Do I lose access to emojis if I turn the switch key off?

No. You still reach emojis through the regular emoji tab on the keyboard. Turning off Show emoji switch key only removes the shortcut next to the space bar, not the emoji picker itself.

Does this setting reset after a system or app update?

It can reset to the default state after major Gboard updates. If the emoji key reappears unexpectedly, check Tap on Preferences under Gboard settings and adjust Show emoji switch key again.

Can I have both the emoji key and the language switch key visible at once?

No. The space next to the space bar only shows one of the two buttons at a time. If you need frequent language switching and emoji access, use the keyboard's language and emoji tabs directly instead of relying on the shortcut key.

Android

Android: Disable the Emoji Switch Key on Gboard

By default, Gboard places an emoji key right next to the space bar for quick access to the emoji picker. If you keep hitting that key by mistake or want the language switch button back in that spot, you can turn the emoji shortcut off. Note that only one of the two can occupy that position, so switching one on turns the other off.

Updated: 07.08.20266 min7 steps

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Android

Turn Off the Emoji Switch Key on Gboard auf Android

The key next to the space bar on Gboard can show either an emoji shortcut or a language switch button, never both. If the emoji switch key is turned on, the space bar shrinks slightly and the button used to cycle between installed keyboard languages disappears from that spot.

For anyone who types in a single language, this rarely matters. For anyone switching between languages regularly, losing the quick-switch button is the more noticeable side effect and often the actual reason someone lands on this setting.

You manage this behavior in the keyboard preferences, not in the emoji picker itself. Go to Tap on Settings ➔ Tap on System ➔ Tap on Keyboard ➔ Tap on On-screen keyboard ➔ Tap on Gboard ➔ Tap on Preferences and use the toggle for Enable or disable Show emoji switch key.

Turning the toggle off removes the emoji shortcut and restores the language switch button. Turning it on does the opposite. Emoji input still works either way through the keyboard's own emoji tab; only the quick-access key next to the space bar changes.

Frequently asked questions

The space bar area only fits one shortcut key. Turning on Show emoji switch key in Gboard Preferences replaces the language switch button with the emoji key. Turn the toggle off to get the language button back.

Language & Input

Android: Disable the Emoji Switch Key on Gboard

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Turn Off the Emoji Switch Key on Gboard auf Android

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