How To

Why Is My Keyboard Split On My iPad? [How To Fix]

The keyboards we use on our mobiles and iPads help us get our work done in a jiffy. We all use the keyboards in our devices differently, at our convenience. But if you have asked “why is my keyboard split on my iPad ?” Then you are at the right place. There is a straightforward reason for this issue to occur. You might be having an incorrect setting in your system.

Sometimes, the position of the keyboard might on our iPads float around the screen or become of a smaller size or split itself into two. However, the reason could also be that we may have accidentally turned on a feature. As a result, we may either have a floating keyboard or a split keyboard. So if you have a floating or a split keyboard, this article is for you! Following is a quick guide to help you understand what floating and split keyboards are and how to fix them.

Table of Contents

What Is A Split Keyboard?

A split keyboard is a feature on the on-screen keyboard of your iPad. A split keyboard that divides the default keyboard displayed on your screen into two halves. As a result, our usual QWERTY keyboard is divided and is now displaying in such a way that both halves are positioned on either side of the screen. You can move the split keyboard to the top, middle, or bottom of your screen. This feature can only be enabled on your iPad through the Home button.

Given the dimensions of your iPad, using the keyboard to type for a long duration can turn out to be a hefty and inconvenient job. It can also lead to us making a lot of typing errors. A very handy advantage of the split keyboard is that we can easily type text, only with the help of our thumbs, just the way we type on the keyboards of our mobiles.

If you want to enable the feature of a split keyboard in your iPads, you have to go to Settings, tap on General, select keyboard, and enable the feature for the Split keyboard. After enabling, to launch the keyboard, open an app where you can type a text, for example, your Notes or Whatsapp. After this, on the lower right-hand corner of the keyboard, you will see a keyboard key. Press that key and hold it. Here, you will find different options. From these options, click on split. Now you have a split keyboard. This split keyboard will be displayed on either side of the screen of your iPad. If you want to move the keyboard to the top of your screen, you have to use your fingers to drag it to the top.

If you have tried looking for the split keyboard option but could not find it, this could mean that your iPad does not support the feature of a split keyboard. Most iPads do support a split keyboard. For example, the keyboard for iPad 2 does support this feature, or you can go for ipad mini with keyboard of this feature already present in it. However, the 11-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro does not support this feature.

If you already have a split keyboard enabled on your device, you might start to worry, thinking, “why is my keyboard split in half?”. To get back to the original keyboard set you have to disable the split keyboard. You can do this simply through the settings.

Split Keyboard on iPhone

If you want to know whether the split keyboard is available in your iPhone, unfortunately, it is not! Split keyboard is only available on iPads. This feature was created for easy and convenient two-thumb typing. Since we already do that in our iPhones, a split keyboard is not available there. However, if you still wish to use a split keyboard on your iPhone, several apps can help you split your keyboard into two. You can download keyboard splitter from the Store, and you’re all set to use a split keyboard on your iPhone too! Tempest keyboard and Handy Keyboard are wonderful apps to help you have the split keyboard experience.

How To Fix The Split Keyboard On Your iPad?

To get back the original setup of the keyboard in your iPad from a split keyboard, follow the given instructions:

Open an app where you can type a text, for example, your Notes or Whatsapp.
On the lower right-hand corner of the keyboard, you will see a keyboard key. Press and hold it.
You will now see some options. Click on Merge.
You can choose the Option Dock and Merge if you have adjusted the position of the split keyboard on your screen.

Once you do this, you have got the original keyboard setup back on your screen.

What is A Floating Keyboard?

We have seen how a split keyboard works. It divided our QWERTY keyboard into two halves. You will see each half of the split keyboard on either side of the screen. We also know how to reposition our split keyboard to the top, middle, or bottom of the screen. As such, this keyboard gives us the impression that we are using a floating keyboard. However, we must know that this is not the case. This happens because our keyboards do not dock by default. Now let us know about another feature: the floating keyboard iPad has.

Just like a floating window allows a certain app to float above another app in our iPhones and iPads, a floating keyboard is a feature in the iPad that is a smaller version of the full keyboard. It contrasts with the split keyboard by maintaining the holistic structure of our QWERTY keyboard. We get to see the whole keyboard as a single unit but in a smaller size.

When you enable the floating keyboard feature in your iPad, your default keyboard size will change into the size of a keyboard displayed in your iPhone. You will find the floating keyboard on the side of your screen. And you can use your fingers to move and reposition it around the screen at your convenience.

As you already know, at first, you get an iPhone-sized keyboard once you enable the floating keyboard feature. Another wonderful feature of this keyboard is that you can change and adjust its size manually. If you want to change the size of your keyboard, all you have to do is use two fingers to scale down the keyboard and adjust it to your desired size.

How To Fix the Floating Keyboard On Your iPad?

To get back the original setup of the keyboard in your iPad from a floating keyboard, follow the given instructions:

Use your two fingers and pinch the small-sized keyboard.
After this, zoom out to get a docked-up default version of the keyboard in your iPad.

Once you do this, you have got the original keyboard setup back on your screen.

Takeaway

Having a split keyboard view or a floating keyboard view is no error in your iPad. Just like all the amazing features an iPad has, these too are features that have come about to bring convenience and ease to our day-to-day typing. Considering we all have our ways to choose and use a keyboard, having several options to view the keyboard can be helpful to each one of us.

So the next time you come across a floating keyboard or a split keyboard and start wondering, ‘why is my keyboard split in half?’, don’t worry! Your iPad has not gone crazy! Someone might have messed around with the settings in your iPad. Easy! Follow the instructions given above to get back your original keyboard setup and fix the split keyboard or floating keyboard in your iPad problem.