How to add and switch between keyboards on your iPhone

You can add a new keyboard to your iPhone and switch between them whenever you type. The process takes about two minutes: go to Settings, tap General, select Keyboard, then tap Keyboards and add a new one. Once added, any keyboard appears in the row of buttons above your on-screen keys, and you tap the globe icon to cycle through them.

Your iPhone comes with the standard English keyboard by default, but you can add keyboards for other languages, different layouts (like QWERTY, Dvorak, or Colemak), or third-party keyboards from the App Store. Each keyboard you add stays on your phone until you remove it, so you can switch between them without reinstalling.

Key Takeaways

  • New keyboards are added through Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, then tapping the Add New Keyboard button.
  • Once added, you switch keyboards by tapping the globe icon above the space bar, which cycles through all your active keyboards in order.
  • You can reorder your keyboards in the same Keyboards menu by dragging them, which changes the order the globe icon cycles through them.
  • Third-party keyboards from the App Store (like Gboard, SwiftKey, or Grammarly) must be installed as apps first, then added the same way as built-in keyboards.
  • Removing a keyboard is done by tapping Edit in the Keyboards menu, then the red minus button next to the keyboard you want to delete.

Adding a built-in keyboard language or layout

Open Settings on your iPhone and tap General. Scroll down and tap Keyboard, then tap Keyboards again. You will see a list of keyboards already on your phone. Tap Add New Keyboard at the bottom of the list.

A menu appears showing all available keyboards grouped by language. Tap the language or layout you want — for example, Spanish, French, German, or Japanese. If you want a different layout of English (such as Dvorak or Colemak instead of QWERTY), look under English and you will see layout options. Tap the one you want, and it is added to your list when ready.

Switching between keyboards while typing

When you have more than one keyboard added, a globe icon appears above the space bar on your keyboard. Tap it once to switch to the next keyboard in your list. Keep tapping to cycle through all your keyboards. The name of the current keyboard appears briefly above the space bar when you switch.

If you have many keyboards, cycling through them one at a time can be slow. Instead, long-press the globe icon and a menu appears showing all your keyboards at once. Tap the one you want to use when ready. This is faster than tapping the globe multiple times.

Reordering your keyboards

The order your keyboards appear in the globe menu is the order they cycle when you tap the globe. You can change this order so your most-used keyboard comes first. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Edit in the top left corner.

Drag the three horizontal lines next to each keyboard up or down to reorder them. The keyboard at the top of the list will be the first one you see when you tap the globe. When you are done, tap Done. This does not delete any keyboards — it only changes the order they appear.

Installing and adding third-party keyboards

Third-party keyboards like Gboard (Google), SwiftKey (Microsoft), or Grammarly are downloaded as apps from the App Store first. Search for the keyboard you want, tap Get, and wait for it to install. Then open the app and follow its setup instructions — most will prompt you to go to Settings and add the keyboard.

Once the app is installed, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Add New Keyboard. The third-party keyboard now appears in the list. Tap it to add it. You may see a prompt asking you to allow full access — this lets the keyboard see what you type so it can offer suggestions. You can decline, but the keyboard will have fewer features.

Third-party keyboards work the same way as built-in ones: tap the globe icon to switch to them, or long-press to see all keyboards at once. You can reorder them alongside your built-in keyboards.

Removing a keyboard you no longer use

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Edit in the top left. A red minus button appears next to each keyboard. Tap the minus button next to the keyboard you want to remove, then tap Delete. The keyboard is removed from your phone when ready.

You can always add it back later by following the same steps to add a new keyboard. Removing a keyboard does not uninstall any app — if you remove a third-party keyboard, the app stays on your phone and you can add the keyboard back anytime.

Troubleshooting keyboard problems

If the globe icon does not appear, you only have one keyboard added. Add a second keyboard and the globe will show up. If a keyboard you added is not appearing in the list, go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and check that it is there — sometimes the list needs to refresh.

If a third-party keyboard is not working, open its app and check for setup steps you may have missed. Some keyboards require you to enable them in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and then toggle them on. If the app itself is not opening, try restarting your iPhone or reinstalling the app from the App Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use more than one keyboard at the same time?

Yes. You can add as many keyboards as you want and switch between them by tapping the globe icon. There is no limit to how many you can have active on your phone at once.

Do I need to pay for third-party keyboards?

Most third-party keyboards are free to read from the App Store, though some offer paid versions with extra features. Check the App Store listing before you read to see the price.

Will switching keyboards slow down my iPhone?

No. Having multiple keyboards does not affect your phone's speed or battery life. Switching between them is when ready.

What happens to my keyboard settings if I restart my iPhone?

All your keyboards and their order stay the same after a restart. Your settings are saved to your phone and will not change.

Can I use a physical keyboard with my iPhone instead of the on-screen one?

Yes. You can pair a Bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone, and the on-screen keyboard will hide when you start typing on the physical one. The on-screen keyboard reappears if you tap the screen or disconnect the Bluetooth keyboard.