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How can i rearrange iPad's own keyboard (NOT within a keyboard app)? The Arabic "hardware" layouts only seem to change when using a bluetooth keyboard.

How can i rearrange iPad's own keyboard (NOT within a keyboard app)? The Arabic "hardware" layouts only seem to change when using a bluetooth keyboard?


Please note that I am looking for a way to change Ipad's keyboard, not a specific keyboard app's in-app keyboard. More specifically, i am trying to type in Arabic QWERTY layout which is available within Settings--> international/ keyboards --> Arabic --> hardware layout, however, this only seems to take effect should i attach an external keyboard.


Thank you!

iPad 2, iOS 4.3.2

Posted on May 8, 2011 6:02 PM

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Posted on May 8, 2011 6:23 PM

Unfortunately there is no way yet for a user to modify the iPad keyboard layouts provided by Apple .


I am puzzled why you would be surprised that the layouts labeled Hardware only take effect with an external keyboard, since that is exactly what the word Hardware is supposed to tell you.


To ask Apple to add other layout options for the screen keyboard, use this link:


http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

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May 8, 2011 6:23 PM in response to ENYC

Unfortunately there is no way yet for a user to modify the iPad keyboard layouts provided by Apple .


I am puzzled why you would be surprised that the layouts labeled Hardware only take effect with an external keyboard, since that is exactly what the word Hardware is supposed to tell you.


To ask Apple to add other layout options for the screen keyboard, use this link:


http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

May 8, 2011 6:28 PM in response to ENYC

If you've already turned on the Arabic keyboard in Settings>International>Keyboards, then you just need to select that keyboard layout the next time you are about to type something, whether it's in the Mail app or anywhere else. Once you've selected it once, it will become the default every time the on-screen keyboard pops up.

May 8, 2011 6:42 PM in response to ENYC

Thank you Tom,


I have followed up this post with feedback to apple. In the meantime, I suppose I will learn a new keyboard layout!


Also, this situation poses a bit of a "hardware" and "software" gray area where the two have somewhat molded into one- the on-screen keyboard is both soft, and hard. What i am proposing is nothing more than if i were to pluck off the Q and E keys on my physical keyboard and swap them. I do not think it to be too far fetched to expect Apple to supply us with some method of re-arranging the built-in keyboard (or accessing a pre-arranged layout) to match the software layouts that have been provided.



ClayG-

I had done that, but as it turns out the specific layouts for Arabic (QWERTY, PC, standard) will not appear without an external keyboard. I can type in arabic, but it is in a standard format and unfortunately not one that I have yet learned, but looks like i will have to.


thank you for your help!

May 8, 2011 8:48 PM in response to ENYC

ENYC wrote:


I do not think it to be too far fetched to expect Apple to supply us with some method of re-arranging the built-in keyboard


I don't think that is very likely. Apple hasn't shown any inclination so far to open up iOS to user modification, whether keyboards or fonts or just moving files around. But it's not unreasonable that Apple should provide more options for the screen keyboard for Arabic -- after all, there are quite a few languages where qwerty, azerty, and qwertz screen keyboard layouts have been provided, and doing the same kind of thing for Arabic should be very simple.


The hardware layouts really are quite different, as they are intended match the printing on the keys of variety of standard physical keyboards which users might want to attach to their iPad, as well as all the shift, alt, and alt+shift modifications normally expected.

Apr 15, 2012 8:34 PM in response to ENYC

What happened with this topic?

Did Apple fix anything?


I swear I remember that you can change the Keyboard layout, Apple had their own. I tried checking out few layouts, then my software keyboard got stuck on Arabic-PC.


I remember changing the Layout using the Hardware Keyboard options, but now its stuck some how.

Look at the image

User uploaded file

Apr 15, 2012 9:27 PM in response to kingmohd

kingmohd wrote:


I remember changing the Layout using the Hardware Keyboard options,



You cannot change the screen keyboard to anything not provided in the list for Software Keyboard Layout. The list for Hardware Keyboard Layout is only applicable for when you have a bluetooth hardware keyboard connected. That is how it works for Arabic and every other keyboard.


To ask Apple to provide additional screen keboard layouts for Arabic, go to


http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

Apr 16, 2012 6:02 AM in response to kingmohd

kingmohd wrote:


I realize this now, but I want to know HOW did I used to change the layout. I did it before I am sure. Actually I owned my ipad for 1.5yrs now, Most of that time was using a different layout that the one it is provided now. I am not sure how this happened. i think its a bug or something.



I've had an iPad since the first day they came out. Apple has never provided more than one screen keyboard layout for Arabic, but this did change between iOS 4 and iOS 5, from "arabic" to "arabic-pc".

How can i rearrange iPad's own keyboard (NOT within a keyboard app)? The Arabic "hardware" layouts only seem to change when using a bluetooth keyboard.

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