Add Arabic to Gboard on Android
- 01
Open Gboard's settings
Bring up the keyboard in any app, tap and hold the comma key, then tap the gear icon that pops up. (The long way: Settings → System → Languages & input → On-screen keyboard → Gboard.)
- 02
Tap Languages, then Add keyboard
You'll see the languages Gboard currently types. Tap Languages, then Add keyboard.
Fig. gboard settings → languages → add keyboard - 03
Search for Arabic
Type "Arabic" and pick it from the list. Gboard also lists regional variants (Egypt, Levant, Gulf, and so on). Those change the word predictions, not the keys, so plain Arabic is fine if you're unsure.
- 04
Pick a layout
Gboard shows layout tiles at the bottom, usually Arabic and PC. Arabic is the roomy phone layout; PC mirrors the desktop Arabic 101 layout this site teaches. Comfort says Arabic. Matching your laptop says PC.
Fig. arabic layout selection in gboard - 05
Done
Tap Done. Arabic now lives on the globe key.
Gboard on iPhone & iPad
Install Gboard from the App Store, then open the Gboard app → Languages → Add language → Arabic. One iOS-only extra step: enable the keyboard under Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Gboard, or it won't appear when you type. If you'd rather stay on Apple's built-in Arabic keyboard, that's the iPhone guide.
How to switch to Arabic in Gboard
Tap the globe key (🌐) next to the spacebar; each tap cycles to the next language. Hold the globe key (or the spacebar) for the full language menu instead. And if you lose track of what's active, read the spacebar: its label names the current language.
Glide and voice typing work in Arabic
Glide typing works fully in Arabic: slide your finger through the letters without lifting it. And once Arabic is added, voice typing understands it too. Tap the mic, speak, and Gboard writes the script for you, which covers the gap while your Arabic typing is still slow. If either misbehaves, check Gboard settings → Glide typing and Voice typing, and make sure Arabic finished downloading under Languages.
The Arabic 101 keyboard layout
The PC layout in Gboard is the desktop Arabic 101 arrangement, shown in full below. Practice on your phone counts double, since your hands learn the computer layout at the same time.
Gboard Arabic keyboard questions
Is Gboard better than the stock keyboard for Arabic?
For most people, yes, on two counts. Its Arabic predictions are noticeably stronger than what ships on a typical Android phone, and it offers a PC layout that matches desktop keyboards, which no other mainstream keyboard does. If you are happy with your current keyboard and only type Arabic occasionally, the difference is not worth the switch.
Does Gboard glide typing work in Arabic?
It does. Slide your finger across the letters without lifting it and Gboard assembles the word, the same as in English. If nothing happens, check that glide typing is switched on in Gboard settings and that the Arabic language pack finished downloading.
Can I speak Arabic and have Gboard write it?
Yes. Once Arabic is added, tap the microphone and talk. Gboard transcribes into Arabic script, which is a useful crutch while your typing is still slow, though it will not add diacritics.
Why does Gboard not show up when I type on my iPhone?
Installing the app is only half the job on iOS. You also have to enable it under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, Add New Keyboard, Gboard. Until you do that, the app is on the phone but the keyboard never appears.
How do I tell which language Gboard is currently typing?
Read the spacebar. Gboard prints the active language on it, so a glance tells you where you are without typing a test word.
If the keyboard is step one of learning the language itself, our sister site Tfaddalu picks up from there: spoken Palestinian Arabic, taught at the same unhurried pace as this site.