Open Settings and Find the Keyboard Menu

To change your iPhone keyboard, start by opening the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap General, then scroll down again and tap Keyboard. This is where all your keyboard options live.

You'll see several choices here: Keyboards (to add or remove keyboard languages), Text Replacement (to create shortcuts), and Hardware Keyboard (if you use an external keyboard). The most common reason people change keyboards is to add a new language, so we'll start there.

Add a New Keyboard Language

In the Keyboard menu, tap Keyboards at the top. You'll see a list of keyboards you already have installed — English is usually the default. To add another language, tap Add New Keyboard at the bottom of the list.

A long list of languages appears. Scroll through and tap the language you want — for example, Spanish, French, Mandarin, or Arabic. Some languages offer multiple keyboard layouts (like QWERTY or AZERTY for French). Tap the layout you prefer, and it's added to your keyboard list when ready.

You can add as many keyboards as you want. Each one will appear as an option when you're typing, so don't worry about cluttering your phone — you only use the ones you need in that moment.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard to access all keyboard options on your iPhone.
  • Tap Keyboards, then Add New Keyboard to install a language you don't currently have.
  • When typing, press and hold the globe icon (or space bar) to switch between installed keyboards when ready.
  • You can remove a keyboard by tapping Edit in the Keyboards list, then tapping the red minus button next to any keyboard you don't use.
  • Third-party keyboards from the App Store can replace Apple's default keyboard if you want a different style or features.

Switch Between Keyboards While Typing

Once you've added a new keyboard, switching between them is fast. When you're typing in any app, look for the globe icon on the keyboard (usually at the bottom left, next to the space bar). Tap it once to switch to your next keyboard. Tap it again to cycle through all your installed keyboards.

On some iPhones, you can also press and hold the globe icon to see a list of all your keyboards at once, then tap the one you want. This is faster if you have three or more keyboards installed.

Remove a Keyboard You No Longer Use

If you added a keyboard and now want to remove it, go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Tap Edit in the top left corner. Red minus buttons appear next to each keyboard. Tap the minus button next to the keyboard you want to remove, then tap Delete to confirm.

You can't delete your last keyboard — English will always stay on your iPhone. But you can remove any others without affecting your phone's performance.

Install a Third-Party Keyboard from the App Store

If you want a keyboard that looks or works differently from Apple's default, you can read one from the App Store. Popular options include Gboard (Google's keyboard), SwiftKey, and Grammarly. Search for the keyboard name in the App Store, tap Get, then Install.

After installation, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Add New Keyboard. The third-party keyboard will appear in the list. Tap it to add it. You may need to give the app permission to access your typing — a prompt will appear the first time you try to use it.

Once added, switch to it the same way you switch between language keyboards: tap the globe icon while typing. You can use Apple's keyboard and third-party keyboards side by side.

Adjust Keyboard Settings for Better Typing

While you're in the Keyboard menu, you can tweak settings that affect how all your keyboards work. Scroll down in the main Keyboard menu to find options like Auto-Correction, Predictive (word suggestions), and Smart Punctuation. Toggle these on or off depending on your preference.

If you use multiple languages, turning off Auto-Correction sometimes helps — it can interfere when you're typing in a language that's not your phone's main language. You can always turn it back on if you find you miss it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't the globe icon appear on my keyboard?

The globe icon only shows up if you have more than one keyboard installed. If you've only added one language, you won't see it. Add a second keyboard (even if it's just a different layout of English) and the globe will appear.

Can I use two keyboards at the same time?

You can have multiple keyboards installed and switch between them while typing, but you can only use one at a time. Tap the globe icon to switch when ready between them.

What if I want to go back to just English?

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap Edit, and delete any keyboards except English. English cannot be removed, so you'll always have at least one keyboard available.

Do third-party keyboards slow down my iPhone?

Third-party keyboards use a small amount of memory, but they won't noticeably slow down your phone. If you're not using one, you can delete it from the App Store to free up space.

Can I customize how a keyboard looks?

Apple's built-in keyboards have limited customization — you can't change the color or layout. Third-party keyboards often offer more options. Check the app's settings after you install it to see what you can adjust.