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How to review and change Gboard’s privacy settings on Android

A step-by-step guide to Gboard’s Android Privacy screen, including learning controls, audio donations, deletion options, Google’s data-handling explanations, and microphone permissions.
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You can review Gboard’s privacy controls from the keyboard itself: open any text field, display Gboard, tap the Settings icon, and choose Privacy. You can also open Android Settings and follow System > Language & input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Privacy. Names and locations can differ by Android version and phone maker.

No purchase, external keyboard, or special accessory is required. The important part is understanding which control affects future learning, which one permits voluntary audio sharing, which data Google says is sent for specific features, and which command erases information already stored on your phone.

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That screen separates on-device personalization, federated learning, voluntary audio donations, and deletion tools. Those controls do different jobs: turning off future learning is not the same as deleting words Gboard already saved, and turning off audio donations does not turn off federated learning.

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Open Gboard’s Privacy screen

Use whichever route is easiest on your phone. Google documents both methods in its Gboard privacy guidance.

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From the keyboard

  1. Open an app with a text box, such as a message or notes app.
  2. Tap the text box so Gboard appears.
  3. Tap the Settings icon on Gboard. If the icon is not visible, tap the four-square menu or the three-dot menu first, then choose Settings.
  4. Tap Privacy.

Through Android Settings

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Choose System, then Language & input.
  3. Tap On-screen keyboard, choose Gboard, and tap Privacy.

Manufacturers sometimes rename or rearrange these menus. Search Android Settings for Gboard or on-screen keyboard if the documented path does not match your device. If Privacy controls are missing, Google recommends making sure Gboard is updated.

What you need before changing anything

You only need access to the phone and Gboard. Review the explanations beside each switch before changing it, because labels and available options can vary by Android version, phone maker, language, and Gboard release. If you are trying to change a setting that is not shown, update Gboard through your normal app-update process and check the Privacy page again.

What each privacy control changes

The Privacy page can contain several switches and explanations. Read the wording on your own device because Google can change labels as Gboard features are updated. The controls below describe the functions Google documents.

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Personalize for you

Personalize for you lets Gboard adapt recognition to the way you type and speak. Google describes this as improving recognition for the individual user. It says the audio recordings and transcripts used for this personal improvement are stored on the device. The setting is about your own keyboard experience; it is not the same as sending donated audio to Google.

Turn this option off if you do not want new personal adaptation. Disabling it changes future personalization behavior; it does not, by itself, remove words or other learning already stored on the phone. Use the deletion controls described below when you want to clear existing learned data.

Turning personalization off can therefore be a choice about convenience rather than a complete data purge. You may notice less adaptation to unusual names, abbreviations, or writing patterns over time, while deletion is the action that removes learning already saved locally.

Improve for everyone and federated learning

Controls referring to improving recognition for everyone are associated with Google’s federated-learning explanation. Google says federated learning is enabled by default and can be turned off. In Google’s description, Gboard sends what it has learned rather than the underlying text or speech itself, and combines those learnings with contributions from other users.

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Google says this process runs when the phone is charging, connected to Wi-Fi, and not being used. That description is different from an upload of the words you typed. It also means that turning off federated learning is a separate decision from turning off audio donations.

Do not interpret the word “federated” as a synonym for “nothing leaves the phone.” Google’s stated distinction is that learned information is sent instead of the original text or speech. If your goal is to stop this particular sharing process, use its own switch or explanation on the Privacy page rather than relying on the audio-donation setting.

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Audio donations under Voice

In the Privacy screen’s Voice section, Audio donations is a voluntary choice. When enabled, Google says snippets are sent to help improve speech-recognition technology. Google’s help information says donated snippets are generally no longer than 15 seconds; a snippet can be as long as 25 seconds when it contains silence or unrecognized audio. Google says it will not keep snippets longer than 18 months.

Google also says donated snippets may be heard or transcribed by human reviewers. It says that after a snippet is sent, it is not associated with the user or account. Turn the switch off if you do not want to donate these recordings. This switch does not disable federated learning, personal on-device adaptation, or the microphone permission used by voice typing.

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The duration limits describe the snippets Google says it receives under this donation feature; they do not mean every voice-typing session is automatically donated. Donation is a separate, voluntary choice, so review that switch independently from the permission that allows the microphone to work.

Searches, statistics, and talk-to-text

Google says Gboard sends searches to Google so it can provide search results, sends usage statistics to understand feature use and improve Gboard, and sends talk-to-text voice input for transcription. These are Google’s descriptions of how its services operate, not an independent network-traffic audit.

On the same help pages, Google says Gboard does not send other typed content such as passwords or chats, and says saved words are not sent. Google’s wording for saved words is: “These words are saved only to your device.” Treat those statements as Google’s documented policy claims rather than as a guarantee that has been independently verified for every Gboard release.

These categories have different purposes. A search entered through a search feature is not the same event as ordinary text typed into a message. Talk-to-text requires voice input for transcription, while usage statistics describe feature use. Keeping those purposes separate makes it easier to choose the setting that matches your concern instead of switching off unrelated features.

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Compare the controls before changing them

Control Main purpose What Google says happens What changing it does not do
Personalize for you Improve recognition for your own typing and speech Personal learning data, including described recordings and transcripts, is stored on the device Does not delete existing learned words unless you use a deletion command
Improve for everyone / federated learning Use aggregated learning to improve recognition for other users Google says learned information, not the text or speech itself, is sent for combination with other users’ learnings; it runs while charging, on Wi-Fi, and idle Does not control voluntary audio donations
Audio donations Send voice snippets to improve speech technology Google says donations are voluntary, may be reviewed or transcribed by people, and are not kept longer than 18 months Does not turn off federated learning or microphone access
Delete learned words and data Remove learning Gboard has saved on the device Deletes the stored learned data through Gboard’s privacy control Does not state whether future learning or collection is enabled
Delete learned words in Dictionary Remove saved dictionary words specifically Android asks you to enter a confirmation number before deletion Does not replace the broader Privacy deletion control

The table is also a reminder that privacy changes and deletion are not interchangeable. A switch changes what happens going forward. A delete command removes existing local information. You may reasonably choose one, the other, or both.

Change personalization and learning settings

  1. Open Gboard > Settings > Privacy using one of the routes above.
  2. Read the descriptions beside Personalize for you and any option referring to improving recognition for everyone.
  3. Turn a switch off when you do not want that type of future learning. Some versions place federated-learning language behind an information link or an advanced setting.
  4. Leave unrelated switches unchanged unless you have decided what data flow they control. For example, changing Personalize for you does not decide whether audio donations are sent.

Because labels vary, use the explanation shown on your phone as the final guide to the exact behavior of that release. If a documented option is absent, update Gboard and check the Privacy page again.

Choose settings by goal

If your goal is to stop individual adaptation, review Personalize for you. If you want to stop the federated process Google describes as sending learned information while the phone is charging, on Wi-Fi, and idle, review the federated-learning option. If your concern is human review of short speech snippets, review Audio donations under Voice. If your goal is to erase what is already stored, use a deletion command as well; changing a switch alone does not perform that deletion.

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Stop audio donations without disabling voice typing

  1. Open Gboard Settings > Privacy.
  2. Scroll to the Voice section.
  3. Turn Audio donations off.

This prevents future voluntary donation under that control. It does not revoke Android’s microphone permission and does not stop talk-to-text from working when permission remains available. It also does not switch off federated learning, which has its own control.

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Google’s documentation says donated clips can be reviewed or transcribed by human reviewers and are generally at most 15 seconds, with clips up to 25 seconds in cases involving silence or unrecognized audio. It says the clips are not kept beyond 18 months and are not associated with the user or account after being sent. Those details explain why audio donation deserves a separate decision from ordinary keyboard personalization.

If you turn donations off and still cannot dictate, do not assume the privacy switch caused the failure. Check Android’s microphone permission separately. Donation and permission answer different questions: whether an eligible snippet may be shared for improvement, and whether Gboard can access the microphone in the first place.

Delete learned words and other saved learning

Use Gboard’s broader deletion command

  1. Open Gboard Settings > Privacy.
  2. Tap Delete learned words and data.
  3. Confirm the deletion when Gboard asks.

This is the Privacy screen’s broad control for clearing learning Gboard has saved on the device. The exact confirmation wording can vary by version. Deletion removes existing local data; it does not tell Gboard whether to learn again in the future. If you want to prevent new learning, change the relevant personalization or learning switches separately.

Use this route when you want the broader Privacy-screen cleanup rather than only the dictionary entries. Read the confirmation prompt carefully before accepting it, since the purpose is to clear saved learning and the result may not be reversible through Gboard.

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Delete saved dictionary words only

  1. Open Android Settings.
  2. Go to System > Language & input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard.
  3. Tap Dictionary, then Delete learned words.
  4. Enter the confirmation number shown by Android and submit it.

Google lists this as a separate route for deleting saved words. Choose it when your goal is specifically to clear the personal dictionary rather than use the broader Privacy deletion command. The confirmation-number step is intentional; it helps prevent an accidental tap from deleting the dictionary.

If a word remains after using this route, determine whether it is actually a learned dictionary entry. A contact name, an app-maintained suggestion list, or another source of text completion can continue to supply a suggestion even after Gboard’s saved words are removed.

Check Android’s microphone permission separately

Voice typing depends on Android’s app permission system, which is separate from Gboard’s Privacy switches. If voice input does not work:

  1. Open Android Settings.
  2. Tap Apps, choose Gboard, and open Permissions.
  3. Tap Microphone.
  4. Allow access only while using the app, if that option is offered and fits your preference.

Microphone permission controls whether Gboard can access the microphone at all. Audio donations control whether eligible snippets are voluntarily shared for improvement. Personalization and federated-learning switches govern learning behavior. None of these settings substitutes for the others.

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Android may use slightly different permission wording, but the relevant controls remain under Gboard’s app permissions. If the microphone permission is denied, changing Audio donations will not restore dictation. Conversely, granting microphone access does not turn Audio donations on.

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Understand what is and is not cleared

Deleting data versus changing future behavior

There are two separate actions: changing what Gboard may learn or send in the future, and deleting information already saved on the phone. Turning off personalization, federated learning, or audio donations is a forward-looking choice. Using Delete learned words and data or the Dictionary deletion route removes existing local learning but does not automatically change every future-collection setting.

For a complete review, perform the actions in the order that matches your goal: first decide which future-learning or donation switches should be off, then run the appropriate deletion command. Reopen the Privacy page afterward to verify the switches still show your intended choices.

On-device storage versus Google services

Google says personal learned words are stored only on the device and says other typed content such as passwords and chats is not sent. It separately says searches, usage statistics, and talk-to-text voice are sent for their stated functions. The distinction is important: ordinary keyboard learning, voice transcription, search, and diagnostic statistics are not one single data stream.

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These statements describe Google’s documented handling. They do not amount to an independent inspection of network traffic for every phone or Gboard release. When making a privacy decision, read the current explanation in Gboard and Google’s current help pages, especially after an update.

Federated learning versus donated audio

Google’s federated-learning description says the text or speech itself stays off the upload path while learned information is combined with other users’ learnings. Audio donations, by contrast, involve sending short snippets to Google for speech-technology improvement. Turning off one does not imply that the other is off.

Federated learning is described as running under particular conditions—charging, Wi-Fi, and inactivity—whereas audio donations are voluntary snippets that may be reviewed or transcribed. Their purposes, timing, and data descriptions differ, so review both controls instead of treating them as a single privacy setting.

Troubleshoot missing controls or unexpected behavior

The Privacy menu is not where the guide says

Android manufacturers and software versions can use different labels. Try opening Gboard from a text field and using its Settings icon, or search Android Settings for Gboard. Look under System, Language & input, and On-screen keyboard if you are navigating manually.

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A setting or explanation is missing

Google recommends making sure Gboard is updated when a setting is unavailable. After updating, reopen Gboard’s Privacy screen. Feature availability and wording can still differ by Android version, device, language, or Gboard release.

Voice typing does not work after changing privacy options

Check Settings > Apps > Gboard > Permissions > Microphone. A disabled microphone permission can stop voice typing regardless of the Audio donations switch. Allow microphone access only while using the app when that choice is available and acceptable to you.

Words still appear after deletion

Confirm which deletion command you used. The Dictionary route targets saved words specifically, while Delete learned words and data is the broader Privacy control. Also check whether the word is coming from another source, such as a contact name or an app’s own text suggestions; deleting Gboard’s local learning does not erase data maintained by other apps.

A switch seems to have changed back

Return to Gboard > Settings > Privacy and read the current state rather than relying on memory. An update can change labels or reorganize explanations. If the switch is unavailable, update Gboard and review the page again. Do not infer the state of federated learning from the Audio donations switch, or the state of microphone access from either one.

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A practical privacy review checklist

  • Open Gboard > Settings > Privacy and read every explanation currently shown.
  • Decide separately whether you want personal on-device personalization, federated learning, and voluntary audio donations.
  • Turn off Audio donations under Voice if you do not want snippets sent for speech-technology improvement.
  • Use Delete learned words and data to clear broader local learning, or use Dictionary > Delete learned words for saved words specifically.
  • Review Settings > Apps > Gboard > Permissions > Microphone independently of the Privacy page.
  • Remember that Google says searches, usage statistics, and talk-to-text voice are sent for their stated purposes, while passwords, chats, and saved words are not sent.
  • Recheck the page after a Gboard update because labels and available controls can change.

For Google’s current descriptions of these controls and data practices, see Learn how Gboard gets better, Fix problems with Gboard, and Use advanced voice typing features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off Audio donations stop Gboard from using the microphone?

No. Audio donations are a voluntary sharing choice under Gboard’s Privacy screen. Android’s Settings > Apps > Gboard > Permissions > Microphone control determines whether Gboard can access the microphone. Turning donations off does not revoke that permission.

Is federated learning the same as donating audio?

No. Google describes federated learning as sending what Gboard learns, rather than the underlying text or speech, for combination with learnings from other users. Audio donations send short voice snippets to Google to improve speech technology. Each has a separate control.

Does deleting learned words turn off future personalization?

No. Deletion removes learning already stored on the device. To change future behavior, separately adjust Personalize for you, federated-learning, or other learning controls shown on the Privacy page.

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What is the difference between the two deletion options?

Delete learned words and data on the Privacy screen is the broader Gboard cleanup command. Settings > Dictionary > Delete learned words targets saved dictionary words specifically and asks you to enter a confirmation number.

How long can donated audio snippets be?

Google says snippets are generally no more than 15 seconds, although they can be up to 25 seconds when they contain silence or unrecognized audio. Google says it will not keep donated snippets longer than 18 months.

Does Google say Gboard sends passwords or chats?

Google’s Gboard help pages say Gboard does not send other typed content such as passwords or chats, and says saved words are saved only to your device. Google separately says searches, usage statistics, and talk-to-text voice are sent for their stated purposes.

Why can’t I find the Privacy menu?

Menu names vary by Android version and phone maker. Open Gboard from a text field and use its Settings icon, or search Android Settings for Gboard. If a documented option is still missing, Google recommends updating Gboard.

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The Bottom Line

Open Gboard > Settings > Privacy, review each control separately, and remember that future learning, audio donations, microphone access, and deletion are different decisions. Turn off the switches that do not fit your preference, use the appropriate deletion command for data already saved on the phone, and check Android’s microphone permission independently.

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