It sounds like you're having a bit of trouble with your iPad keyboard, and trust me, you're not alone! Many iPad users occasionally encounter quirky keyboard behavior, whether it's splitting, shrinking, or just not appearing where it should. The good news is that most of these issues are easily fixable. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through every possible scenario and solution to get your iPad keyboard back to normal.
Getting Your iPad Keyboard Back to Normal: A Comprehensive Guide
Let's dive in and fix that keyboard!
Step 1: Let's Figure Out What's Going On!
Before we jump into solutions, let's identify what "normal" means for your keyboard right now. Take a look at your iPad screen. Is your keyboard:
- Split in half with a gap in the middle? (This is often called the "split keyboard" mode).
- Smaller than usual and floating around the screen? (This is the "floating keyboard" mode).
- Completely missing, or not appearing when you expect it to?
- Stuck in a different language or layout?
- Experiencing lag or unresponsiveness?
Once you have a clear picture of the problem, we can move on to the specific fixes.
Step 2: The "It's Split in Half!" Fix: Un-Splitting Your Keyboard
The split keyboard is a feature designed for easier two-thumb typing, especially on larger iPads. However, if you've accidentally activated it, it can be quite disorienting.
Option 1: Pinch Gesture (The Easiest Way)
This is often the quickest and most intuitive method.
- Locate the two halves of your keyboard on the screen.
- Place two fingers (e.g., your thumbs or index fingers) on each half of the keyboard.
- Pinch them together as if you're trying to push the two halves back into one cohesive unit. Imagine you're squeezing them back together.
- You should see the keyboard snap back into its full-width, normal position at the bottom of the screen.
Option 2: Using the Keyboard Icon
If the pinch gesture isn't working for you, or if you prefer a more precise method:
- Tap and hold on the small keyboard icon located in the bottom-right corner of the keyboard (it looks like a square with a small arrow pointing down or a keyboard symbol).
- A small menu will pop up.
- Look for the option that says "Merge" or "Dock and Merge."
- Tap on that option. This will bring the keyboard back to its full, normal size and dock it at the bottom of your screen.
Step 3: "My Keyboard is Tiny and Floating!" Fixing the Floating Keyboard
The floating keyboard is a compact, resizable keyboard that you can move anywhere on the screen. It's great for one-handed typing, but if you don't want it, it can be annoying.
Option 1: Pinch-Out Gesture (To Enlarge and Dock)
This is the reverse of splitting the keyboard.
- Locate your small, floating keyboard.
- Place two fingers on the floating keyboard.
- Pinch outwards (spread your fingers apart) as if you're trying to make it bigger.
- Keep pinching outwards until the keyboard snaps back to its full-width, docked position at the bottom of the screen.
Option 2: Using the Keyboard Icon (Again!)
The versatile keyboard icon comes to the rescue once more.
- Tap and hold on the small keyboard icon in the bottom-right corner of the floating keyboard.
- A menu will appear.
- Look for the option that says "Dock" or "Dock and Merge."
- Tap on that option. This will restore the keyboard to its normal size and position at the bottom of the screen.
Step 4: "Where Did My Keyboard Go?!" Making the Keyboard Reappear
Sometimes, the keyboard just doesn't show up when you tap on a text field. This can be frustrating!
Sub-heading 4.1: The Basics: Tapping and Restarting
- Tap on a Text Field: The most common reason the keyboard isn't appearing is that you haven't activated a text input area. Make sure you've tapped on a text field (like a search bar, a message composition area, or a document) where you intend to type. A blinking cursor should appear.
- Restart the App: If the keyboard still doesn't appear, try closing and reopening the app you're currently using.
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-press the Home button on older iPads) to bring up the App Switcher.
- Swipe the problematic app's preview card upwards to force close it.
- Reopen the app and see if the keyboard appears.
- Restart Your iPad (The Universal Fix!): When in doubt, a good old restart often resolves minor software glitches.
- 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.
- For iPads with a Home button: Press and hold the Top button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider.
- Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the Top button again until the Apple logo appears to turn your iPad back on.
Sub-heading 4.2: Checking Keyboard Settings
It's possible some keyboard settings have been inadvertently changed.
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
- Review the settings here. Ensure that "Enable Dictation" and other features you use are toggled on if you rely on them. While these usually don't prevent the keyboard from appearing, it's good to check.
- Under "Keyboards," make sure you have at least one active keyboard (e.g., "English (US)") listed. If not, tap "Add New Keyboard..." to add one.
Step 5: "My Keyboard is in the Wrong Language/Layout!" Changing Keyboard Languages
If your keyboard is typing in a different language or has an unfamiliar layout, you've likely switched keyboards.
Option 1: The Globe Icon
- When your keyboard is visible, look for a small globe icon () in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard.
- Tap the globe icon repeatedly to cycle through the enabled keyboards. Keep tapping until you reach your desired language/layout.
- Alternatively, tap and hold the globe icon to bring up a list of all installed keyboards. You can then select the one you want from the list.
Option 2: Managing Keyboards in Settings
If you don't see the language you want, or want to remove unwanted ones:
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
- Tap on "Keyboards."
- Here you'll see a list of all your currently installed keyboards.
- To add a new keyboard: Tap "Add New Keyboard..." and select the language you want.
- To remove a keyboard: Tap "Edit" in the top-right corner, then tap the red minus sign next to the keyboard you want to remove, and finally tap "Delete."
Step 6: "My Keyboard is Laggy or Unresponsive!" Troubleshooting Performance Issues
Sometimes, the keyboard might appear normal but isn't responding correctly or is noticeably slow.
- Close Background Apps: Too many apps running in the background can consume system resources and impact performance. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-press Home) to enter the App Switcher, then swipe up on any apps you're not actively using to close them.
- Free Up Storage Space: If your iPad is very low on storage, it can affect overall performance, including the keyboard. Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage to see how much space you have left and identify apps or data you can delete.
- Reset Keyboard Dictionary: This can sometimes help with predictive text issues or general keyboard weirdness. Be aware this will clear all custom words you've added to your dictionary.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset.
- Tap "Reset Keyboard Dictionary." You'll need to enter your passcode.
- Update iPadOS: Ensure your iPad is running the latest version of iPadOS. Apple regularly releases updates that include bug fixes and performance improvements.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
If an update is available, download and install it.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Reset All Settings (Last Resort before Erase): This will reset all your iPad settings to their defaults but won't erase your data. It can sometimes resolve persistent issues.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset.
- Tap "Reset All Settings." You'll need to enter your passcode.
Step 7: If All Else Fails: Factory Reset (Backup First!)
If you've tried everything above and your keyboard is still not behaving, a factory reset might be necessary. WARNING: This will erase all data on your iPad. Make sure you have a complete backup before proceeding.
- Backup your iPad:
- iCloud: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.
- Computer (Finder/iTunes): Connect your iPad to your computer and follow the prompts to create a backup.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Follow the on-screen prompts. Once the iPad restarts, you can restore your data from your backup.
Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 quick answers to common "How to" questions about the iPad keyboard:
How to split the iPad keyboard?
- Pinch out on the full-size keyboard with two fingers, or tap and hold the keyboard icon and select "Split."
How to make the iPad keyboard floating?
- Pinch in on the full-size keyboard with two fingers, or tap and hold the keyboard icon and select "Floating."
How to dock the iPad keyboard back to the bottom?
- Pinch out on the floating keyboard, or tap and hold the keyboard icon and select "Dock" or "Dock and Merge."
How to change the keyboard language on iPad?
- Tap the globe icon on the keyboard to cycle, or go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards to add/manage.
How to add an emoji keyboard on iPad?
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard... and select "Emoji."
How to turn off predictive text on iPad keyboard?
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle off "Predictive."
How to reset the keyboard dictionary on iPad?
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary.
How to get rid of the small keyboard on iPad?
- Pinch out on the small, floating keyboard, or tap and hold the keyboard icon and select "Dock" or "Dock and Merge."
How to make my iPad keyboard bigger?
- If it's floating, pinch out on it. If it's split, pinch together the two halves or use the "Merge" option from the keyboard icon.
How to type with one hand on iPad?
- Use the floating keyboard by pinching in on the full-size keyboard, then drag the floating keyboard to a comfortable position.
