Keyboard Not Working on iPhone or iPad

1. Restart the device

A keyboard that lags, freezes or won't appear is usually fixed by a restart.

2. Check third-party keyboards

Extra keyboard apps can crash or slow typing. Open Settings › General › Keyboard › Keyboards, swipe left on any keyboard you don't use and delete it. Switch between keyboards with the globe key.

3. Reset the keyboard dictionary

If autocorrect keeps changing words wrongly, or typing has become sluggish, open Settings › General › Transfer or Reset (iPad: Transfer or Reset iPad), tap Reset › Reset Keyboard Dictionary. This only clears learned words; your files and settings stay.

4. iPad keyboard floating or split

If the iPad keyboard is small and floating, pinch it outward with two fingers to make it full size again. If it's split in two, press and hold the keyboard button at the bottom-right and choose Merge or Dock and Merge.

5. Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard

• These connect through the Smart Connector, the three small dots on the edge of the iPad. Gently wipe the dots on the iPad and the keyboard with a dry, lint-free cloth.
• Remove the iPad and attach it again firmly.
• Check the keyboard works with your iPad model; Apple lists which iPads support each keyboard.

6. Bluetooth keyboards

1. Charge or replace the keyboard's batteries and switch it on.
2. Open Settings › Bluetooth, tap the info button next to the keyboard, choose Forget This Device, then pair it again.
3. Make sure it isn't still connected to another device.

7. Wrong characters on a physical keyboard

Open Settings › General › Keyboard › Hardware Keyboard and choose the layout that matches your keyboard.

Still not working?

Install updates under Settings › General › Software Update. If the on-screen keyboard appears but some areas don't respond to touch, check the screen with the touch screen test; a damaged touchscreen may need repair.

Frequently asked questions