Google’s Gboard virtual keyboard has gained wide usage, offering various practical functions like gesture typing and intelligent auto-correction. Unfortunately, however, its app was lacking an essential feature – an “undo” button to undo unintended taps or accidental selections made in text fields.
Google appears to be working towards changing that, according to reports. They are currently testing out a GBoard feature which will restore deleted text on Android smartphones – similar to desktop operating systems’ “Control+Z” or “Command+Z” commands, it reportedly works like this by allowing users to revert actions and restore deleted texts.
As reported by 9to5Google, this new GBoard feature is being tested in the latest beta of GBoard and can be accessed through its overflow menu. Google recently enabled customization options for this overflow menu which allow this new button to be brought up higher for easier accessibility – although final implementation could differ and offer further increases in accessibility.
The video demo posted by the website illustrates how the GBoard “undo” button works as an accidental backspace is accidentally selected and press backspace, the overflow button allows the user to tap an “undo” button that restores all deleted or selected text from search bars; similarly, this method could also be used to undelete text from specific fields in text editors.
The “undo” button can also be pinned to the toolbar, ensuring it remains at the forefront of all other buttons and menus. Mishaal Rahman, an Android detective who verified this new feature on a Pixel device, conducted tests to confirm its functionality; he confirmed that GBoard undo works just like its desktop equivalent allowing him to recover several paragraphs deleted via backspace key or eraser icon deletion.
As part of its update, GBoard will reportedly offer support for “Show Clipboard History”, which allows users to track all clips they’ve copied across applications and share them across apps simultaneously. Furthermore, you will have the ability to copy multiple items at the same time using this feature and share them across platforms. Starting today, Pixel devices will begin receiving this new feature as part of Android 13, and other handsets should receive it later this year. It will become part of this latest operating system update. Google’s privacy dashboard will also make its debut later this year on OS, complete with its innovative “show 7 days” option for quickly viewing which applications have accessed your private information over the last seven days. All this will come together as part of Gboard’s next update which also introduces floating keyboard mode and one-handed mode support – for more info, follow us on Twitter for updates!