Everything You Need to Know About the iOS Keyboard

As a key component for typing anything, the iOS keyboard is an essential and invaluable part of the whole iOS system. Since you are spending a lot of time typing on it, why not learn the best iOS keyboard tips and tricks and get the best out of it? While there are numerous third-party keyboards that promise to make your life better, learning the default keyboard is the best course of action. Here are some of the most important things you need to know about the iOS keyboard.

Also read:How to Sync iMessages on iOS and macOS

Switching Between Languages

To get startedk typing in another language, you need to first go to “Settings -> General -> Keyboard -> Keyboards -> Add New Keyboard” to add a new keyboard. Once that is done, identify the “globe” icon (looks just like a globe) on the keyboard and tap and hold. Slide your finger to one of the other languages you have activated to switch to it.

Search for Different Emojis

In today’s world, using an emoji is second nature and widely accepted even in the professional world. While using iOS 14, open the emoji keyboard as you normally would and locate the “Search Emoji” bar just above “Frequently Used” emoji options. Alternatively, you can also press on the individual section icons beneath the emoji selections where you have options for sports, food, animals, smiley faces, etc.

Move Your Cursor

This is absolutely one of the most critical iOS keyboard tips to know in iOS 14. Gone are the days of being able to tap on the screen to find your cursor so you can move and drag it around. Instead, Apple’s newest software relies on the Space Bar to move your cursor around any text you have on the screen. Just tap and hold on the Space Bar and move your cursor around. Don’t let up on the Space Bar, as the cursor will stop wherever it is when you stopped holding the button. This is also known as the hidden trackpad.

iMessage Apps

One of the best additions to iMessage in recent years is the inclusion of extras, like GIFs, Memojis, stickers and more. To get started with iMessage apps, open Messages and tap on the compose button as if you are starting a new message. Once the Messages app is open, swipe right or left in the app drawer right beneath the iMessage text box and choose whichever app you want to use. By default, Apple includes the App Store, Photos, Music, Pay, Memoji, Digital Touch among others.

To download and add new apps, tap on the App Store icon and “Get” to download any new app or sticker pack as you normally would. After the app is downloaded, it will automatically be added to the app drawer. Managing apps is as easy as clicking on the three-dot button at the far right of the app drawer inside iMessage. Tapping on this button will allow you to not only choose what apps appear but also remove apps you no longer need. You can also move the order with which apps appear by dragging them into a different order in this same screen.

One-Handed Keyboard

No matter whether you are on the iPhone 12 Mini or Max, there is likely always going to be an instance in which one-handed keyboard use is required. Fortunately, Apple has thought of this already and has made it very easy to reduce the size of the keyboard for one-handed use for quick typing with your thumb.

To get either a left-hand or right-hand size one-handed keyboard, tap and hold on the emoji or globe icon exactly as you would choose a different language. When the same pop-up appears, there are options to the right and left for the keyboards. Choose whichever one serves you best and you can set it back to the regular keyboard by following the same process.

Slide to Type

Enabled by default, Apple’s introduction of slide to type was understandably a reaction to a number of third-party keyboards offering similar functionality. Using this feature is really quite simple, as all you need to do is start swiping on the screen. To swipe and type the word “make,” you would start on the “m,” then swipe your finger to a-k-e and watch as “make” populates on the screen. This works anywhere you can type on the keyboard and not just in iMessage. That means Safari, Mail, Notes, Reminders, etc.

Hold for Alternates

While this isn’t true across the entirety of the iOS keyboard, a good number of letters and numbers have a “hidden” set of alternative options. Hold the exclamation point for a second and watch as another option comes up for an upside-down exclamation point. Alternatively, hold the “.” period button and an option for ellipses will pop up. This requires a little bit of experimentation, but once you discover the options, it can lead to some really easy adjustments in how you type and switch punctuation.

Final Thoughts

While the iOS keyboard is easy to use, there are more options than anyone might believe when they first used it. Each of these features and functions will help make your typing experience better. Other than the keyboard, you should also learn about the translate feature in iOS 14.