How to Fix iPhone / iPad Keyboard Missing or Disappearing

Jan 1, 2021 - 3 Comments

How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Missing or Disappearing

Are you having trouble activating the on-screen keyboard on your iPhone or iPad? More specifically, is the keyboard not showing up on the screen when you tap on the text field or does it disappear randomly? This could be due to various reasons, but usually it’s not that hard to resolve, so if you’re wondering “why isn’t my keyboard showing up on iPhone / iPad?” then read on to fix the issue.

Keyboard issues on iPhones aren’t really uncommon since a fair amount of users come across them after a software update. This specific issue where the keyboard is missing or disappears randomly is typically faced by users who connect bluetooth keyboards to their iPads for a better typing experience. However, issues with the firmware or just buggy behavior in general can also prevent the keyboard from showing up.

If you’re one of those unlucky iOS / iPadOS users who’re currently facing this issue, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll be discussing some basic troubleshooting methods that you can follow to fix the missing iPhone or iPad keyboard and make it reappear on the screen.

Fix & Troubleshoot Missing or Disappearing Keyboard on iPhone & iPad

Make sure to follow each one of these troubleshooting methods individually and check if the keyboard shows up when you tap on a text field. Now, without further ado, let’s get started.

Update iOS or iPadOS

If you have an available iOS or iPadOS software update, install it, as it may resolve the issue for you. You’ll want to backup your device first, of course.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install what is available

Install available iOS updates

This may resolve the issue for you, as some users found the keyboard was disappearing only on earlier versions of iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 but not on later releases, similar to the slow lagging keyboard issue.

Tap on a Text Input Area

Double tapping or triple tapping into a text area on the screen can often make the keyboard appear if it’s otherwise hidden off the screen.

Rotate the Device

Sometimes rotating the devices screen orientation can make the keyboard appear too, just make sure orientation lock is disabled otherwise rotating won’t accomplish anything.

Force Quit and Relaunch the App

If only a particular app is having problems with the keyboard disappearing, try force quitting it and relaunching the app.

Force quitting an app

Force quitting apps on iPad and iPhone is as simple as going to the App Switcher and swiping up on the app you wish to quit.

Update the App

Again, if one particular application is causing a problem, check to see if that app has an available update on the App Store. If it does, install the update, it may resolve the vanishing keyboard issue.

Turn Off Bluetooth

This step may be really helpful if you regularly use Bluetooth keyboards for typing on your iPad. Typically, when you pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your iPad, the on-screen keyboard will disappear automatically. This is why you’ll need to make sure that your iPhone or iPad is not connected to a nearby Bluetooth device. To turn off Bluetooth, head over to Settings -> Bluetooth and use the toggle to disable the feature. Alternatively, you can disable it from the Control Center by tapping on the Bluetooth toggle. Now, see if the on-screen keyboard shows up. If it did, you know who the culprit was.

How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Missing or Disappearing

Restart the iPhone / iPad

If that troubleshooting step didn’t help, you can try rebooting your iOS/iPadOS device and see if it resolves the issue. Most minor software-related bugs and glitches like this can be resolved by simply rebooting your device. If you’re using an iPhone/iPad with Face ID, long-press the side button and the volume up button to access the shutdown menu. On the other hand, if you’re using a model with Touch ID, you just need to hold the power button. Also, you can shut down your device through settings too.

How to Fix Slow Lagging Keyboard on iOS 14

Reset All Settings

Unusual settings configuration can sometimes cause issues with the stock iOS keyboard on your iPhone and iPad. Hence, restoring your iPhone or iPad’s settings to factory defaults could potentially fix the problem in some cases. If you’re not sure how to do this, simply follow the steps below.

  • Go to Settings from the home screen of your iPhone or iPad and tap on “General”.

    How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Missing or Disappearing
  • Next, scroll down to the very bottom and tap on “Reset” to continue.

    How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Missing or Disappearing
  • Here, simply tap on the “Reset All Settings” which is the first option in the menu.

    How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Missing or Disappearing

Doing this will not erase the data that you have stored on your iPhone. However, it will restore the keyboard dictionary, network settings, home screen layout, location settings, etc. If you don’t want to permanently lose these settings, you’ll need to back up your device to iCloud or iTunes before doing the factory reset.

Hard Reset Your iPhone / iPad

Hard reset, also known as force restart is a peculiar way of rebooting your iPhone or iPad and it differents from a regular restart which is considered as soft restart. To achieve this, you’ll need to press multiple buttons in quick succession depending on the device you’re using. On iPhones and iPads with physical home buttons, this can be done by simply holding the power button and home button simultaneously until you see the Apple logo on the screen. On newer iPhones and iPads that lack a home button, you’ll need to click the volume up button first, followed by the volume down button, and then hold the side/power button until you see the Apple logo.

How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Missing or Disappearing

Nuclear Option: Erase & Restore

If you had zero luck with any of the above troubleshooting steps, you can try restoring your device by erasing it and then restoring it. This can be a huge hassle and not recommended for most users. Nonetheless if you’re committed to resolving the keyboard issue and find nothing else working, you can do a reset and restore. Remember this erases all data on the device, so you’ll want to be sure you have a backup made. Once you have a full backup, the device reset can be done by going to Settings -> General -> Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings on your iPhone. Don’t forget to backup of all your data to iCloud or iTunes beforehand, otherwise you won’t have anything to go ahead with the restoration.

That’s all there is to it. By now, you should’ve managed to get the keyboard to show up on the screen.

Still facing issues? Beyond the suggestions offered above, what you can do is get in touch with Apple Support. You can either chat with an Apple Support executive or talk to a live agent at Apple according to your preference.

We hope you were finally able to stop your iPhone or iPad’s on-screen keyboard from disappearing randomly. Which of these troubleshooting methods worked for you? Do you have any additional tips that can fix a missing keyboard? Let us know your valuable thoughts and share your experiences in the comments section down below.

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Posted by: Hamlin Rozario in iPad, iPhone, Tips & Tricks, Troubleshooting

3 Comments

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  1. Andy says:

    What worked for me is taking it out of the case and testing it. The case was the problem. I put it back in and it works so far. Maybe repetitive, pressing against the bottom, develops a failure with this aftermarket case.

  2. John says:

    Reset All Settings worked for me. Thank you.
    My iPad Pro 11” keyboard vanished on me one evening when I was typing on the screen keyboard & clicked on “undo the last edit” icon in the upper left of the keyboard. Afterwards, only the “undo & redo the last edit” icons & a double clipboard icon remained, leaving a gray screen where the keyboard should appear. Nothing else worked to get it back on, no matter the app, restarts, Bluetooth shutoff, etc except Reset All Settings.
    Thank you.

  3. John M. says:

    Thank you for explaining why my iPad’s keypad stopped showing up. (It noticed my Bluetooth was active and wrongly concluded I had a Bluetooth keyboard connected, when in fact it was my earbuds.) Never in a million years would I have made that, um, connection. So remember when you are experiencing existential angst: you actually helped someone.

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