A modded Google keyboard keeps its features but blocks tracking

Android users who like Google's Gboard keyboard but dislike how much it reports back have a new option. A modified version called GboardWu Privacy blocks several kinds of tracking and keeps the features that need the internet. How-To Geek writer Joe Fedewa described it on Nov. 8, 2026.

What it blocks

GboardWu Privacy is a fork, which means a copy of an app with changes added. It is part of a project called Gboardwu/Gboard Patches, a collection of mods applied on top of Gboard. The privacy version stops the keyboard from sending out four kinds of information:

• Usage events
• Performance numbers
• Crash reports
• Your use of Google's Tenor GIFs

It does not block network access. Features that rely on the internet still work. Google just does not get the analytics data. The extra features of GboardWu, including the Pixel 11's "Rambler" feature, are also included.

Why the keyboard matters

A keyboard sees a lot. Gboard has network access turned on by default, and that cannot be disabled. The article says Gboard handles much of its work on the phone itself. It knows which apps you open the keyboard in, how long you type and how long your words are. That data, including raw keystrokes, feeds a local AI model that improves predictive text. Still, Gboard's privacy policy admits it collects data linked directly to users.

In 2022, a researcher intercepted the logs Gboard sends to Google. They included your Android phone's unique ID. The article says that makes it possible to tie the data back to a real identity, which puts a Google account, payment methods and phone number at risk. Settings in the official app can help, but the article says they only go so far.

How to install it

This is not a normal app download. GboardWu Privacy is installed through Morphe, a tool that enables changes to Android apps. Morphe itself can be sideloaded, meaning installed from outside the official app store, in the usual way.

Once Morphe is on the phone, open the GboardWu Privacy page on GitHub and tap the "Open this fork in Morphe" link. Morphe then guides you through downloading the right version for your phone and installing it. After that, turn it on and pick it as your keyboard, as with any keyboard app. A "Patches" section near the bottom of the main page holds the other extras.

What to keep in mind

The writer calls it a compromise. It is not as complete as dropping Gboard altogether, but it works like Gboard with a bit more privacy. It suits people who cannot find a better keyboard. The article is one writer's experience. It does not say who maintains the project or whether it has been independently reviewed.