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What triggers my floating keyboard to appear? How can I block it so it doesn’t? Pulling apart to expand it isn’t working anymore.

I don’t know what causes the small floating keyboard to replace the full-size version. If I knew I'd stop doing it but it seems to pop up at any opportunity, especially with Safari. Expanding the little keyboard, aka returning it to normal size by spreading my fingers worked a half dozen times but no more. Instead, I split the screen, open another app, go to a text box and the full keyboard pops up, I return to the browser and sometimes enter a couple of characters of my text, close the split screen and the full keyboard remains as long as I keep that browser window open. It's time-consuming and annoying.


This is on iPad Pro 12.9 5th Gen, this happened with previous versions of iOS. I've kept it updated because Apple doesn't seem to have broken any releases lately.

iPad Pro, iPadOS 15

Posted on Sep 15, 2022 12:18 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 16, 2022 10:09 AM

To easily return the new Floating Keyboard to the normal on-screen keyboard presentation, use the two-finger “zoom” gesture (i.e., the reverse of the two-finger “pinch”).


If the Split Keyboard is restored instead of the full on-screen keyboard, you can either use two fingers (one on each of the two half-keyboards) and swipe the two halves together - or touch-and-hold the “keyboard” key, then slide your finger to the Merge & Dock option and release.


Use the floating keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support

Split and move the keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 16, 2022 10:09 AM in response to Pheline

To easily return the new Floating Keyboard to the normal on-screen keyboard presentation, use the two-finger “zoom” gesture (i.e., the reverse of the two-finger “pinch”).


If the Split Keyboard is restored instead of the full on-screen keyboard, you can either use two fingers (one on each of the two half-keyboards) and swipe the two halves together - or touch-and-hold the “keyboard” key, then slide your finger to the Merge & Dock option and release.


Use the floating keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support

Split and move the keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support


What triggers my floating keyboard to appear? How can I block it so it doesn’t? Pulling apart to expand it isn’t working anymore.

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