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Gboard Not Working in Android 12: How to Fix

In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the Gboard not working issue in Android 12. When it comes to the keyboard apps for your Android device, it’s no hidden secret that the offering from Google is probably the best in this domain. One major reason for the same is the tons of impressive features that it beholds. These include the likes of Glide Typing, Voice Typing, Emoji, GIFs, integrated Google Translate, among others. However, as of now, it seems to be going through a rough patch, at least on the latest OS build.

Many users who have updated their device to Android 12 aren’t able to effectively use the Gboard app. When they are tapping on a text field, the keyboard just refuses to come up. Others have said that the keyboard does pop up, but only for a few seconds, before going back to its shell. If you are also facing these issues, then this guide shall come in handy. In this tutorial, we will show you various methods through which you could fix the Gboard not working issue in Android 12. Follow along.

How to Fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12

fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12

Do note that there’s no universal fix as such. You will have to try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and see which one works best in your favor. So with that in mind, let’s get started.

FIX 1: Restart Device

More often than not, a simple restart of the device is all that is needed to rectify the underlying issue. So before moving ahead to any of the advanced methods, it is recommended to give your device a fresh reboot.

fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12

For that, long-press the Power button to bring up the Power menu and then select Restart to reboot your device. Once it boots up, check whether the Gboard not working issue on your Android 12 device has been fixed or not.

FIX 2: Force Stop Gboard

Your next course of action should be to stop all the background processes of the Gboard app and then let it start with a fresh instance from scratch. Here’s how it could be done:

  1. Head over to the Settings menu on your device.
  2. Then go to Apps > See All Apps and select Gboard from the list.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  3. After that, hit the Force Stop button followed by OK in the confirmation dialog box.
  4. Once done, bring up the Gboard app on your Android 12 device and check if it is working now or not.

FIX 3: Delete Gboard Cache

If a lot of temporary data gets accrued over the due course of time, then not only will it slow down the working of the app, but could also conflict with its normal functioning. Therefore, it is recommended to delete these cached data at regular intervals, and now could be just the right time to do so. So refer to the below steps to try it out:

  1. To begin with, head over to the Settings menu on your device.
  2. Then go to Apps > See All Apps and select Gboard from the list.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  3. Next up, go to its Storage and Cache section and tap on Clear Cache.
  4. Now launch the Gboard app and check if it is working on your Android 12 device or not.

FIX 4: Delete Gboard Data

If the stored data gets outdated or corrupted, then its repercussion is bound to be faced by the associated app. Therefore, you should consider deleting and let it repopulate a fresh instance from scratch. Here’s how:

  1. To begin with, head over to the Settings menu on your device.
  2. Then go to Apps > See All Apps and select Gboard from the list.
  3. Next up, go to its Storage and Cache section and tap on Clear Data.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  4. After that, tap OK in the confirmation dialog box. Then launch the app and set it up.
  5. Now verify if the Gboard not working issue on your Android 12 device has been fixed or not.

FIX 5: Unrestrict Battery Usage for Gboard

If there are any battery-saving measures put in place for the OS as a whole, or even just for the Gbaord app, then the latter might not be able to function correctly in this restrictive environment. Therefore, you should remove all these battery limitations from your device, using the instructions given below.

  1. First off, head over to Settings > Battery section.
  2. Then go to Battery Saver and make sure to turn it off, if enabled.
  3. After that, go to Apps > See All Apps and select Gboard from the list.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  4. Then go to the battery section and select Unrestricted.
  5. Now verify if it fixes Gboard not working issue on Android 12.

FIX 6: Remove Secondary Languages from Gboard

If you have added a secondary language to this keyboard, then it might well cause an issue or two with its normal functionality. Therefore, your best course of action should be to remove all the secondary languages and then verify the results. Refer to the below steps to try it out.

  1. To begin with, head over to Settings > System.
  2. Then go to Languages and Input followed by On-Screen keyboard.
  3. Select Gboard and go to its Languages section (take a screenshot of this page so that you remember all the installed languages).
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  4. Now tap on the Pencil icon situated at the top right.
  5. Then select all your secondary languages and hit the Delete icon
  6. Once done, check if it manages to fix the Gboard not working issue in Android 12.

FIX 7: Try Gboard Beta

You could also get yourself enrolled as a Gboard beta tester. Doing so will allow you to test out new features before the general audience and this might also up resolving the underlying issue. However, these beta builds might be less stable than their stable counterpart. So keeping that in mind, here’s how to enroll yourself as a Beta Tester.

  1. Head over to the Gboard app on Play Store [direct link].
  2. Then tap on the Join option under Join the beta page.
  3. After that, hit join in the confirmation dialog box.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  4. Now wait for a few seconds and you will get a new Gboard app.
  5. Install it and then check if the Gboard not working issue in Android 12 gets fixed or not.

FIX 8: Temporary Change Default keyboard App

You could also consider switching over to an alternate keyboard app before coming back to this offering from the Silicon Valley giants. Don’t worry, we wouldn’t be giving any device permissions to this secondary keyboard app, it will just act as a base of this workaround and would be uninstalled as soon as the process is completed.

  1. To begin with, download another keyboard app from the Play Store. As for this guide, let’s install Swift Keyboard.
  2. Once installed, go to your device’s Settings > System menu.
  3. Then head over to Languages and Input > On-Screen keyboard.
  4. Now tap on Manage On-Screen Keyboard and enable the toggle next to Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  5. Select the second keyboard app from the list (which in our case will be Swift Key)
  6. It shall now launch that keyboard app, tap on Select SwiftKey.
  7. After that, select Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard and tap on Finish Up.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  8. Now close SwiftKey and go back to Settings > System > Languages and Input.
  9. Then go to On-Screen Keyboard > Manage On-Screen Keyboard.
  10. Disable the toggle next to Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  11. This will disable the SiwftKey and switch the default keyboard back to Gboard.
  12. Once done, verify if it fixes the Gboard not working issue on your Android 12 device.
  13. Moreover, you are now free to uninstall the Swiftkey Keyboard, irrespective of the fact whether it managed to resolve the issue or not.

FIX 9: Uninstall Updates

In some instances, a buggy update might lead to a few issues with the app in question. Therefore, you should consider removing that update and reverting the app back to its factory default state, just as it was when you had first installed it.

  1. So head over to the Settings menu on your device.
  2. Then go to Apps > See All Apps and select Gboard.
  3. After that, tap on the overflow icon situated at the top right and select Uninstall Updates.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  4. Then tap OK in the confirmation dialog box. Once done, launch the app and then set it up.
  5. Now check if it fixes the Gboard not working issue on your Android 12 device.

FIX 10: Reinstall Gboard

If the app’s settings and configuration files get corrupted, then deleting its data or restoring it to the default state might not be enough. Rather, you will have to completely uninstall this app from your device and then install its fresh build from the Play Store. Here’s how it could be done:

  1. Open the Gboard app listing from the Play Store.
  2. Then tap Uninstall followed by Uninstall in the confirmation dialog box.
    fix Gboard Not Working in Android 12
  3. After that, hit the Install button and wait for the app to be installed on your device.
  4. Once done, launch Gboard and the underlying issue would have been resolved.

So with this, we conclude the guide on how you could fix the Gboard not working issue on your Android 12 device. We have listed ten different methods for the same. Do let us know in the comments section which one spelled out success for you. Likewise, all your queries are welcomed in the comments section below.


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  • What worked for me was to go to settings>system>reset options>reset app preferences.