Magic Keyboard tab key not navigating form fields in Safari/Chrome

To fix this issue, you need to turn off a system-level macOS keyboard shortcut setting that has intercepted your standard Tab behavior. 

When "Change the way Tab moves focus" is enabled in macOS, it swaps the traditional behavior of the Taband Option + Tab keys. This explains why you suddenly have to use Option + Tab and why it creates a new blue highlight box around items. 

Follow these steps to revert the setting:

Try pressing Control + F1 on your keyboard. This is the universal macOS toggle to switch between text-field-only navigation and full keyboard control navigation. Test a webpage to see if Tab goes back to normal. 

For my data entry people that were writing this for iPad usage. I found a work around until they hopefully fix this. GO to settings and search for Full Keyboard Access in accessibility. Turn it on and you can set auto hide to 1 second. It’s annoying because it will highlight the whole screen but it makes the tab key function as it did be for the update.

Make sure to write in and let Apple know this needs to be corrected on the next update!

I’m having the same problem iPad Pro 12.9 M1 w/ Magic Keyboard, only since iPadOS 27 update. Tab now does not switch between text boxes or create paragraph spacing outside of word processing/notes. Half of my job is data entry, and having to now press Option + Tab is a giant headache and needs to be fixed.

Hey, hello. I am also experiencing the same issue on my iPad Air. It seems it is after the iPadOS 27 update. Please fix this as soon as possible because it is really annoying for people who have to fill forms frequently. And, for me, additionally, the arrow keys also seem not to be responding very well in Google Docs in Safari but they are doing just fine elsewhere.

Same IPadPro using IOS 27 - Tab key on Apple Magnetic Keyboard does not function using Safari/Chrome. It does work using Excel. It’s an update Glitch. When will this be fixed? It’s grotesquely inconvenient.

Hello, so just to let everyone know that the problem still persists. But there is one workaround that works for the iPads. Instead of pressing only the tab key, press option + tab. This should work for the time being but Apple really needs to fix this. Liquid Glass and every other cosmetic thing is fine but glitches in these basic functions are unacceptable right now, given the price hike as well as the trust users have on Apple.

I would second this. I am also seeing an issue using the Windows App to access a Remote Desktop. It appears that iOS intercepts roughly two thirds of the key presses most (but not all) of the time. I have contact Apple support and their best suggestion is to contact the app developer, in this case Microsoft, but I have yet to find a way to speak to Microsoft support

As discussed by others in the community, my tab key no longer advances to the next field when on a form or sign in fields. The option + tab works, but I need my TAB key back.

I have IPad Pro 11” with Magic Keyboard. I also noticed with the September iOS update, that when I close my magic keypad, it does not make the sound that the system is turning off.

I called apple support, but the person I talked to was not aware of this issue nor how to fix it.

Is this community monitored by apple support. I sure hope so….these issues need to be fixed. The latest iOS update for October did not fix the BUG either.

I noticed this since the update to iPadOS 27, so it could be something in that update that is causing it.

Is this an iPad solution or not? I need an iPad solution, not a Mac solution. Thanks for your help..

The “solution” is Mac only. Problem still present in 27.0.1

Having the same issue on a recently updated to IpadOS27 2024 ipad pro, with the keyboard, has anyone found a solution yet or do we have to wait for a bug fix from apple

Mine is still not working and I see comments from others having the same issue, so I would say no fix yet.

I tested DuckDuckGo and TAB key does NOT advance to the next field.

I submitted feedback to Apple IPad regarding this issue. I recommend everyone do the same… maybe this BUG will receive a fix soon.