Removing Floating Keyboard on iPad

I’ve recently gotten an iPad Air and am unfamiliar with the features and I cannot for the life of my find a way to get rid of the ‘floating keyboard’. I have followed responses in previous threads, tried pinching to enlarge it, dragging it to the bottom and hoping it would return to normal, disconnecting the apple pen and turning off the ‘scribble’ setting yet nothing seems to work.


I do not have another keyboard connected and it doesn’t always do it, only often enough to be inconvenient, but I’d rather just have a normal full sized keyboard all the time, I have no use for a tiny one! Even having to use it to type this is incredibly painful but I cannot find a way to remove it! Is this just a permanent annoying feature? Or am I technologically incompetent?

iPad Air

Posted on Oct 28, 2025 3:39 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 28, 2025 3:43 AM

Some of this you may have tried already - or have not fully understood...


To easily return the new Floating Keyboard to the normal on-screen keyboard presentation, use the two-finger “zoom” gesture (i.e., the reverse of the two-finger “pinch”).


If the Split Keyboard is restored instead of the full on-screen keyboard, you can either use two fingers (one on each of the two half-keyboards) and swipe the two halves together - or touch-and-hold the “keyboard” key, then slide your finger to the Merge & Dock option and release.


Use the floating keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support

Split and move the keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support



Have you enabled the Scribble feature? This feature uses a different mini-keyboard that does not respond to the two-finger zoom or pinch gestures.


Settings > Apple Pencil > Scribble - set to OFF



After disabling Scribble, you may need to force-restart your iPad:


Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

  1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
  2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
  3. Press and hold the top button.
  4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.




Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)

Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 28, 2025 3:43 AM in response to gabbydo02

Some of this you may have tried already - or have not fully understood...


To easily return the new Floating Keyboard to the normal on-screen keyboard presentation, use the two-finger “zoom” gesture (i.e., the reverse of the two-finger “pinch”).


If the Split Keyboard is restored instead of the full on-screen keyboard, you can either use two fingers (one on each of the two half-keyboards) and swipe the two halves together - or touch-and-hold the “keyboard” key, then slide your finger to the Merge & Dock option and release.


Use the floating keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support

Split and move the keyboard on your iPad – Apple Support



Have you enabled the Scribble feature? This feature uses a different mini-keyboard that does not respond to the two-finger zoom or pinch gestures.


Settings > Apple Pencil > Scribble - set to OFF



After disabling Scribble, you may need to force-restart your iPad:


Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

  1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
  2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
  3. Press and hold the top button.
  4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.




Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)

Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.


Removing Floating Keyboard on iPad

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