You can change your iPhone keyboard in Settings, and you can add multiple keyboards to switch between

Your iPhone comes with one keyboard by default, but you can add others, change which one appears first, and adjust how it works. The process takes a few minutes and happens entirely in your phone's Settings app. You do not need to download anything from outside the App Store — the keyboards built into iOS are already on your phone.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you want to add a new keyboard, make a different keyboard your default, or change how your current keyboard behaves. All of these changes live in one place: Settings > General > Keyboard.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard to access all keyboard controls in one location.
  • You can add a second language keyboard by tapping Keyboards, then Add New Keyboard, and selecting from the list of available languages.
  • Reorder your keyboards by tapping Edit in the Keyboards menu, then dragging them into the order you want — the top one appears by default.
  • You can turn off features like autocorrect, predictive text, and caps lock by toggling them off in the main Keyboard settings menu.
  • Third-party keyboards from the App Store must be enabled in Settings before you can use them in any app.

Adding a second language keyboard

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Tap the blue "Add New Keyboard" button at the bottom. A list of available languages appears — scroll through and tap the one you want. The keyboard is now added to your list.

When you type in any app, you will see a globe icon at the bottom of the keyboard. Tap it to switch between your keyboards. Each time you tap it, the keyboard changes to the next one in your list. If you have three keyboards, tapping the globe cycles through all three.

You can add as many keyboards as you want. Each one stays on your phone until you delete it. To remove a keyboard, go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap Edit, tap the red minus sign next to the keyboard you want to remove, then tap Delete.

Changing which keyboard appears first

The keyboard at the top of your Keyboards list is the one that appears when you start typing. To change the order, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Edit in the upper left corner.

Drag the three horizontal lines next to each keyboard up or down to reorder them. The keyboard you drag to the top will be your default — it is the one that shows up first when you open a text field. Tap Done when you are finished.

Turning off autocorrect, predictive text, and other features

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard. You will see a list of toggles for different keyboard behaviors. Each one can be turned on or off by tapping it.

Autocorrect changes words it thinks you misspelled. Predictive Text suggests the next word as you type. Check Spelling marks words with a red underline if they do not match the dictionary. Enable Caps Lock lets you double-tap Shift to turn on caps lock. Keyboard Clicks makes a sound when you tap keys. Haptic Feedback makes your phone vibrate when you tap keys.

Turn off any of these by tapping the toggle so it turns gray. Turn them back on by tapping again so it turns green. Your changes take effect immediately in any app you open next.

Using a third-party keyboard from the App Store

If you download a keyboard app from the App Store, you must enable it in Settings before you can use it. Open the app you downloaded, then go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. The third-party keyboard will appear in the list. Tap it to add it.

Some third-party keyboards ask for permission to access your typing data. Read what they are asking for before you tap Allow. Once enabled, you can switch to it using the globe icon, just like any other keyboard.

If a third-party keyboard stops working or you want to remove it, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap Edit, tap the red minus sign next to it, and tap Delete. The app itself stays on your phone — only the keyboard access is removed.

Changing keyboard settings for specific languages

Some languages have multiple keyboard layouts. For example, Chinese can use Pinyin, Cantonese, or handwriting input. When you add a language keyboard, you can choose which layout you want.

To change the layout after you have added it, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap the keyboard you want to adjust, and select a different layout from the list. Not all languages have multiple options — if you see only one choice, that language has one keyboard layout.

Fixing a keyboard that is not working

If your keyboard is not appearing or is not responding, try these steps in order. First, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and make sure the keyboard you want to use is in the list. If it is not there, add it again using Add New Keyboard.

Second, close the app you are using and open it again. Sometimes a keyboard stops responding until the app restarts. Third, restart your phone by turning it off and back on. If you are using a third-party keyboard, delete it from Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and re-add it.

If none of these work, go to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset Keyboard Dictionary. This clears learned words but does not change your keyboard settings. Your keyboard should work normally after this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use multiple keyboards at the same time?

Yes. You can add as many keyboards as you want and switch between them by tapping the globe icon at the bottom of the keyboard. The order you set in Settings determines which keyboard appears first and which one comes next when you tap the globe.

Will changing my keyboard settings affect all my apps?

Yes. Keyboard settings apply across your entire phone. If you turn off autocorrect, it stays off in Messages, Mail, Notes, and every other app. If you add a new keyboard, you can use it in any app that has a text field.

What happens if I delete a keyboard by accident?

You can add it back anytime. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and select it again from the list. None of your data is lost — you are just re-enabling it.

Do third-party keyboards cost money?

Some are free and some cost money. Check the App Store listing before you download. Once you download a third-party keyboard, you still need to enable it in Settings before you can use it.

Can I have a different keyboard for each app?

No. Your keyboard settings apply to all apps on your phone. However, you can quickly switch between keyboards using the globe icon, so you can use a different keyboard in different apps if you want to.