How to Change the Keyboard on an iPad: A Comprehensive Guide

Changing the keyboard on your iPad is surprisingly simple and unlocks a world of possibilities, from utilizing different languages to enhancing your typing experience with specialized features. Here’s the straightforward answer: you can change the keyboard on your iPad through the Settings app, by navigating to General > Keyboard > Keyboards. From there, you can add new keyboards, remove existing ones, and reorder them according to your preference.

Delving Deeper: Keyboard Customization on iPad

While the basic process is straightforward, the depth of customization available for your iPad keyboard is extensive. Apple provides several built-in options, and the App Store offers a plethora of third-party keyboard apps to further personalize your typing experience.

Understanding the Default iPad Keyboard

The default iPad keyboard is already quite versatile. It supports multiple languages, offers features like QuickPath (swipe typing), text replacement, and predictive text. However, its true power lies in its adaptability. You can quickly switch between languages if you have multiple keyboards enabled, access emoji, and even use dictation for hands-free typing.

Adding and Removing Keyboards

The “Keyboards” menu under Settings > General > Keyboard is your command center. Here, you’ll find the option to “Add New Keyboard…”. Tapping this brings up a list of available languages. Select the desired language, and it’s immediately added to your list.

Removing a keyboard is just as easy. Tap “Edit” in the upper-right corner of the “Keyboards” screen. You’ll see a red minus icon next to each keyboard. Tap the icon, then tap “Delete” to remove it. You can also reorder the keyboards by dragging the handle (three horizontal lines) next to each keyboard to your desired position. The order determines how quickly you can switch between them while typing.

Switching Between Keyboards While Typing

Once you have multiple keyboards enabled, switching between them is effortless. When the keyboard is visible on your screen, look for the globe icon (or Emoji icon if only two keyboards are enabled) in the lower-left corner. Tap this icon to cycle through your enabled keyboards. You can also tap and hold the globe icon to bring up a list of your available keyboards, allowing you to select the desired one directly.

Embracing Third-Party Keyboard Apps

The App Store is teeming with third-party keyboard apps. These apps often offer unique features, such as:

• Customizable themes and layouts: Tailor the keyboard’s appearance to match your personal style.
• Advanced autocorrection and prediction: Improve typing accuracy and speed.
• GIF and sticker integration: Express yourself with visual elements.
• Specialized input methods: Explore alternative typing methods like handwriting recognition.

Popular choices include Gboard (Google Keyboard), SwiftKey, and Grammarly Keyboard.

Installing and Enabling Third-Party Keyboards

1. Download and install the desired keyboard app from the App Store.
2. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
3. Tap “Add New Keyboard…”.
4. Under the “Third-Party Keyboards” section, you’ll find the newly installed keyboard. Tap it to add it.
5. Crucially, tap the name of the added keyboard in the list to grant it “Full Access.” This allows the keyboard to access certain information for features like prediction and autocorrection. Be mindful of the app’s privacy policy before granting full access.

Understanding “Full Access” and Privacy Concerns

Granting “Full Access” to a third-party keyboard app allows it to transmit what you type, which raises legitimate privacy concerns. Carefully research the app developer and read their privacy policy before granting this permission. Some users opt to avoid granting full access and instead only use third-party keyboards for less sensitive tasks. Alternatively, one can select the third-party keyboard for when it is needed, and then switch back to the Apple keyboard for sensitive typing.

Keyboard Settings Within Apps

Some apps have their own keyboard settings that might override or complement the system-wide settings. For example, a note-taking app might have options for automatically inserting certain characters or formatting text. These settings are usually found within the app’s preferences or settings menu.

The Floating Keyboard and Split Keyboard

The iPad offers two unique keyboard layouts:

• Floating Keyboard: This shrinks the keyboard and allows you to drag it around the screen, making it convenient for one-handed typing. To activate it, pinch inwards on the on-screen keyboard with two fingers. Pinch outwards to return to the full-size keyboard.
• Split Keyboard: This splits the keyboard in half, making it easier to type with your thumbs while holding the iPad. To activate it, touch and hold the keyboard icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, then select “Split”. Choose “Undock” for the floating keyboard. To return to the regular keyboard, perform the same action and select “Merge”.

Dictation: Your Voice as the Keyboard

Don’t forget about dictation! This feature allows you to speak instead of type. To use it, tap the microphone icon on the keyboard. Speak clearly, and your iPad will convert your words into text. Dictation supports multiple languages and can be incredibly useful for long emails or documents. This needs to be enabled in settings and can be used for a variety of keyboard functions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 12 common questions about changing the keyboard on an iPad:

1. How do I add a new language keyboard to my iPad? Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard… and select the desired language from the list.

2. How do I remove a keyboard from my iPad? Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap “Edit”, tap the red minus icon next to the keyboard you want to remove, and then tap “Delete”.

3. How do I switch between different keyboards while typing? Tap the globe icon (or Emoji icon if only two keyboards are enabled) on the keyboard to cycle through your enabled keyboards. You can also tap and hold the globe icon to bring up a menu of available keyboards.

4. What are third-party keyboard apps, and why would I use them? These are keyboard apps from developers other than Apple that offer features like customizable themes, advanced autocorrection, GIF integration, and specialized input methods.

5. How do I install and enable a third-party keyboard app? Download the app from the App Store, then go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard… and select the keyboard from the “Third-Party Keyboards” section. Then click the keyboard in the list to give the keyboard full access.

6. What does “Full Access” mean for a third-party keyboard, and are there any privacy concerns? “Full Access” allows the keyboard to access information for features like prediction and autocorrection. However, it also means the app can potentially transmit what you type, raising privacy concerns. Research the app developer and their privacy policy before granting this permission.

7. Can I customize the layout of the default iPad keyboard? While you can’t drastically change the layout, you can enable or disable features like Caps Lock, keyboard shortcuts, and QuickPath (swipe typing) in Settings > General > Keyboard.

8. What is the floating keyboard on iPad, and how do I enable it? It’s a smaller, movable keyboard for one-handed typing. Pinch inwards on the on-screen keyboard with two fingers to activate it.

9. What is the split keyboard on iPad, and how do I enable it? It splits the keyboard in half for easier thumb typing. Touch and hold the keyboard icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, then select “Split”.

10. How do I use dictation on my iPad? Tap the microphone icon on the keyboard and speak clearly. Your iPad will convert your words into text.

11. Why is my keyboard typing the wrong language even though I have the correct keyboard selected? This could be due to autocorrect settings or the keyboard language not being properly set. Double-check your language settings and autocorrect preferences in Settings > General > Keyboard.

12. How do I add symbols or special characters to my keyboard? Press the “123” key on the keyboard to access numbers and symbols. Press the “#+=” key for more specialized symbols. Some third-party keyboards offer even more extensive symbol libraries.

By mastering these keyboard customization options, you can truly tailor your iPad typing experience to suit your needs and preferences. Happy typing!