How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Not Showing Up

If your iPhone keyboard is not showing, first disconnect any Bluetooth or wired hardware keyboard, then tap a text field in another app. Reopen the affected app, restart or force-restart the iPhone, and check `Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards` for a missing or malfunctioning keyboard. Do not erase the iPhone as an initial fix.

Is the keyboard missing everywhere or only in one app?

First determine whether the problem affects one app or every place where you type. Open Messages or Notes and tap inside a message or note. You should see a cursor or text insertion point before the keyboard appears.

The text field is active, but the on-screen keyboard does not appear.

If the keyboard works in Messages or Notes but not in Safari or another app, the affected app is probably stuck or has an app-specific problem. Close and reopen that app, then tap its text field again. If the keyboard is missing in every text field, continue with the checks below.

Make sure you are tapping an editable field rather than a label, search result, web page area, or button. Some apps intentionally hide the software keyboard while displaying a custom input panel, entering full-screen content, or detecting a connected hardware keyboard.

Before you start

These steps apply to an iPhone running iOS; exact behavior can vary by iOS version. You do not need Administrator privileges or any other special permission. The steps do not require a backup, and the restart and force-restart steps do not normally erase your data.

Before changing settings, tap a text field in Messages, Notes, or Safari and disconnect any Bluetooth, USB-C, Lightning, or keyboard-case accessory. These checks are safe and reversible.

Could a connected keyboard be hiding the on-screen one?

Yes. iOS can hide the on-screen keyboard when it detects a Bluetooth keyboard or a keyboard connected through a USB-C or Lightning accessory. Some apps also suppress the software keyboard by design while a physical keyboard is available.

Disconnect the input device, then tap the text field again. For a Bluetooth keyboard, open Settings and check the Bluetooth device list. Tap the information button next to the keyboard and choose Disconnect or Forget This Device. Turning Bluetooth off temporarily from Settings can also confirm whether a Bluetooth accessory is involved.

Settings > Bluetooth

If you use a USB-C hub, Lightning adapter, keyboard case, or wired keyboard, unplug it from the iPhone. Remove the iPhone from a keyboard case as well, if applicable. Other connected input devices can also affect typing, so disconnect accessories that provide keyboard or text input.

After disconnecting the device, tap a text field in Notes or Messages. If the keyboard returns, iOS was responding to the connected physical keyboard. Reconnect it only when you want to use it; the on-screen keyboard may remain hidden while the physical keyboard is connected.

What should you try first to bring the keyboard back?

Use these fixes in order. They do not erase your personal data, and the early steps are easy to reverse.

1. Close and reopen the affected app. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom and pause, then swipe the app's preview upward. On an iPhone with a Home button, double-click the Home button and swipe the app's preview upward. Reopen the app and tap its text field.

If the keyboard appears, the app had stopped responding. If it does not, continue.

2. Try a different text field. Open Notes, create a note, and tap in the note body. You can also tap the address field in Safari or the message field in Messages. If the keyboard appears there, iOS is working and the original app needs attention.
3. Restart the iPhone normally. Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider, wait for the iPhone to turn off, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. On an iPhone with a Home button, press and hold the side or top button, use the power-off slider, and then turn the iPhone back on.
4. Force-restart the iPhone if a normal restart does not restore typing. On most current iPhone models, quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. On an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, hold the side button and Volume Down together until the logo appears. On an iPhone 6s or earlier, hold the Home and side or top buttons together until the logo appears.

A force-restart does not normally erase your data. If the keyboard is still absent, inspect the installed keyboards:

Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards

Confirm that at least one Apple keyboard for your language is listed. Tap Add New Keyboard if the expected keyboard is missing. If a third-party keyboard is listed, temporarily remove it by tapping Edit, tapping the delete control beside that keyboard, and tapping Done. A malfunctioning third-party keyboard can prevent normal text entry in some apps.

If you removed a keyboard and want to restore it, use Add New Keyboard and select it again. If the Apple keyboard itself is listed but does not work, restart the iPhone after checking this screen. Do not erase the iPhone or use a full settings reset as an early fix.

How do you know the problem is actually fixed?

Test the keyboard in more than one place. Open Messages and tap the message field, create a note in Notes, tap Safari's address field, and then return to the app that originally failed. Type a few characters in each field and dismiss and reopen the keyboard once. The expected result is that the keyboard appears consistently whenever an editable field has focus.

If it works in Apple apps but not in one third-party app, update that app through the App Store and install any available iOS update:

Settings > General > Software Update

An iOS update can fix system keyboard bugs, while an app update can fix an app that is failing to request the keyboard correctly. Install updates only after confirming the iPhone has enough battery or is connected to power.

If a third-party keyboard causes the problem, remove it from Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and use an Apple keyboard for a while. You can reinstall the third-party keyboard later if the issue disappears and the developer has released an update.

If predictive text, learned words, or custom dictionary entries appear damaged, you can reset the keyboard dictionary. This removes learned words and shortcuts but does not erase photos, messages, or apps:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary

Use this reset only when the problem concerns learned words, shortcuts, predictive text, or custom dictionary entries. If the keyboard remains missing in Messages, Notes, Safari, and other apps after a restart, force-restart, keyboard check, and iOS update, contact Apple Support. Tell them which iPhone model and iOS version you use, whether a physical keyboard was connected, and which apps fail. Do not erase the iPhone before support advises it; erasing is disruptive and is not the appropriate first response to a missing on-screen keyboard.

Conclusion

Disconnect physical keyboards, test another text field, and then reopen the app or restart the iPhone. If the keyboard is still missing across Apple apps after checking installed keyboards and updating iOS, contact Apple Support instead of erasing the device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my iPhone keyboard disappear when I use a Bluetooth keyboard?

iOS may hide the on-screen keyboard when a Bluetooth keyboard is connected. Disconnect it in `Settings > Bluetooth`, or turn Bluetooth off temporarily from Settings, then tap the text field again.

Will resetting the keyboard dictionary erase my messages or photos?

No. Resetting the keyboard dictionary removes learned words and shortcuts, but it does not erase messages, photos, apps, or other personal files.

Should I reset or erase my iPhone if the keyboard still does not appear?

No. First test other apps, disconnect physical keyboards, restart or force-restart the iPhone, check installed keyboards, remove a problematic third-party keyboard, and update iOS. Contact Apple Support before erasing the device.