The two ways to switch keyboards on iPad

You can change your iPad keyboard in two ways: add a new language or input method to the one you already have, or switch to a completely different physical keyboard if you use an external one. If you mean the on-screen keyboard layout or language, you do that through Settings. If you mean replacing a hardware keyboard, you unpair the old one and pair a new one.

The on-screen keyboard change takes about two minutes. A hardware keyboard swap takes about the same time, though you may need to charge the new keyboard first.

Key Takeaways

  • To add a new language or keyboard layout to your iPad's on-screen keyboard, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Add New Keyboard.
  • Once you add a keyboard, you switch between them by tapping the globe icon on the on-screen keyboard, or by holding it down to see all available options at once.
  • To replace a physical keyboard, go to Settings > Bluetooth, forget the old keyboard, then put the new keyboard in pairing mode and select it from the Bluetooth list.
  • You can have up to five keyboards installed at once, and the globe icon appears only when you have more than one active.
  • Some keyboards like QWERTY, AZERTY, and Dvorak are available as layout options within a single language, while others are entirely different languages.

Adding a new language or layout to your on-screen keyboard

Open Settings on your iPad, then tap General. Scroll down and tap Keyboard, then tap Keyboards again. You will see a list of keyboards you already have installed — most iPads come with just one, usually English (US) with QWERTY layout.

Tap "Add New Keyboard" at the bottom of the list. A menu appears showing every language and layout available on your iPad. Scroll through and tap the one you want. If you want French, tap French. If you want English but with a Dvorak layout instead of QWERTY, tap English, then select Dvorak from the submenu that appears.

Once you add it, tap Done. The new keyboard is now installed. You do not have to do anything else — it is ready to use when ready.

Switching between keyboards while you type

When you have more than one keyboard installed, a globe icon appears on the on-screen keyboard, usually in the bottom left corner next to the space bar. Tap it once to switch to the next keyboard in your list. Tap it again to cycle to the next one, and so on.

If you want to see all your keyboards at once instead of cycling through them, hold down the globe icon. A menu pops up showing every keyboard you have installed. Tap the one you want to use. This is faster than tapping the globe multiple times if you have three or more keyboards.

The keyboard you were just using stays in memory, so if you switch back to it later in the same session, it remembers where you were in any text field.

Removing a keyboard you no longer use

Go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Find the keyboard you want to remove and swipe left on it. A red Delete button appears. Tap it. The keyboard is removed when ready, and the globe icon disappears if you now have only one keyboard left.

You can add it back anytime by following the same steps as before — nothing is lost except the installation itself.

Changing a physical keyboard connected to your iPad

If you use a Bluetooth keyboard with your iPad, you do not change it through the keyboard settings. Instead, you unpair the old one and pair a new one through Bluetooth.

Go to Settings > Bluetooth. Find the keyboard you currently have paired — it will show "Connected" next to its name. Tap the information icon (a circle with an "i" in it) next to the keyboard name. Tap "Forget This Device." The keyboard is now unpaired.

Put your new keyboard into pairing mode. The method varies by keyboard — usually you hold down a power button or a dedicated pairing button for a few seconds until a light blinks. On your iPad, the new keyboard should appear in the Bluetooth list. Tap it to pair. You may see a pairing code on your iPad screen — if so, type it on the new keyboard to confirm.

Once paired, the new keyboard works when ready. You do not need to change any settings in the keyboard menu — the physical keyboard is separate from the on-screen keyboard settings.

Keyboard settings that affect how your keyboard behaves

Beyond adding keyboards, you can adjust how your keyboard works. In Settings > General > Keyboard, you will find options like Auto-Capitalization (which automatically capitalizes the first letter of a sentence), Smart Punctuation (which converts two hyphens into a dash), and Spell Check.

You can also enable Dictation, which lets you speak instead of type. A microphone icon appears on the keyboard when this is on. These settings explore to all your keyboards, not just one.

If you use a physical keyboard, you can also adjust the keyboard brightness and repeat rate in the same menu, though not all external keyboards support these adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No, but you can have up to five installed and switch between them when ready. Only one is active at any given moment. You switch by tapping the globe icon or holding it down to pick from a menu.

What if the globe icon does not appear on my keyboard?

The globe icon only shows when you have two or more keyboards installed. If you have only one, there is nothing to switch to, so the icon does not appear. Add a second keyboard and it will show up.

Do I need to restart my iPad after adding a new keyboard?

No. New keyboards are ready to use when ready after you add them. You can start typing with the new keyboard right away without restarting.

Can I change the keyboard layout without changing the language?

Yes. When you tap "Add New Keyboard," some languages show a submenu with layout options. English, for example, offers QWERTY, Dvorak, and AZERTY layouts. Select the language first, then the layout you want.

What happens if I forget a Bluetooth keyboard by mistake?

You can pair it again anytime by putting it back into pairing mode and selecting it from the Bluetooth list. Nothing is deleted — you are just disconnecting it temporarily.