I configured Gboard shortcuts to save hours; I can't imagine texting without them
Android Police 2026-07-13 12:00:10
Context: The author, Jon Gilbert, a Features Writer for Android Police, has discovered a time-saving feature in Gboard, Google's keyboard app, that allows users to create custom shortcuts for frequently used phrases. By configuring these shortcuts, Gilbert has significantly reduced his typing time, especially for repetitive messages. This feature, known as Personal Dictionary, has become an essential tool for Gilbert's daily communication.
Key Facts
- The author uses Gboard's Personal Dictionary feature to create shortcuts for commonly used phrases, such as "eml" for his personal email, "adrs" for his home address, and "pn" for his phone number.
- The Personal Dictionary has a 50-character limit, but users can chain shortcuts together to create longer texts, allowing for more complex phrases to be typed quickly.
- The author also uses a third-party app called Texpand to create shortcuts for longer texts, which can be up to several paragraphs long, although it has limitations, such as a limited number of shortcuts in the free version.
- Gboard's Personal Dictionary feature allows users to export and import their shortcuts to other devices, making it easy to use across multiple devices.
- The author estimates that using Personal Dictionary saves him hours of typing over time, and when combined with Gboard's text editing tool, enables him to quickly navigate and edit his messages.