Rambler is one of the most useful Gemini Intelligence features on Android. It removes filler words from your speech and handles the corrections you make in the middle of a sentence. Finally, it delivers clean text that doesn't require editing. However, Google has kept Rambler voice typing exclusive to the Pixel 11 series for now. So in this guide, I have explained how to get Rambler working on any Android smartphone using PixelBoard.
What You Need to Install Rambler on Android
PixelBoard is a modified Gboard app developed by Akshay Kadam and it's open-source. We covered the PixelBoard app when it first launched in October. It's very close to the Gboard app so your existing keyboard and its settings remain untouched. The best part is that you don't need root to use this app. Now, before you begin, make sure your phone meets these requirements.
- Android 12 or later
- An active internet connection as Rambler uses Google's servers to polish your speech
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How to Install PixelBoard on Your Android Phone
- First off, open the PixelBoard page on GitHub (visit) and download the latest PixelBoard APK.
- Next, tap on the downloaded APK file. Android may ask for permission to install apps from your browser, so turn on Allow from this source and then tap on Install.
- Once the app is installed, tap on Open. On the setup screen, tap on Enable in Settings and turn on the PixelBoard toggle.
- Finally, tap on Select input method and choose PixelBoard. From here on, PixelBoard opens whenever you type.
If the setup screen doesn't appear, you can enable PixelBoard manually from Settings > System > Languages & input > On-screen keyboard. Also, PixelBoard has its own default settings, so open PixelBoard Settings to match the layout/preference of your Gboard keyboard.
Note that on Samsung phones, you may have to turn off Auto Blocker under Settings > Security and privacy to install the APK.
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How to Activate Rambler in PixelBoard
In recent APKs, Rambler is turned on by default. You can confirm it by looking at the microphone icon at the top of the keyboard and check whether it shows a small sparkle. If it doesn't, follow the steps below.
- Bring up the PixelBoard keyboard and tap on the gear icon to open PixelBoard Settings.
- Here, tap on Voice typing and pick Rambler in place of Standard.
- Now, go back to a text field and tap on the microphone icon.
- The Rambler screen will show up the first time. Simply tap on Get started and allow the microphone permission when asked.
For some reason, if the Rambler option is missing, scroll down to Advanced settings in PixelBoard Settings. Here, check that the Enable Advanced Voice Typing toggle is turned on.
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How to Use Rambler on Your Android Phone
To use Rambler, tap on the microphone icon and speak the way you normally talk. The suggestion bar shows a glowing waveform, but unlike standard voice typing, Rambler doesn't show the words as you speak. Once you are done, tap on the Done (checkmark) button and the polished text appears in the text field within a couple of seconds.
What is interesting is that Rambler also understands when you correct yourself mid-sentence. For example, if you say "let us meet at 5 pm, no, make it 6 pm", it only types the 6 pm part. You can edit the text with your voice as well, so ask it to make the message more formal and Rambler rewrites it for you.
On top of that, Rambler supports English, Hindi and other Indian languages. You can even mix Hindi and English in the same sentence, which is how most of us speak in India. If you want to type in these languages as well, you can change the keyboard language in Android in just a few taps.
Apart from Rambler, PixelBoard also brings Gboard's Writing Tools on all Android phones. You can tap on the four-square icon on the keyboard and open Writing tools to proofread or rephrase your text. To understand what Rambler can do, check out our hands-on with Rambler on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
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Is PixelBoard Safe to Use?
As I mentioned above, PixelBoard is open source and released under the GPL-3.0 licence, so anyone can inspect its code and patches. Having said that, it's an unofficial app and not affiliated with Google and the APK is signed by the developer.
Any third-party keyboard has access to the text you enter and that includes your passwords and card details too. So I would recommend switching back to Gboard or Samsung Keyboard while entering sensitive information.
By the way, it's always a good idea to check the APK through VirusTotal first, as we explained in our guide on whether Android phones need antivirus.
Apart from that, PixelBoard doesn't receive updates from the Play Store. You have to use the built-in updater in PixelBoard Settings or install the new APK from GitHub over the existing app.
Advanced users can also patch the official Gboard APK with the PixelBoard patch bundle in Morphe Manager, but it's a long and complex process. And since Rambler relies on Google's servers, Google could stop it from working on unsupported Android phones in the future.
And that is how you can install and use Rambler on any Android phone. For those who don't want to sideload the APK, Microsoft SwiftKey has a similar AI Voice feature. There is also the open-source FUTO Keyboard, which processes your speech on the device. And if you own a Nothing phone, you already have Nothing Essential Voice built into the native OS.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rambler officially available on Samsung, OnePlus or Xiaomi phones?
No. Currently, Rambler is supported on the Pixel 11 series alone. Google had said that Rambler would come to other Android devices later, but it has not announced a date yet.That said, Samsung users may get something similar soon as it's testing a feature called Refine Voice Input for Samsung Keyboard.
Does Rambler work without the internet?
No, you need an internet connection to use Rambler including rewrites and voice editing. Without the internet, it goes back to basic voice typing.
Does PixelBoard replace Gboard on my phone?
PixelBoard installs as a separate app, so you can keep using Gboard and update it from the Play Store. If you no longer want Rambler, switch back to your old keyboard and uninstall PixelBoard.
