Google Gboard redesign has already angered users — and I can see why

Posted by Oriccabattery01 from the Business category at 08 Mar 2025 12:51:09 am.

Circles?
</DIVicture>



(Image credit: Future)

Googleappears to be testing out a potential aesthetic change to the Gboard app, and it's not going well with people who find themselves acting as Google guinea pigs.
The updated layout features rounder (basically circular) keys than the old rectangular keys you're used to seeing.
Confused and upset users have been posting images of the change on social media. Notably, it's not a consistent change.

<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check=""><figcaption class=" inline-layout">
Rounded keys in the Gboard app
(Image credit: Google)
</figcaption></figure>
In some images, thekeys are clearly letters in circles, while others feature a moreovular pill-shaped look.
It's not great.
>>>Replacement battery for Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
How to (sort of) get rid of the circles



To be clear, from what we can tell the design is only rolling out to people running the latest Gboard beta build (version 15.1.05.726012951-beta-arm64-v8acom.google.android.inputmethod.latin). If you're not in the beta, you most likely aren't seeing this change.
<figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check="">



</DIVicture>



<figcaption class=" inline-layout">
How Gboard keys currently look
(Image credit: Google)
</figcaption></figure>
So far the only way it appears you can get rid of the change is to turn off Key borders, which takes all shapes away.
To do so, navigate toSettings > Themeand select a theme. Then toggle the Key borders option off.
The beta does not offer a way to revert to the more rectangular keys, and so far the code does not reveal if Google will add such a toggle in the future.
If you've encountered this issue and the above fix isn't working, you can also try reverting from the beta version to see if that returns the app to the non-circular style.
>>>Replacement battery for Google Pixel Fold
Outlook
So far Google's Gboard upgrades don't seem to be going over well with beta testers.
Of course, with Google testing different variations, it's also not clear what key shape Google might settle on. Google might also roll the change back, especially as it seems as though many users are not pleased with the update.

Tags:

Circles?