How to Change the Keyboard Layout in iOS: AZERTY, QWERTZ, QWERTY, Dvorak

Though most of us are accustomed to the default QWERTY keyboard layout, iOS does provide options to toggle between QWERTY, AZERTY, and QWERTZ. The latter two options are generally used in Europe, but you can enable them on any iPad or iPhone regardless of which region you’re in, the only requirement is that a Latin alphabet keyboard is the default. These new software layouts work whether the keyboard is docked or in the split keyboard mode, but other layouts like Dvorak are dependent on external keyboards and will not impact the iOS virtual keys.

Changing the Keyboard Layout to QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ in iOS

This works the same to change the keyboard layout type in iOS for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch:

1. Open Settings, then go to “General” followed by “Keyboards”
2. Tap on “English” (or whatever your default keyboard layout is)
3. Choose the new keyboard layout: QWERTY is the default that we’re all familiar with, AZERTY, or QWERTZ

The keyboard choice selected here impacts how the virtual keyboard looks, and it becomes the new default. You can see it instantly by going into any text entry box and tapping to summon the keyboard:

AZERTY:

QWERTZ:

Unless you’re accustomed to using the AZERTY or QWERTZ layouts, trying to learn them on the iOS software keyboard is unlikely to improve typing at all when compared to QWERTy, and you’d be better off just mastering a select few typing tips that do actually improve typing on the iPad and iPhone.

What About Dvorak?

Dvorak and other keyboard layouts can be enabled for iOS devices, but they do not correspond to the software keyboard layout, and only impact hardware for when an external keyboard has been synced to use on the iPhone, iPod touch, or an iPad. Adjusting the hardware keyboard layout for connected keyboards, whether wireless or physically connected, is also done through iOS Keyboards Settings as well:

• Open Settings, followed by “General” and then go to “Keyboard”
• Tap on “English”, then scroll down to the “Hardware Keyboard Layout” section, and choose “Dvorak” or another hardware layout option

Outside of gaining additional keyboard options, using an external keyboard has other benefits too, and you’ll get some nice navigation shortcuts unique to the iPad that are only accessible with external keyboards.