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You are here: Home / iPad / How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That’s Split in Half or Two

How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That’s Split in Half or Two

By Elizabeth Jones 13 comments Last updated December 29, 2017

One of the most frequent questions we get from our iPad friends and readers is problems with their iPad keyboards. Specifically, what should you do when your iPad keyboard is split down the middle with half of it on the left side and the other part on the right side of your iPad’s screen. Just how do you get it back together like it should be? For many iFolks, this a very annoying problem that they just can’t figure out how to fix! How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That's Split in Half or Two

The good news is this is a relatively easy problem to remedy. And there are a few approaches that work.

So let’s get to it!

First, get to know your keyboard button

The keyboard button is that key at the very bottom-right corner (icon looks like a small keyboard made of dots and lines) How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That's Split in Half or Two

Fixes for an iPad Keyboard That’s Split in Half

  1. Pull both ends back together with your fingers and drag the two keyboards towards each other
  2. Hold the keyboard button down for a second or two and select MergeiPad Keyboard Merge for Split Keyboards
  3. Place two fingers on the space bar and push your fingers together
  4. Visit Settings > General > Keyboards > Split Keyboard > Toggle off
    1. Turning this setting off prevents this particular from reoccurring iPad Split Keyboard Settings

Split Keyboard Showing Up in the Middle of Your Screen?

Sometimes, your split keyboard isn’t at its usual bottom of the screen but rather sits somewhere in the middle or top of your screen. To return your screen to the bottom, press and hold the keyboard icon and drag the keyboard down to its usual dock (or any other location you prefer.)

Move and Merge a Split Keyboard

  • To merge a split keyboard and move it back to the bottom of the screen, touch and hold the keyboard icon until you see a pop-up menu then tap Dock and Merge

Who Wants a Split Keyboard on an iPad?

Believe it or not, many folks love the iPad split keyboard! In landscape mode, the split keyboard makes using your thumbs to access all of the keys comfortable and easy! So type away with just thumbs!

To Split an iPad Keyboard

  1. Open any app, like email or notes, and tap a text field
  2. Tap and hold the keyboard icon in the lower-right corner of the keyboard
  3. Press until you see a pop-up menu and tap Split
    1. Split keyboard is not available on the iPad Pro 12.9-inch models iPad Keyboard Icon Pop-Up Menu to Split or Undock

Move Your iPad Keyboard To Different Location

Many folks don’t know this trick: you can actually undock your iPad’s keyboard from the bottom of the screen and move it to a different part of the screen!

First, Undock Your iPad On-Screen Keyboard

  1. Touch and hold the keyboard icon at the bottom right
  2. Press until you see a pop-up menu and tap Undock

Next, Move Your iPad On-Screen Keyboard

  1. Press and hold the keyboard icon and drag your keyboard to your preferred on-screen location
    1. Use a light touch and to move immediately to your new location

To get this to work, you only want to lightly tap and hold the keyboard icon, then immediately move it. You should not see the pop-up menu to Dock/Undock, Merge/Split. If you see this pop-up menu, try a lighter touch and move swiftly to a new position.

Return Keyboard to Dock

  1. To move a full keyboard back to the bottom of the screen, press and hold the keyboard icon and tap Dock How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That's Split in Half or Two
  2. To merge a split keyboard and move it back to the bottom of the screen, touch and hold the keyboard icon, slide your finger up the pop-up menu and tap Dock and Merge

What About iPhones? What are the Keyboard Options?

Currently, iPhones do not offer split keyboard options and you also cannot move your keyboard’s on-screen position. However, if you use iOS 11 and higher, there is an option to use a one-handed keyboard, for either the left or right hand. One-handed keyboards make it easier to type on your iPhone using just one set of fingers! Sadly, One-Handed keyboards are not yet available on iPhone 5 or lower, SE models, all iPads, or iPod Touches.

How-To Use One-Handed Keyboards on iPhones

  1. Open an app that has text entry
  2. Touch and hold the globe or smiley face icon on the keyboard
  3. Tap either the left or right One-Handed Keyboard icon to change
  4. To return to default keyboard setting:
    1. Tap the white arrow next to the keyboard
    2. Or press the globe or smiley face and select the center keyboard

How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That's Split in Half or Two

Change Your Keyboard Defaults

You can also turn on one-handed typing from Settings > General > Keyboards > One Handed Keyboard.How-To Fix an iPad Keyboard That's Split in Half or Two If One-Handed Keyboard doesn’t work, check if you have your display set to Zoomed instead of Standard. To check, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom.

liz - apple
Elizabeth Jones

For most of her professional life, Amanda Elizabeth (Liz for short) trained all sorts of folks on how to use media as a tool to tell their own unique stories. She knows a thing or two about teaching others and creating how-to guides!

Her clients include Edutopia, Scribe Video Center, Third Path Institute, Bracket, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Big Picture Alliance.

Elizabeth received her Master of Fine Arts degree in media making from Temple University, where she also taught undergrads as an adjunct faculty member in their department of Film and Media Arts.

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Reader Interactions

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Show 13 Comments

  1. Angie says

    May 24, 2021 at 11:57 AM

    I tried doing this but it did not work

    Reply
  2. Nancy says

    April 8, 2021 at 11:43 AM

    Thank you!!! Your help is very much appreciated!

    Reply
  3. Gwen says

    March 21, 2021 at 2:53 PM

    Thanks sooooooooooo much!

    Reply
  4. Ray Embleton says

    December 13, 2020 at 5:03 AM

    Great help to fix our keyboard split In two. Easy fix thanks for the help
    Good advice !

    Reply
  5. Tracy engelberts says

    January 25, 2020 at 3:06 PM

    Thank you very helpful article and tried dragging a few times but it didn’t work then I can here and did the merging and docking but first unblocked. Simple quick and back to normal!!

    No long tedious boring recommendations made it a pleasure. Thanks

    Reply
  6. Bobbie Terra says

    November 26, 2019 at 7:57 PM

    Lighted fluorescent keyboard keys automatic w using keyboard

    Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    June 22, 2019 at 8:38 PM

    Thanksssssssssssssssssssssssss☺️,indeed a nice help

    Reply
  8. Tarika says

    April 25, 2019 at 9:33 PM

    Thanks sooooo much u guys help me with lots of stuff

    Reply
  9. Moesha says

    March 21, 2019 at 8:35 PM

    Thank you so much for helping me fix my spilt keyboard. I was about to freak out!

    Reply
  10. Ada m horrocks says

    January 30, 2019 at 12:38 PM

    My iPad is stuck or frozen on messages what do I do to unlock it

    Reply
    • SK says

      January 30, 2019 at 4:11 PM

      Hi Adam,

      Try closing all your open apps by double pressing the Home Button and swiping up, towards the top of your screen, all app previews. Do this until all apps close and all you see is your Home Screen. Then restart.

      If you can’t do the above or it doesn’t work, try a forced restart by pressing and holding down both the Home and Power buttons together. Keep them pressed until you see the Apple Logo on your screen, then release the buttons.

      Hope something helps,

      Sam

      Reply
  11. Marissa says

    January 19, 2019 at 2:13 AM

    Thank you so much the information was so helpful. My keyboard is back to normal having tied everything.
    Thanks again

    Reply
  12. Erika says

    December 25, 2018 at 3:53 PM

    I love this site! So easy to read and simple instructions!

    Reply

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