Gboard is among our favorite Android keyboards, which makes typing a breeze on your phone, foldable, and even your Wear OS watch. In June 2022, Google started testing a split layout for the keyboard on foldables to deliver a better typing experience. Now, almost a year later, the company has rolled out a similar split layout for the keyboard on tablets.

First reported by 9to5Google, Gboard's new design on tablets splits the keyboard into two to ensure the keys are easily reachable from the edges of the display.

Google duplicates the "G" and "V" keys, which are located in the center of a keyboard in the regular layout, so you can hit them from either side. There is, however, an option to turn off the duplicated keys tucked under Settings > Preferences> Layout if you are not a fan of it.

Gboard split keyboard layout
Source: 9to5Google

If the duplicate keys option is disabled, the backspace and enter/search keys expand to fill the extra space on the right side.

You can quickly switch between Gboard's normal and split layout from the toolbar. For now, it seems the new split design is available as a part of Gboard beta v12.9.21 on certain Android tablets. 9to5Google is seeing the new split design on their Galaxy Tab S8.

Gboard's new layout will be helpful when you use your tablet in landscape mode to enter text. You won't have to do finger gymnastics to hit the right key. It would also be handy when using large tablets like the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra in portrait orientation.

The beta release of Gboard's split layout on tablets comes just days after the Pixel Tablet's official unveiling. Google's first Pixel-branded tablet is due to hit the markets in June 2023, so the company has a few weeks to resolve all bugs and roll out the layout on the stable channel.