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Move the iPad onscreen keyboard

Depending on your iPad model, you can type with the onscreen keyboard either floating and movable on the screen, split at the bottom of the screen, or undocked in the middle of the screen.

Use a floating keyboard

You can make the onscreen keyboard float and move it anywhere on the screen by dragging from the bottom of the screen.

A note is open in the Notes app. The onscreen keyboard is small and floating in the top-right side of the screen.

  1. Tap in a text field to open the onscreen keyboard.

  2. Touch and hold the Hide Keyboard key, slide your finger to Floating, then release. A miniature version of the keyboard opens, which you can drag and place anywhere on the screen.

  3. Tap keys or type by sliding from one letter to the next without lifting your finger (not available for all languages).

  4. To return the keyboard to full width, pinch the floating version open.

Turn Split Keyboard on

On models that support Split Keyboard, do one of the following to turn the Split Keyboard setting on:

  • Go to Settings  > General > Keyboard, then turn Split Keyboard on or off.

  • Touch and hold the Emoji button or the Switch Keyboard key, tap Keyboard Settings, then select Split Keyboard.

Split the keyboard

When Split Keyboard is turned on in Settings, tap in a text field to open the onscreen keyboard, then do any of the following:

  • Split the keyboard: Touch and hold the Hide Keyboard key, slide your finger to Split, then release.

  • Put the split keyboard back together: Touch and hold the Hide Keyboard key, slide your finger to Merge, then release.

Undock the keyboard

When Split Keyboard is turned on in Settings, you can undock the keyboard so that it moves up from the bottom of the screen (available on models that support Split Keyboard).

  1. Tap in a text field to open the onscreen keyboard.

  2. Touch and hold the Hide Keyboard key, slide your finger to Undock, then release.

    The keyboard moves up off the bottom of the screen. You can type with the keyboard in this position.

  3. To return the undocked keyboard to its original position, touch and hold the Hide Keyboard key, slide your finger to Dock, then release.

See alsoSelect, cut, copy, and paste text on iPad
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