Keyboard and input
One Handed Keyboard
Most people call this shifting the keyboard to one side.
The keyboard can be shifted to the left or right so every key is within one thumb's reach.
Available
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 13 and later
- Settings
- General
- Keyboard
- One Handed Keyboard
What it does
Hold the globe or emoji key and choose the left or right layout. The keys shrink and move to that side, with a tab to restore the full width layout.
What changes
When it is on
The keyboard sits on one side of the screen.
When it is off
The keyboard uses the full width.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- Typing one handed on a large iPhone becomes possible.
- Helpful for anyone with limited reach.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Smaller keys mean more typing mistakes.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
No real change
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: Full width.
Questions people actually ask
- How do I move the keyboard to one side?
- Touch and hold the globe or emoji key and choose the left or right keyboard layout.
If it is not working
- Hold the globe key to reach it. There is no switch under Settings on most releases.
- Tap the arrow at the edge to go back to the full keyboard.