iPad Escaping Apple Pencil mode to get full sized keyboard in Safari?

[BigBlur]

I occasionally browse the web using my Apple Pencil as a stylus on my iPad…scrolling, tapping buttons/links, etc. Sometimes I’ll mistakenly tap into a text box, which puts it in the Apple Pencil mode. This means I have to write in the text box using the pencil, or use the mini keyboard from the toolbar. Sometimes this is fine, but there doesn’t seem to be a quick/easy way to get back to the full sized keyboard for when I prefer that instead. Tapping with my finger does nothing, it remembers that I was using a pencil previously. I usually end up quitting the Safari and opening it back up to get the full sized keyboard to type with.

Am I overlooking an easier way to accomplish this?

 

[Beards]

I occasionally browse the web using my Apple Pencil as a stylus on my iPad…scrolling, tapping buttons/links, etc. Sometimes I’ll mistakenly tap into a text box, which puts it in the Apple Pencil mode. This means I have to write in the text box using the pencil, or use the mini keyboard from the toolbar. Sometimes this is fine, but there doesn’t seem to be a quick/easy way to get back to the full sized keyboard for when I prefer that instead. Tapping with my finger does nothing, it remembers that I was using a pencil previously. I usually end up quitting the Safari and opening it back up to get the full sized keyboard to type with.

Am I overlooking an easier way to accomplish this?

All you need to do is with the small keyboard on screen, place two fingers one either side and drag out (the action you do to make something larger). The keyboard will then revert to the full size keyboard.

 

[BigBlur]

All you need to do is with the small keyboard on screen, place two fingers one either side and drag out (the action you do to make something larger). The keyboard will then revert to the full size keyboard.

I know what you’re talking about, but it doesn’t work in this case. This isn’t quite the same as the floating keyboard even though it looks the same.

When you use an Apple Pencil, there is a toolbar on the screen with a button to show the mini keyboard. It does not let you stretch it to be full sized.

 

[Beards]

I know what you’re talking about, but it doesn’t work in this case. This isn’t quite the same as the floating keyboard even though it looks the same.

When you use an Apple Pencil, there is a toolbar on the screen with a button to show the mini keyboard. It does not let you stretch it to be full sized.

View attachment 1944988

All you have to do is delete anything your pencil has written and tap anywhere on the screen.
If you then tap again on the screen with your finger it will bring up the normal keyboard…. Quicker than closing down Safari then reopen.

 

[BigBlur]

All you have to do is delete anything your pencil has written and tap anywhere on the screen.
If you then tap again on the screen with your finger it will bring up the normal keyboard…. Quicker than closing down Safari then reopen.

That doesn't work either. The Apple Pencil toolbar goes away when I tap out of the text box, but it comes back when tapping back into it (with my finger). It works fine in other apps, just not for web pages in Safari.

 

[Beards]

Okay, now I understand. It is text boxes you are referring to. I thought you meant the web address at the top of the page.
The web address box will allow you to change to the standard keyboard whilst text boxes within the page does not, it remains using the pencil keyboard. Relevant until as you say “if you come out of safari then go back in it reverts to the standard keyboard”.

Interesting bug; not one I had seen as I do not use the pencil in safari. I use a hardware keyboard.
The hardware keyboard does give you the option of selecting the standard iOS keyboard (which can be enlarged) when within a text box.

 

[Davidalan]

Turn off scribble in settings > pencil

 

[Beligerent]

Following this I have the same issue and it’s annoying

 

[BigMcGuire]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has had this issue (thought it was just me). That tiny little keyboard is annoying as heck and there's no way to get back to the original sized keyboard until I set down the pencil for some time. Turning off Scribble as we speak (I never use it anyway).

 

[iPad Bro]

This has happened to me several times. Glad it wasn’t only me with this issue.

 

[Cappuccino25]

I know what you’re talking about, but it doesn’t work in this case. This isn’t quite the same as the floating keyboard even though it looks the same.

When you use an Apple Pencil, there is a toolbar on the screen with a button to show the mini keyboard. It does not let you stretch it to be full sized.

View attachment 1944988

I have the same problem. The "put 2 fingers on and drag apart" remedy that seems to the the given solution when Googling the problem just doesn't work.

 

[BigBlur]

My solution now (instead of closing Safari) is to tap the address bar twice, that'll bring up the full sized keyboard again. (Make sure the floating keyboard is hidden first.)

 

[IamTimCook]

My solution now (instead of closing Safari) is to tap the address bar twice, that'll bring up the full sized keyboard again. (Make sure the floating keyboard is hidden first.)

Thanks, this works. As a bonus if you never tap on the little keyboard icon and just double tap in the address bar the full keyboard will appear without having to hide the mini version.
And as for text boxes if you tap on the translate icon (the actual icon) a small video screen will appear; close that window and the full size keyboard will appear. 😁

 

[NathanWind]

Yes. I've found leaving the app and returning fixes this issue. This is clearly a bug. Or it's an oversight that might as well be called a bug.

I'm using the Libby app right now and I used the Apple Pencil to write a name into the Search field. I can then use the Pencil to tap search and all works nicely. However, if I decide I want to use the full sized keyboard to modify the search… not possible.

The only solution is to leave the app and then bring it back again. Not cool. Needs a fix.

 

[SamuraiArtGuy]

Double tapping the address bar or two finger drag did not dismiss the mini-keyboard in iPad OS 16.2. Maybe that was something that Apple … fixed. I had to dismiss and relaunch Safari. Irritating.

 

[SamuraiArtGuy]

Same issues. And neither the “spread” or double clicking the address bar seems to work in iPad OS 16.2. Perhaps it’s something Apple… fixed. Double clicking only brings back the Pencil mini-keyboard. My only recourse is to dismiss Safari and re-launch it to access the standard keyboard. Dreadfully irritating.

 

[BigBlur]

Same issues. And neither the “spread” or double clicking the address bar seems to work in iPad OS 16.2. Perhaps it’s something Apple… fixed. Double clicking only brings back the Pencil mini-keyboard. My only recourse is to dismiss Safari and re-launch it to access the standard keyboard. Dreadfully irritating.

Things are still working the same for me in 16.2. You need to hide the Apple Pencil keyboard first before double tapping the address bar. Are you doing that? Also, the Apple Pencil keyboard isn’t the same as the mini keyboard even though it looks similar. The Apple Pencil keyboard cannot be spread into the full size one. Neither of these have changed in 16.2. See this post of mine from a couple months ago to see the differences between the two.

 

[SamuraiArtGuy]

Ah, got it. You have to explicitly Hide the Pencil Keyboard, not just dismiss it. Extra step, but it works.

 

[papbot]

Ah, got it. You have to explicitly Hide the Pencil Keyboard, not just dismiss it. Extra step, but it works.

I was having this situation but realized I had Scribble enabled. Once I toggled that off I have not had this occur again. Using Scribble was occasionally useful but I rarely had any need for it so turning that off hasn’t caused me any problems. And not having that mini-keyboard pop up is appreciated.

 

[Brainjax44]

My solution now (instead of closing Safari) is to tap the address bar twice, that'll bring up the full sized keyboard again. (Make sure the floating keyboard is hidden first.)

I hate that we have to remember this moving forward. Ugh. At least it works.

 

[zach-coleman]

It’s so frustrating through that they don’t allow the enlarge gesture to make the keyboard standard size. I like scribble, but it’s not always what I want to do… Sometimes it even enables with the pencil docked!

In my dream world writing with the pencil would work as it does now, but tapping with a finger would bring up the standard iPad keyboard.

 

[ebrs]

Figured it out (created an account here to share after this thread didn't give the solve). Entirely possible this wasn't present prior to iPadOS 17.

To get rid of the mini keyboard and return to the full-sized keyboard when using a Pencil with Scribble turned on:
1. Open the Pencil menu
2. Select "Hide Keyboard"
3. Tap (your finger) in the desired text field.
The full-sized keyboard should come up, but you should still be able to use your Pencil as well.

It's an extra step, I suppose. It's irritating that one can't switch between modes using the aforementioned gestures. But this solved my frustration and will hopefully mitigate yours.

 

[Apple??]

I just found this thread after searching for get back large keyboard. 😀 When you said to hide keyboard (little one) in Pencil mode, I heard hide keyboard, and did it in the screen I was in, not the pencil mode. When I hid the keyboard in Duck Duck Go, on Amazon review page, the large keyboard came up instantly. No going to Pencil settings.