Gboard could soon get a useful feature you probably thought you already had

Google appears to be working on Bluetooth microphone support in Gboard
This would allow you to use microphones in headphones or earbuds for voice typing.
Currently, you have to use the phone’s microphone, which is not always ideal

Gboard is a capable keyboard whether you type by hand or using your voice, but the latter mode could soon improve significantly, as it appears Google is working on a feature that would allow you to use the microphone on your Bluetooth headphones or earphones.

Currently, voice typing with Gboard depends entirely on the phone’s microphone, even if headphones or earphones are connected.

This is not ideal. This means you have to bring your phone closer to your face or speak loudly if you’re in a noisy environment, and you may not even have realized this limitation was in place, leading to poor voice typing results when wearing headphones.

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A new shift

(Image credit: Google / Android Authority)

Fortunately, the days of this limitation might be numbered, as Android Authority has found evidence that Google is working on support for Bluetooth devices. The feature was found in a beta version of the Gboard app, as you can see in the screenshot above. The site claims they were able to enable it and it worked as expected.

That said, as the feature is still being tested internally at Google, there is no guarantee that it will actually roll out to a finished version of Gboard. But we don’t see why it wouldn’t be, because it’s a useful upgrade and, based on Android Authority’s findings, it appears to be working.

Since the feature appears to be almost complete, there’s a good chance it will launch soon, if at all. We certainly hope so, because it’s one of those things that seems like it should have been offered for years.

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