Did your iPad keyboard suddenly shrink and start floating around your screen, causing more frustration than convenience? Don't worry, you're not alone! Many iPad users have encountered this "floating keyboard" phenomenon and found themselves scratching their heads, wondering how to get it back to its usual, full-sized, docked glory. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step to make that floating keyboard go away and restore your typing experience. Let's dive in!
Step 1: Identify the Floating Keyboard (and Why It's There)
Before we can make it go away, let's make sure we're on the same page. The floating keyboard is a compact, smaller version of the standard iPad keyboard that can be moved freely around the screen. It's often activated accidentally by a pinch-to-zoom gesture on the keyboard itself. While it can be handy for one-handed typing or when you need to see more of the screen, it can also be a significant nuisance if you prefer the full-sized layout.
So, do you see a smaller keyboard that you can drag around? If so, you've got the floating keyboard, and we're ready to fix it!
Step 2: The Easiest Way to Dismiss the Floating Keyboard – The Pinch-Out Gesture
This is often the quickest and most intuitive way to get rid of the floating keyboard, as it's the reverse of how it often appears.
- Sub-heading: The Two-Finger Pinch-Out
- Place two fingers (like your thumb and index finger) on the floating keyboard.
- Perform a "reverse pinch" or "pinch-out" gesture, as if you are trying to zoom in on the keyboard.
- You should see the keyboard expand and re-dock to the bottom of your screen, returning to its full size.
If that didn't work for you, or if you're having trouble getting the gesture just right, don't fret! We have other methods.
Step 3: Dragging the Floating Keyboard to the Bottom of the Screen
This method is incredibly effective and often overlooked. The floating keyboard has a "handle" that you can use to drag it back into place.
- Sub-heading: Locating the Handle
- Look at the very bottom of the floating keyboard. You'll see a thin gray line or a small bar. This is the handle.
- Sub-heading: Dragging It Home
- Tap and hold your finger on this gray handle.
- Drag the keyboard all the way down to the bottom of the iPad screen.
- As you drag it down, you should feel a slight haptic feedback, and the keyboard will snap back into its full-sized, docked position.
This method is usually very reliable! If it still refuses to cooperate, let's try some other options.
Step 4: Using the Keyboard Toolbar Options (iPadOS 15 and Later)
Modern iPadOS versions offer more explicit controls for the keyboard.
- Sub-heading: Accessing the Keyboard Menu
- With the floating keyboard visible, tap and hold the keyboard icon (the small keyboard shape) in the bottom right corner of the floating keyboard.
- Alternatively, you might see a small three-dot menu at the top of the floating keyboard. Tapping this might reveal similar options.
- Sub-heading: Selecting "Dock and Merge" or "Dock"
- A small menu will pop up. You should see options like "Floating," "Split," and "Dock and Merge" or simply "Dock".
- Tap on "Dock and Merge" or "Dock".
- This will immediately restore the keyboard to its full, docked position at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5: Restarting the App or Your iPad (The Classic Troubleshooting Step)
Sometimes, a software glitch within an app or the iPad's system can cause the keyboard to behave unexpectedly.
- Sub-heading: Closing and Reopening the App
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-tap the Home button on iPads with a physical Home button) to open the App Switcher.
- Find the app you were using when the keyboard went rogue.
- Swipe the app's preview card upwards to force-close it.
- Reopen the app. Check if the keyboard is back to normal.
- Sub-heading: Restarting Your iPad
- If the app restart didn't work, a full iPad restart can often resolve minor software issues.
- For iPads with Face ID (no Home button): Press and hold the top button and either volume button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your
iPad. After it's off, press and hold the top button again until you see the Apple logo. - For iPads with a Home button: Press and hold the top button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your
iPad. After it's off, press and hold the top button again until you see the Apple logo.
Step 6: Checking Keyboard Settings (Less Common, But Good to Know)
While not directly related to making the floating keyboard go away, it's good to be aware of your general keyboard settings in case other issues arise.
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
- Review the various options here. While there isn't a specific "disable floating keyboard" toggle, ensuring your settings are as you expect can be helpful for general keyboard behavior.
Congratulations! Your Keyboard Should Now Be Docked!
By following these steps, your iPad keyboard should now be back to its familiar, full-sized, and docked position at the bottom of your screen. No more accidental floating! Remember, the pinch-out gesture and dragging the handle are usually the most effective methods for immediate resolution.
10 Related FAQ Questions:
How to make iPad keyboard full size again?
- Pinch out on the floating keyboard with two fingers, or drag the small gray handle at the bottom of the floating keyboard all the way down to the bottom of the screen.
How to prevent iPad keyboard from floating?
- Be mindful of two-finger pinch gestures on the keyboard; this is the most common way it becomes floating. Unfortunately, there's no direct "disable floating keyboard" setting.
How to get rid of the split keyboard on iPad?
- Tap and hold the keyboard icon (bottom right) and select "Dock and Merge" or "Merge and Dock." Alternatively, drag both halves of the split keyboard together.
How to move the keyboard on iPad?
- If it's floating, tap and hold the small gray handle at the bottom of the keyboard and drag it to your desired position on the screen.
How to reset iPad keyboard settings?
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary. This resets learned words but not layout settings.
How to change keyboard layout on iPad?
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard... and choose your desired layout (e.g., QWERTY, AZERTY).
How to get rid of the mini keyboard on iPad?
- This is the same as the floating keyboard. Use the pinch-out gesture or drag the handle to the bottom of the screen.
How to type with one hand on iPad?
- The floating keyboard is designed for this! Activate it by pinching in on the full-sized keyboard.
How to turn off predictive text on iPad?
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle off "Predictive."
How to find the keyboard icon on iPad?
- When the keyboard is active, look for a small keyboard-shaped icon usually in the bottom right corner of the keyboard itself, or sometimes at the top in a toolbar.
