Gboard's new floating delete key when picking emojis frustrates some

A recent Gboard update that brought a slightly revamped UI for the emoji, GIF, and stickers sections seems to have left some users annoyed. The culprit? A newly introduced floating delete key that appears when users select at least one emoji or have typed something in the field. It seems this small change is causing quite a bit of disruption to the usual flow of typing and emoji selection for many.

For years, Gboard users have grown accustomed to the delete key’s predictable spot on the main keyboard. But now, when you tap that emoji icon to dive into the world of smileys and expressive faces, a rather large delete button pops up right there in the emoji selection area. This isn’t just a minor visual tweak for many. It’s actively getting in the way. 

The problem, as many users are pointing out, comes down to muscle memory. We all have it. We tap without really looking, our fingers going to the spots they’ve always gone. With the delete key now shifting its position into the emoji picker, many are finding themselves accidentally deleting text instead of picking the perfect emoji.

Check out this screen recording shared by a user highlighting the problem:

It’s a quick, irritating misstep that interrupts the flow of a message. Imagine trying to add a happy face to your sentence, only to realize you’ve wiped out half of what you just wrote.

Here’s what some people are saying about the change. One user, clearly fed up, put it this way:

Its driving me nuts, one of the worst design choices ever on gboard, im about to download another keyboard.

Another user also shared the same frustration, saying:

It is SO infuriating! I keep accidentally deleting text when I’m just trying to select the emoji behind it out of habit. The devs really do not care about muscle memory in the slightest.

It’s a sentiment I can somewhat relate to, even if I don’t feel quite as strongly as some of the more vocal critics. I’ve found myself in the same boat, instinctively reaching for where the delete key should be, only to find this new floating version. It’s not a deal-breaker for me, but it is a minor annoyance, a little bump in the road of an otherwise smooth typing experience.

Some users are even exploring drastic measures to revert to previous versions of the app, downloading older APKs to escape what they see as a poorly implemented design choice. This really speaks volumes about how much this small change is affecting some people’s daily usage.

There’s no official word yet from Google on whether this change is here to stay or if they’re listening to user feedback. For now, it seems many Gboard users will continue to navigate this new, slightly more cluttered emoji landscape, hoping for a return to the familiar.