Gboard tests screenshot and chat context for replies

Gboard tests – Google is testing new Writing Tools in Gboard ahead of I/O 2026, including custom instructions for rewriting, drafting new text, and using screenshots—or even conversation context—to produce better replies. Some of the features are visible in the Gboard beta c

For many people, Gboard isn’t just a keyboard. It’s the fastest way to turn a half-formed thought into a message that doesn’t feel awkward. Now Google appears to be pushing that idea further—by letting Gboard look beyond your typing and into what you’re seeing. and possibly even what you’re writing back to.

Ahead of I/O 2026, Google is testing additional controls for Gboard’s Writing Tools. The standout change is a set of new options that go beyond the existing preset styles—like “professional. ” “friendly. ” and “emojify.” In the Gboard beta app. developers found hints of features that could let users give Gboard custom instructions on how to modify text. plus ways for the keyboard to draft fresh messages.

One of the new custom prompt flows appears to add an extra input box beneath the output area. The interface text shows: “Enter your custom prompt.” When that box is tapped. the keyboard opens so the user can type their own instructions. The text entered and the responses generated by Gboard would then populate in the box above it.

In practice, testers couldn’t get the custom prompt feature to work at the moment, leaving uncertainty about how faithfully it follows those instructions.

Beyond custom rewriting, Gboard’s Writing Tools could also draft entirely new messages. Testing in the beta suggests there may be an additional input box where users describe what they want the AI to write—similar in spirit to “Help me write” in Gmail and Chrome. where the system helps produce message-ready text rather than just edit what’s already there.

Google also appears to be experimenting with context drawn from the phone itself. The keyboard could draft text using additional context from what’s on your screen. and from screenshots stored in the media gallery. For screenshot-based writing, users would be required to grant Gboard access to the screenshots folder. It’s unclear how the interface would work, but the logic may be limited to the most recent screenshot.

There’s already a close cousin of this approach for Pixel users through the combination of Gboard and the Pixel Screenshot app. In the beta testing, screen context still wasn’t working at the time, but the same code hints that the feature could become real.

Even more personal—at least on paper—are strings suggesting Gboard may gain an option to view your conversations to produce more refined text. That, too, wasn’t working during the test.

Underneath these features is a clearer direction from Google on how the Writing Tools should behave. Google has published guidelines for Gboard’s underlying AI model—most likely Gemini Nano. or its successor—describing it as an “expert writing coach and text editor.” The AI would scan the text you’ve written and then offer three AI-powered suggestions to fine-tune your composition. Those suggestions could appear as buttons, making it easy to transform text with a tap.

The cues found in the beta point to prompt-like controls for tone and style. Adjustments could include requests such as “less robotic,” “make a joke,” or “corporate jargon,” with the exact options potentially changing depending on the text.

There are also hints about where processing might happen. The instructions suggest the work could be handled on-device rather than in the cloud. Even so, features may be limited on devices with insufficient RAM.

Finally, there’s the reality that this is still early. The discoveries come from an APK teardown. a method that can reveal work-in-progress code and help predict what may arrive in a future public release. But predicted features don’t always make it to the final version—especially when they’re still failing to function in the beta.

For now, the message is simple: Gboard’s Writing Tools are moving from “edit what you type” toward “help you write what you mean,” using more signals than your keyboard taps alone.

Gboard Writing Tools Google I/O 2026 Gemini Nano screenshots custom prompts mobile AI on-device AI APK teardown