iPads are a blessing for us as they are super comfortable to use. They are not as big as a Macbook, and then again, not as small as an iPhone. However typing on an iPad can be difficult if you find the keyboard too small. So, how to make keyboard bigger on iPad?
In this article, I will give you several ways through which you can make your iPad’s keyboard size bigger. Sometimes, they happen due to the split or floating setting enabling. So you will know how to fix that as well. Read below to learn more:
Why is my keyboard so small on my iPad all of a sudden?
We often notice that out of the blue, the keyboard size on our iPad turned very small. Usually, it’s split in half or becomes a small box in the middle that can be moved around. Well, the reasons why your keyboard on iPad is small could be many. They are:
Floating Option On
The most common reason the keyboard becomes smaller on iPads is mistakenly turning on the floating feature. It can be turned on if you put two fingers on the keyboard and slide them toward each other. iPad’s floating keyboard is often used when you need a larger screen space, like reading or doing graphical work.
Split Keyboard Enabled
Another feature to reduce the iPad’s keyboard size is the split keyboard option. It can be enabled by going to Settings > General and then Keyboard settings. Over there, you will see the split screen option. This feature can also be enabled by holding onto the keyboard icon when the keyboard shows up on the screen. Click on ‘Split‘.
Split Keyboard is most often used by people who like to hold their iPads with both hands and type with both thumbs accordingly. The option creates much better accessibility for these types of users.
Through this option, the keyboard full keyboard on the iPaddoes not show. Instead, it is split in half. Therefore, those were some reasons your keyboard size was small.
How to make keyboard bigger on iPad – Different Ways
“My iPad keyboard is small” is a complaint I hear from users all the time. It can be hard to type in keyboards that are small in size. Furthermore, seeing the letters on a tiny keyboard could be more challenging due to poor visibility.
This change may also be abrupt if, as I said, it happens mistakenly. Split and floating features are unknown to many, so they may be shocked to see such a sudden change in their iPads out of nowhere.
But don’t worry too much, as there are several ways to increase your keyboard size. I have suggested some of the best practices on how to enlarge the keyboard on an iPad below:
Use iPad in horizontal mode
If you always use your iPad in portrait mode and have keyboard size issues, now might be a good time to start using it in landscape mode. By turning rotation on, you can take your iPad in landscape mode. It will make the keyboard size look much wider and larger than before.
Moreover, landscape mode allows all the screen’s contents to get wider. So, using it has its benefits. However, if you get uncomfortable using horizontal mode all the time, you may turn it on only when you’re typing.
Hence, this is how to expand the keyboard on the iPad using rotation mode.
Enable The Zoom Feature
A fantastic feature Apple has that will help you enlarge the keyboard on iPadfurther is the zoom feature. It can help you zoom the whole screen or a specific portion that you can pin to the screen.
To enable this option, you have to go to Settings and then Accessibility. There, you will find a Zoom option, which you have to turn on. Then go to Zoom controller and turn it on. Now, you can play around with the settings of the zooming.
Tap with three fingers on the keyboard to precisely zoom there. Use the controller to pin or adjust color and opacity.
Disable Floating Keyboard
If the keyboard appears smaller due to the floating option being on, you need to bring it back to docked mode. You can do this by placing two fingers on the keyboard and sliding them in the opposite direction away from each other. Basically, slide them outwards.
This will bring your keyboard back to its large size, and you can smoothly use it to type again.
Disable Split Keyboard
Now, if your keyboard got smaller due to splitting, the way to make the iPad keyboard bigger is by turning the split off. You can do so in two ways.
The first method is placing two fingers on the keyboard and sliding them toward each other. Use two hands if the fingers of one hand are unable to spread so much. Make sure you have a good grip on both sides before sliding them toward each other.
Another way to turn off the split screen is by long-pressing the keyboard icon on the bottom right side of the keyboard. By doing so, you will see three options come up: ‘Merge,’ ‘Dock and Merge,’ and ‘Floating.’
Now, you should not be using the floating option between these three. Merging means the split sides will merge, but the keyboard will remain uplifted from the bottom. On the other hand, ‘dock and merge’ merges the split sides and permanently places it in the regular place at the bottom. So, choosing this option would be the best.
Use Third Party App
If none of those mentioned methods satisfy you to make keyboard bigger on an iPad, your last resort can be an external app. Various third-party apps are available with larger font sizes on the keyboard.
Download one of the external apps to get a large keyboard on iPad. After doing so, go to the keyboard settings and click ‘Add new keyboard’ to enable the external one. If you don’t add it to the list, iOS will keep using the default keyboard on the iPad.
How do I change the keyboard on my iPad?
You can change the keyboard on your iPad by using a third-party app. If you want a keyboard in another language or different font styles, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and click on ‘Add a Keyboard.’ In addition, the removal of keyboards can be done this way as well.
Can you use an iPad as a laptop?
Yes, if you want to use your iPad like a laptop, it can be done quickly using an external keyboard attached. Apple has its own one called the Magic Keyboard and the Magic Keyboard Folio. Various other brands also sell additional keyboards for iPads that can be connected using USB.
How to connect Magic Keyboard to iPad?
With the Apple Magic Keyboard, you can use your iPad as a laptop. Here’s how:
- First, you need to place the Magic Keyboard in a flat surface with the Apple Logo on the top and hinge away from you.
- Next, open the top of the lid of the keyboard and tilt it until you get the desired tilt.
- Then place the iPad on the Magic Keyboard.
Additionally, the steps for placing your iPad on a Magic Keyboard Folio is also straightforward.
Can I use a full-size keyboard with my iPad?
If by “full-size keyboard” you mean an external keyboard, then yes, you can use a full-size keyboard with your iPad. All you have to do is go to Settings, then Accessibility, and choose Keyboards. After that, tap on Full Keyboard Access and then turn on the Full Keyboard Access option. With this, you can control your iPad with an external keyboard.
How do you switch to the iPad’s onscreen keyboard from Magic Keyboard?
If you don’t want to use the Magic Keyboard and prefer the onscreen keyboard instead, you can easily switch by disconnecting the Magic Keyboard or turning it off. Once disconnected, the onscreen keyboard will automatically appear on your iPad’s screen for you to use.
Additionally, you can use the onscreen keyboard without disconnecting the Magic Keyboard. For this, you need to tap on the text field, and then a Downward arrow will appear. Tap on it. This will launch the onscreen keyboard. In order to hide the onscreen keyboard, tap on the Keyboard icon (it looks like a keyboard).
Final Words
Keyboards in iPads are a daily need that we use now and then. If the keyboard is uncomfortable, the whole iPad experience will be ruined. That’s why the full iPad keyboard size is very important.
In this article, I told you all how to make keyboard bigger on iPadfor comfortable use. You can apply ideas that fit your criteria and enlarge your iPad keyboard according to your needs!
