Where to find keyboard layout settings on your iPad

Your iPad stores keyboard layout options in the Settings app under a section called Languages & Region. Open Settings, tap General, then look for Language & Region. Inside that menu, you will find Keyboards — this is where you add new layouts and switch between them.

The exact path depends on your iPad model and iOS version, but the structure has stayed consistent: Settings > General > Language & Region > Keyboards. If you cannot find Language & Region, your iPad may be running an older version of iOS, in which case the keyboard settings live directly under Settings > General > Keyboard instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Keyboard layouts are added through Settings > General > Language & Region > Keyboards, not through the keyboard itself.
  • You can have multiple keyboard layouts active at once and switch between them by tapping the globe icon on the keyboard.
  • The layout you add depends on the language you want to type in — adding French adds the AZERTY layout, adding German adds QWERTZ, and so on.
  • Removing a keyboard layout you no longer use keeps your keyboard switcher clean and prevents accidental switches.

Adding a new keyboard layout to your iPad

Once you are in the Keyboards menu, tap the button that says "Add New Keyboard" or the plus icon. A list of languages will appear — scroll through and select the language whose keyboard layout you want to add. If you want AZERTY (French), select French. If you want QWERTZ (German), select German. If you want Dvorak or Colemak, look under English and you will find those options listed as separate keyboards.

After you select a language, that keyboard layout becomes active when ready. You do not need to restart your iPad or confirm anything — it is ready to use. If the language you want has multiple layout options (for example, English offers QWERTY, Dvorak, and Colemak), tap the language name and you will see a submenu showing all available layouts for that language.

Switching between keyboard layouts while typing

Once you have added a second keyboard layout, a globe icon appears on your iPad keyboard, usually in the bottom left corner near the space bar. Tap the globe icon once to switch to your next keyboard layout. Tap it again to cycle to the next one. If you have three layouts active, tapping the globe cycles through all three.

The name of the current layout appears briefly at the top of the keyboard when you switch. This tells you which layout is now active. If you have only one keyboard layout, the globe icon does not appear — it only shows up when you have two or more layouts to choose from.

Removing keyboard layouts you no longer use

Go back to Settings > General > Language & Region > Keyboards. Find the layout you want to remove and swipe left on it. A red Delete button will appear — tap it to remove that keyboard layout from your iPad. The layout is gone when ready, and if you had other layouts, the globe icon will still work to switch between the remaining ones.

If you remove all but one keyboard layout, the globe icon disappears from your keyboard. You can always add layouts back later by following the same "Add New Keyboard" process.

Changing the default keyboard layout

Your iPad does not have a setting to choose which layout appears first when you open the keyboard. The order in which layouts appear when you tap the globe icon is the order you added them. If you want a different layout to be "first," you can remove all your layouts and add them back in the order you prefer.

Alternatively, you can straightforward tap the globe icon until you reach the layout you want and leave it there. The next time you open the keyboard, it will remember which layout you were using last and start with that one.

Keyboard layouts available on iPad

iPad supports dozens of keyboard layouts tied to different languages and regions. The most common ones are QWERTY (English), AZERTY (French, Belgian), QWERTZ (German, Austrian, Swiss), and Dvorak or Colemak (alternative English layouts). You can also add layouts for Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, and many others — each language typically offers one or more layout options.

When you add a language, you get the standard layout for that language in that region. For example, adding Spanish gives you the Spanish layout, and adding Portuguese gives you the Portuguese layout. Some languages offer regional variants — you might see "English (US)" and "English (UK)" as separate options, each with slightly different key assignments.

Troubleshooting keyboard layout problems

If the globe icon is not appearing even though you added a second layout, go back to Settings > General > Language & Region > Keyboards and confirm that you have at least two layouts listed. Sometimes a layout fails to save properly — if you see only one, try adding a second one again.

If you switched layouts by accident and cannot find the one you want, keep tapping the globe icon to cycle through all active layouts. The layout name appears at the top of the keyboard each time you switch, so you can see which one is which. If a layout is missing entirely, check the Keyboards menu in Settings to see if it was somehow removed.

If your keyboard is typing characters in the wrong places (for example, pressing Y types Z), you have successfully switched to a different layout — this is normal. Tap the globe icon to return to your usual layout. This often happens by accident when the globe icon is near your thumb while typing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use multiple keyboard layouts at the same time?

Yes. You can add as many keyboard layouts as you want, and they all stay active. The globe icon lets you switch between them while typing. You only see the globe icon if you have two or more layouts added.

What is the difference between a keyboard layout and a language?

A language is the words and grammar you are typing in. A keyboard layout is the physical arrangement of keys — where each letter appears on the keyboard. You can type English on a Dvorak layout, or French on a QWERTY layout, but it is usually easier to match the layout to the language you are typing.

Will changing my keyboard layout affect how my iPad displays text?

No. Changing the keyboard layout only changes which keys produce which letters. It does not change the language of your iPad's menus, apps, or settings. If you want to change the language your iPad displays in, that is a separate setting under Settings > General > Language & Region > Language.

Can I set a keyboard layout to be the default?

Not directly. Your iPad remembers which layout you used last and starts with that one the next time you open the keyboard. If you want a specific layout to be "first," remove all others and add them back in your preferred order.

What if I accidentally delete a keyboard layout?

You can add it back anytime by going to Settings > General > Language & Region > Keyboards and tapping "Add New Keyboard." Select the same language or layout name, and it will be active again when ready.