How do I show the on-screen virtual keyboard on my iPhone when a Bluetooth Keyboard is connected?

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Level 1

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How do I show the on-screen virtual keyboard on my iPhone when a Bluetooth Keyboard is connected?

I am using a Bluetooth Number Pad and Full Keyboard Access to activate Shortcuts on my iPhone. Using Commands, I can press a physical key on the Number Pad and the assigned command will activate on the iPhone. It works very well! No hunting and swiping to take quick actions.

Unfortunately, when the Bluetooth Number Pad is connected, iOS 16.2 seems to believe that this is the ONLY way to input text on the phone, as I cannot seem to get the on-screen virtual keyboard to show up while the Bluetooth Number Pad, which seems to present as a BT Keyboard, is connected.

When I disconnect the Number Pad, I can again access the virtual on-screen keyboard.

I tried turning off Accessibility > Keyboards > Full Keyboard Access while the BT Num Pad was connected, but I was still unable to tap a text field and have the virtual on-screen keyboard pop up.

Is there a way, on the iPhone (not iPhone Max, not iPad), to access/show the on-screen keyboard when a Bluetooth Number Pad / Keyboard is attached and Full Keyboard Access is enabled?

iPhone 14 Pro

Posted on Dec 28, 2022 9:14 PM

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Answer 1

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Wightrabbit

Level 3

717 points

Dec 28, 2022 10:41 PM in response to ooglek

I make extensive use of an Apple Magic Keyboard when using the Pages app. I have never had a virtual keyboard showing when the external keyboard is paired. Whilst the 'Magic' is paired, the virtual keyboard can be temporarily accessed (eg for accessing the emojis) by pressing the on/off/pairing key at the top right of the Magic Keyboard. Pressing this key again will re-pair the hardware keyboard (and close the virtual one). I guess the system doesn't want us using two keyboards simultaneously for somewhat obvious reasons.

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Answer 2

ooglek Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 28, 2022 11:18 PM in response to Wightrabbit

This is not the Magic Keyboard, it is just a boring Bluetooth Number Pad. The Number Pad does not have the same button as the Magic Keyboard, so switching between the virtual and physical is difficult, as the bluetooth switch is on the back side of the Number Pad. I can turn off Bluetooth on the phone, but would prefer to find a better solution. Thanks for the suggestion!

I read somewhere that you could tap the keyboard button that is in the lower right-hand corner when using an iPad, but this is absent on the iPhone.

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How do I show the on-screen virtual keyboard on my iPhone when a Bluetooth Keyboard is connected?

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