The iPhone and iPad have an excellent digital keyboard from Apple as standard. But there are plenty of alternatives in the App Store that add unique functions. In this tip, we explain how to set up an alternative keyboard on your iPhone.
Install an alternate iPhone keyboard
Since iOS 8, Apple has allowed you to install a different keyboard on your iPhone or iPad. Since then, numerous developers have started to make keyboards that do things slightly differently from Apple’s.
For example, Google’s Gboard makes it easy to send a search query without leaving an app, and SwiftKey lets you swipe the keys to form words. Check out the keyboard apps that are the best in our opinion in the article below.
Also read: The four best keyboard apps for iPhone and iPad
Once you have made your choice for an alternative keyboard, you can easily set it up. You do this by following the steps below.
This is how you set up an alternative iPhone keyboard
- Open the Settings app;
- Choose ‘General’;
- Tap on ‘Keyboard’;
- Tap on ‘Keyboards’;
- Choose ‘Add keyboard’;
- Choose the app you have installed on your iPhone.
The keyboard is now set up and ready for use. To use all functions properly, it can help to give the keyboard full access. You do this in the same keyboard settings as described above.
Keep an eye on: giving the keyboard full access allows the developer to override everything you type. This can therefore have consequences for your privacy. Always keep this in mind when activating an alternative keyboard.
Now that you have set up the keyboard, you can easily activate it by tapping the globe in the lower left corner of your keyboard. Tap it again to return to the default Apple keyboard.