apps from the App Store, it comes with a huge drawback. You can’t link a debit/credit card to your account if it’s from a different location than the one you set up on your iPhone. Which means you won’t be able to make any app purchases or subscriptions.
At the end of the day, you decide which option is better for you. If you don’t have any active subscriptions, changing your Region settings could be a good way of accessing additional apps. But if you do have active subscriptions, canceling everything so you can download a few more apps probably isn’t worth the trouble.
Read Also: GIFs not working on iPhone? Here’s what to do
Fix: Gboard stopped working on iPhone
In case Gboard used to work fine on your iPhone, but has now stopped working, we have another list of solutions. Most of these solutions revolve around updating either iOS or the app itself. Because if you’re having a problem with Gboard, it’s most likely a bug that you can do very little about.
1. Update Gboard
There could be a bug inside the Gboard app that prevents it from working properly on your iPhone. And perhaps the best way to deal with such a problem is to simply update the app. If the problem is widespread, developers will figure it out sooner rather than later and deliver the fix with one of the (if not the very next) future updates.
To update Gboard, head over to the App Store, search for Gboard, and see if there’s an update available. If there is an update, install it and check if you’re able to use Gboard again.
2. Update iOS
The same goes for the operating system itself. There’s a chance an iOS update disrupted the way Gboard works on your iPhone. Especially if that update introduced any changes to the iOS keyboard. So, make sure to regularly check for new iOS updates. To check for iOS updates on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Install the new update (if available), and see if the problem is still there.
The only problem here is that you don’t know when will Apple deliver an update that fixes the problem. Unless you manage to find a specific solution, you’ll have to keep checking for new updates until the aid arrives.
3. Re-install Gboard
And finally, if nothing else helps, try deleting Gboard completely and installing it again. Here’s how to delete Gboard from your iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Head over to General > iPhone Storage.
- Scroll down through the list of apps until you find Gboard.
- Tap Gboard and go to Delete App.
Now, head over to the App Store, find Gboard and install it again. Set it up as shown above, and check if the fresh install changed anything.
That’s about it, I hope at least one of the solutions from this article helped you deal with the Gboard problem on your iPhone. In case you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, feel free to write them down in the comments below.
