Connect keyboard to tablet

For some people, a tablet’s touchscreen keyboard works just fine. But there are also people who prefer to use a real keyboard, as we know it from the computer. After all, it takes some getting used to, tapping the screen with a finger. And it also often types slower. For anyone who prefers to type on a physical keyboard, there is a solution: the external tablet keyboard. Connect such a keyboard to the tablet and type as usual.

Some important points to keep in mind when buying an external keyboard are:

• Whether it should be a fixed or separate keyboard.
• Which operating system the tablet has: iOS (iPads) or Android.
• Which type of tablet you have exactly.
• Whether the keyboard is QWERTY.
• What you want to spend on it.

There are fixed external keyboards and separate ones. Within the fixed keyboards there are two options: a keyboard that magnetically clicks onto the tablet and a so-called cover (English, pronounced ‘kovver’) or case (also English, pronounced ‘kees’). This is a cover that goes around the tablet, with a keyboard attached to it. An advantage of a fixed keyboard is that it also protects against, for example, fall damage or scratches. The tablet with a cover often remains upright. This is useful when typing or watching videos. The photo at the top of this article shows a tablet with a keyboard cover.

A separate keyboard is, as the description suggests, separate from the tablet. This keyboard can therefore be located at a distance from the device and still work. Because these keyboards work on Bluetooth, they do not have to be connected to the tablet via cables. They are generally cheaper than fixed keyboards and take up less space. It is, however, a little easier for the slobs among us to get rid of a separate keyboard. A separate keyboard looks like this:

Does the tablet run on iOS (iPads only), Android or a completely different system? That’s important to know. Some keyboards can only be connected to an iPad, while others only work on a Samsung Galaxy Tab. There are also many external keyboards that are suitable for both systems. So keep this in mind when searching. Read more about the type of operating system on a tablet in the article ‘The system on your tablet or smartphone’.

Check which type of tablet you have. This is especially important if you are looking for a cover that goes around a tablet. For example, is it an iPad Pro or an iPad Air? A Lenovo Tab P11 or a Lenovo Tab M10 Plus? Although tablets all look alike in pictures on the websites, there are often differences in the size or thickness of the screen. Therefore, check whether there is a brand name and type in the description of the keyboard.

In the Netherlands we use keyboards with a QWERTY layout. Just look at the first six letters, seen from the top left, on the keyboard. Here is the Q, W, E, R, T and Y from left to right. In some countries they have changed the letters. Here, for example, the keyboard starts with A, Z, E, R, T, Y. So AZERTY. If you’re used to QWERTY, note that the external keyboard is too. That is so pleasant.

There are many providers of external tablet keyboards. That’s why the prices differ enormously. There are keyboards for a few tens of euros, but also for more than a hundred euros. You can sometimes try keyboards in a store to find out what feels good typing. If you buy the keyboard online, the same rule applies as with all online purchases: look for a reliable seller. The tablet manufacturer (such as Apple or Samsung) often also sells keyboards for it. They are a bit more expensive than some examples that can be found on Bol.com, for example.