External keyboard spacebar issue on iPad Pro 2022

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External keyboard spacebar issue on iPad Pro 2022

I have the 2022 iPad Pro. I never had any keyboard issues with previous third-party keyboards. Not long after I purchased it I installed GBoard keyboard software. Whenever I begin typing, the spacebar does not work, i.e. it does not space, and I have to use the onscreen keyboard until I’ve typed about 10 characters worth of text. After that it works until I stop typing for more than 2-3 min, then it won’t type a space until I do the 7-10 character spacing again.

It’s not a connection issue - once it gets past this it works as intended. I have, at various times, set all keyboard settings to Reset/Default, uninstalled GBoard and tried to get it back to Square One and it makes no difference. NOTHING I do fixes it. The external keyboards are reputable US names and are advertised to be made for use with iPads. No one else has this problem that I can find online. I’ve used different brands of keyboards, and both rechargeable and battery-operated. It’s obviously some sort of ‘spacing’ issue, but WHAT? Any suggestions, settings to check, a cache to clear? I’m at my wit’s end.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: External keyboard not spacing

Posted on Aug 22, 2025 4:44 PM

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Answer 1

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Moonchilde7 Author

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10 points

Aug 22, 2025 5:51 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Turns out it’s nothing to do with GBoard, which has been reinstalled and there are now no issues. It’s basically that Apple suggests making sure ‘Full Keyboard Access’ is ON, both for GBoard *and* through the Accessibility section. Mine *was* on. Turning it OFF solved the problem completely. Never would have had the problem in the first place if they hadn’t emphasized that it should be on.

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Answer 2

Moonchilde7 Author

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Aug 22, 2025 6:25 PM in response to Moonchilde7

AHA. I figured it out, no thanks to Apple. Figured I’d post this in case it ever happens to anyone else. The single main suggestion Apple gives is to be sure ‘Full Keyboard Access’ is on, so that’s what I did when I set the iPad up. Then I came across this online. It *still* seems to say it should be ON to work properly. I had it on. Thought what the heck and turned it OFF. Problem solved instantly.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 3

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,318 points

Aug 22, 2025 6:12 PM in response to Moonchilde7

Moonchilde7 wrote: Apple suggests making sure ‘Full Keyboard Access’ is ON, both for GBoard *and* through the Accessibility section.

It was certainly crazy of them to tell you to turn that on in Accessibility. There are probably dozens of posts in these forums where space bar not working has been solved by making sure Full Keyboard Access there is turned Off. But having it on should normally cause problems with all keyboards, not just GBoard.

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Answer 4

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,318 points

Aug 22, 2025 5:39 PM in response to Moonchilde7

If you only have this problem with GBoard, you need to contact the people who make it, only they can fix it.

Let us know if you see the same thing with an Apple software keyboard.

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Answer 5

Moonchilde7 Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 22, 2025 6:33 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

It never did have anything to do with GBoard, which is just software. I only mentioned GBoard at all because it was literally the only variable and I d/l it at the same time I started having the issue. But I would have set it as Apple suggested, ON, even without GBoard. GB never did have anything to do with it. I just wondered if it *might,* but since uninstalling it changed nothing..not the issue.

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