Did the iOS update combine your keyboard with two or three languages? Well, it’s an iOS 18 Multilingual keyboard feature that lets you merge up to three languages. This new addition has drawn mixed opinions, with several users finding it annoying. The good news is this feature is optional, so you can easily go back to your previous keyboard setup. Here’s how to do it.
4 Ways To Fix Merged Keyboard on iOS 18
1. Remove Unwanted Language in Keyboard Settings
Time needed: 3 minutes
If your two keyboards have merged into a single one, you should go to the keyboard settings and delete the language you don’t need. Once you’ve done this, you can add a separate keyboard with the second language.
- Open Settings > General.
- Go to Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Choose the Bilingual keyboard.
- Swipe left on the language you don’t need and tap Delete.
2. Add Two Keyboards Separately
Another way to fix the merged keyboard issue on iPhone is to add the two keyboards separately. Rather than adding a language to your existing keyboard, you must add a new keyboard to use and switch between the two languages.
- Open Settings > General.
- Scroll down and go to Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard.
- Choose your primary language. I’ve chosen English (US).
- Again, tap Add New Keyboard and choose another language you wish to add. I’ve chosen French.
- Now, rather than adding the French language to the English (US) keyboard, choose Add New Keyboard and select a layout.
- Now, you’ll see that two keyboards have been added separately to your iPhone.
- Make sure you don’t select the wrong option, or both languages will be merged into one keyboard.
3. Adjust the Keyboard Layout
If you wish to use the bilingual keyboard on iOS 18 but don’t prefer the layout, you can easily change it in the settings. Sometimes, you might see a different layout and assume that something is wrong with the keyboard itself.
For instance, when I’m using English and French (or any other language), I prefer the QWERTY keyboard layout rather than AZERTY or QWERTZ. You can adjust the keyboard layout depending on your preference.
- Open Settings and navigate to the General section.
- Scroll down and tap Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Here, tap the Multi-lingual keyboard you wish to change the layout for.
- Now, choose the “QWERTY” keyboard layout.
4. Delete and Add Keyboards Again
Another effective way to fix the issue is to delete and reinstall the keyboard. This will revert your iPhone from being able to detect and switch two languages on a single keyboard. You can manually switch between the two languages without issues.
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Here, swipe left the Multilingual keyboard you don’t need and tap Delete.
- If the two keyboards are shown separately but aren’t working properly, delete both of them. Remember, iOS won’t let you delete all keyboards.
- Now, tap Add New Keyboard and choose a language.
- Again, tap Add New Keyboard and choose another language. When prompted to choose between “Add to Existing Keyboard” or “Add New Keyboard,” make sure to select “Add New Keyboard” to avoid a merged keyboard issue.
- You can repeat this step to add as many keyboards as you need.
If you ever wish to enable this feature again, here’s how to use the multilingual keyboard on iOS 18.