If your iPad keyboard is split into two pieces, touch and hold the keyboard button in the lower-right corner of the keyboard, slide your finger up to Merge or Dock and Merge, and let go. If the keyboard is whole but sitting in the middle of the screen, slide to Dock instead. If it is small and floating, pinch it open with two fingers. To stop it from splitting again, turn off Split Keyboard in Settings > General > Keyboard.
Nothing is broken when this happens. The keyboard has been switched to a different layout, and you can switch it back in a few seconds. The steps here follow Apple’s support article If your iPad keyboard is small or split in half and the iPad User Guide page Move the iPad onscreen keyboard, which currently covers iPadOS 27.
Why Is My iPad Keyboard Split?
Apple says that when the onscreen keyboard isn’t full-size and centered at the bottom of the screen, you have probably turned on one of these features:
- Split keyboard: the keyboard divides into two halves, one on each side of the screen. It is meant for typing with your thumbs while you hold the iPad in both hands.
- Floating keyboard: a miniature single keyboard that you can drag anywhere on the screen.
- Undocked keyboard: a full-width keyboard that has been moved up from the bottom, so it sits in the middle of the screen. “Docked” simply means attached to the bottom edge, which is the normal position.
All three are switched on from the same place: the keyboard button, which is the key in the lower-right corner of the keyboard with a small keyboard icon on it. Touching and holding that key opens a short menu, so it is easy to pick an option without meaning to.
One limit is worth knowing before you start. Apple states that the split keyboard is available only on iPad mini and iPad (9th generation and earlier). On other models, a keyboard that looks wrong is usually the floating or undocked kind, and you will not see a Merge option.
If the entire screen is divided between two apps, and not just the keyboard, that is a different feature. See our guide on how to get rid of split screen on iPad.
How to Fix a Split iPad Keyboard
This is the method Apple documents, and it works from any app where you can type.
- Open an app such as Notes or Messages and tap in a text field so the keyboard opens.
- Find the keyboard button in the lower-right corner of the keyboard. On a split keyboard it is at the bottom of the right half.
- Touch and hold the keyboard button. Do not just tap it, because a tap hides the keyboard. A small menu appears above your finger.
- Keep your finger on the screen and slide it up to Merge or Dock and Merge.
- Lift your finger. The two halves join into one keyboard.
Apple lists both menu options without explaining how they differ. Going by the names, and by the separate Dock command in the user guide, Merge joins the halves and Dock and Merge joins them and also returns the keyboard to the bottom of the screen. If you see both, Dock and Merge is the one that gets you back to the standard layout in one move.
Many guides also describe a gesture: put one finger on each half and slide the halves toward each other. Apple’s current instructions do not mention it, so treat it as something to try rather than a sure thing. The menu method above is the reliable one.
How to Move the Keyboard Back to the Bottom
If the keyboard is in one piece but sits partway up the screen and covers what you are typing, it is undocked.
- Tap in a text field to open the keyboard.
- Touch and hold the keyboard button in the lower-right corner.
- Slide your finger to Dock, then let go.
The keyboard returns to its original position at the bottom of the screen. The opposite command in the same menu is Undock, which is how the keyboard got moved in the first place.
How to Fix a Small Floating Keyboard
A keyboard about the size of a phone keyboard that you can drag around is the floating keyboard. Apple does not limit it to the models that have the split feature, so this is the likely cause on other iPads. Apple gives two ways to return it to full size:
- Pinch it open. Place two fingers on the floating keyboard and spread them apart, then let go. The keyboard expands back to full width.
- Use the menu. Tap the More button on the floating keyboard, then tap Full.
If you only want to move the small keyboard out of the way instead of enlarging it, Apple’s user guide says you can drag it to a new place on the screen.
How to Turn Off Split Keyboard for Good
If you never type with your thumbs, you can switch the feature off so the keyboard cannot split again by accident. This only changes the keyboard layout. It does not delete anything, and you can turn it back on at any time.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Keyboard.
- Find Split Keyboard and turn the switch off.
There is a shortcut to the same screen: touch and hold the keyboard button, then tap Keyboard Settings. While you are there, you can adjust other typing options too. Our guide on turning off predictive text and other iPad keyboard settings explains what the main switches do.
To undo this later, go back to Settings > General > Keyboard and turn Split Keyboard on. Then touch and hold the keyboard button and slide to Split whenever you want two halves.
How to Confirm the Keyboard Is Back to Normal
Open any app and tap in a text field. The default keyboard should meet all three of these checks:
- It is one piece, with no gap in the middle.
- It stretches across the full width of the screen.
- It sits against the bottom edge of the screen.
If one check fails, match it to the fix: a gap needs Merge, a keyboard that is too high needs Dock, and a keyboard that is too small needs to be pinched open.
Troubleshooting
There is no Merge option in the menu
The keyboard is probably not split. A small keyboard is floating, so pinch it open. A full-width keyboard in the middle of the screen is undocked, so choose Dock. Also remember that only iPad mini and iPad (9th generation and earlier) have the split keyboard at all.
There is no Split Keyboard switch in Settings
Apple describes the setting as being for supported models. If your iPad is not one of them, the switch does not appear under Settings > General > Keyboard, and the keyboard cannot split, so there is nothing to turn off.
The keyboard disappears when you touch the keyboard button
You tapped the button instead of holding it. Tap in the text field to bring the keyboard back, then press the button and keep your finger down until the menu shows. If the keyboard will not come back at all, see our guide on how to make the keyboard appear on iPad.
The keyboard button looks different
Apple’s steps are written for the iPad’s built-in keyboard. If you have installed a keyboard from another developer, its keys and menus may not match. Switch back to the built-in keyboard, then follow the steps above.
The keyboard still will not merge or dock
Apple does not list further steps for this problem. General fixes that are safe to try are to close the app and open it again, and then to restart the iPad. A restart does not erase anything. You can also check for an iPadOS update in Settings > General > Software Update.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a split keyboard and a floating keyboard?
A split keyboard is two halves at the sides of the screen, and Apple says it exists only on iPad mini and iPad (9th generation and earlier). A floating keyboard is one miniature keyboard you can drag anywhere. You fix a split keyboard with Merge and a floating keyboard by pinching it open or tapping More, then Full.
Why did my iPad keyboard split on its own?
It was almost certainly an accidental selection. Touching and holding the keyboard button opens a menu with Split, Undock, and Floating, and sliding your finger over one of them turns it on. Turning off Split Keyboard in Settings prevents the split version from coming back on supported models.
Is a split keyboard a sign that my iPad is damaged?
No. The split keyboard is a typing feature that Apple includes on certain models, not a fault with the screen or the software. Merging the keyboard puts it back exactly as it was.
Can I split the keyboard on an iPad Pro or iPad Air?
Apple’s support article limits the split keyboard to iPad mini and iPad (9th generation and earlier), so do not expect a Split option on other models. Those iPads can still use the floating keyboard, which also suits one-handed typing.
Does turning off Split Keyboard also turn off the floating keyboard?
No. The Split Keyboard switch only controls the two-halves layout. Apple’s documentation does not describe a setting that removes the floating keyboard, so if the small keyboard shows up, pinch it open to return to full size.
Will these steps work on an iPhone?
No. Splitting, undocking, and floating are iPad keyboard features described in the iPad User Guide.
Next Step
Open Notes, bring up the keyboard, and run through the three checks above. If the keyboard keeps splitting, turn off Split Keyboard in Settings so it stays in one piece. For more typing help, see how to turn on Caps Lock on an iPad.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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