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SOLVED: Larger keyboard on smaller iPad?

Forums > iOS

I'm working on a crossword app, and need the tab key so my user can move from square to square. I'd actually like to use arrow keys, but that's totally a non-starter in iPadOS, AFAICT. The tab key (plus caps lock + shift keys) is visible on larger iPads (11 and up), but not on the 9.7". Is there anyway to display the bigger keyboard on the smaller iPad?

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There are few keyboard options you can try (optimized for different content) but I am not sure if any offer what you want.

The alternative would be to build custom "strip" that would sit on to of the keyboard and offer these additional buttons

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For example this is from popular note taking app Bear

Bear keyboard example

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An option would be to not require the user to hit Tab to move to the next square. Just do it automatically once they enter a letter. Because, face it, almost all of the time they will be entering a word, not a single letter, and how annoying would it be to have to type a TAB p TAB p TAB l TAB e?

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If you are using the iPad with touch input then the user can just touch to place the insertion point.

If they are using a keyboard then both my Logitech and Magic Keyboards have arrow keys which iPadOS understands.

im assuming that this would be for, say, moving to 6 down to enter a word. if it's during entry then as @roosterbiy wrote, it would be best to move on automtically after entering a letter.

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Thanks, all. I eventually attached an input accessory view to the keyboard, and added the buttons I needed there. I did change the app to get rid of the need for a tab key (among a bajillion orher changes).

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