How To Fix Keyboard Lag On iPhone And iPad In iOS 14
Last updated on November 20th, 2020 at 04:55 am
Posted in Bug Fixes by Patricia on October 5, 2020
Fix Keyboard lag on iPhone in iOS 14
Is your keyboard lagging on iPhone and iPad since you updated to iOS 14 / iPadOS 14? You’re not the only one! This is a common issue, that’s occurring mostly in the Messages app. When the user taps on the text input field, the keyboard either loads with a delay, lags when typing or freezes. More, there’s an overall sense of keyboard slowness.
There are many troubleshooting tips that you can attempt, including turn off Reachability, disable Zoom, enable Reduce Motion, but neither worked on our devices.
How To Fix Keyboard Lag In iOS 14
The only trick that works until Apple issues an official fix in an upcoming software update is:
- 1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- 2. Tap on General.
- 3. Scroll all the way down to Reset.
- 4. Tap on Reset Keyboard Dictionary.
- 5. Provide your iPhone’s Passcode and the keyboard lag bug should be fixed.
Update (October 22):
Additional iPhone Keyboard Lag Fix
Another confirmed fix for the lagging keyboard requires you to disable iMessages and FaceTime, reboot your iPhone / iPad and re-enable the two services:
- 1. Open the Settings app and browse for Messages. Disable iMessage!
- 2. Return to the Settings home screen and tap on FaceTime. Disable FaceTime!
- 3. Force restart your iPhone.
How To: Click and release Volume Up, Volume Down and press & hold Side Button until the Apple logo is displayed on the screen. Be patient until the iPhone reboots! - 4. Turn iMessages and FaceTime back On! Keyboard lag should be fixed!
Fact: Waiting for activation… message has to be displayed under the iMessage label, to confirm that the service is resetting.
Thanks to: Peter Thomsen for refining this troubleshooting method!
Quick Fix: You can also fix the keyboard lag issue with an iPhone reboot, but we noticed that this fix is not always working and even when it does, it’s short lived, because the glitch occurs again sooner rather than later!
Update (November 20)
iOS 14.2 Dictation Delay
A bug that might be related to the keyboard lag has surfaced in iOS 14.2, causing voice dictation on iPhone and iPad to transcript text with a 3-second delay. Meaning that if you speak right after your device starts listening, the initial three seconds aren’t picked up by your iPhone and will be missing from the transcript. More details about this issue are available here.
iPhone Keyboard Lag – Readers’ Reactions
- Monica: “Thank you. Resetting the keyboard dictionary worked. Awesome”
- Gabe: “I have updated my iPad with iOS 14.2 and it hasn’t fixed my laggy keyboard and screen. Have tried all that you have suggested and still having no success.”
Do you also have problem with your keyboard lagging in iOS 14? Use the comments section available below, and let us know if the above fix helped you out!
Related: Apple has recently released iOS 14.2.1 but this update is available only for iPhone 12 models and doesn’t fix the keyboard lag bug.
Yes, thank you for describing and explaining this. Immediately after updating to iOS 14, the problem started for me. Rebooting does fix it, for a short while.
It’s not like Apple to miss something like this. Sure, they miss glaring security holes on major version updates, but not basic UI problems like this. Too busy counting their stock portfolio values.
Aaron, thanks for confirming. Have you updated to the latest iOS 14.1? Does it fix the keyboard lag for you?
https://www.iphonetricks.org/ios-14-1-released-with-13-bug-fixes/
I tried that and did not work on my iPad pro 3rd generation. With Apple tech help we solved it by turning off message and FaceTime. Rebooting iPad and then message and FaceTime turned on and lag gone.
Peter, thanks for sharing your feedback and for contributing to finding a fix for this issue. Your solution has been updated in the article.
I found it eventually failed again for me
Peter, thanks for getting back to us. That’s bad news. Have you updated to iPadOS 14.1?
Thank you! This was driving me absolutely crazy. The second set of directions from Peter worked perfectly for me. Thank you thank you!!
Mel, thanks for confirming. Glad they helped!
The hard reset does not work. Hopefully this does. Insane that apple let this go all the way through beta and now through 14.1 with no fix.
Brian, agreed this is an annoying glitch. Let us know if the fix works. Thanks.
Thank you. Resetting the keyboard dictionary worked. Awesome
Monica, thanks for confirming. Glad we could help.
P.S.: iOS 14.2 has just been released: https://www.iphonetricks.org/ios-14-2-software-update-10-features-15-fixes/
Hi, I have updated my ipad with iOS 14.2 and it hasn’t fixed my laggy keyboard and screen. Have tried all that you have suggested and still having no success.
Gabe, thanks for the feedback. That’s bad news. We’re still looking for other workarounds and will update the article as soon as anything new is available.
Thanks so much, appreciate your help
Hi, my iPhone X iOS 14.2 was same as Gabe.
I tried that after setting to flight mode and showing keyboard. My laggy keyboard and screen was gone. It no longer happens after I reboot it.
So what exactly was it that you did to fix it?
Jamie, iOS 14.3 is out. Have you updated? Does the keyboard lag issue still persist?
Hi there
I have just got an iPhone 12 with a view to giving my 11 to my son.
Thanks to the second set of advice, Peter’s, I have fixed the problem on both phones. THANK YOU 👍👍👍
This is all sort from other extreme annoyances. On my previous phone to the 11, an 8, you could set the alarm as easily as on a hand-wound alarm clock. Now they appear to be wanting you to have more and more engagement with your phone, so now you have to reset your whole lifestyle around setting a frigging alarm for 7am.
More and more button usage. You just deleted something. Are you sure you want to delete that? Yea I’ll just confirm again.
Honestly I’ll probably move off iPhone after this contract is up. They, the designers, are just not interesting anymore.
Still, nice body.
Nick, glad we could help. Thanks for your extended feedback. I hope that you will reconsider and stick with the iOS community.
Why doesn’t Apple just fix this bug? Don’t they use their own products? It’s a widespread issue! 🙄
Jane, are you still experiencing it? Can you please mention your device model and iOS version?
I have iPad Pro (11 “) Version 14.6 and I have the same problem.
Thanks for reporting. Are you low on storage by any chance?
Because my Zagg Rugged Pro keyboard had the same problem as everyone else above, I purchased a new one and it had the same problem. I returned the new one and broke down and purchased the Ipad Magic Keyboard made by Apple and I still have the same problem. Apple must have messed up their bluetooth protocol at some time and no one is trying very hard to find it. I will take this keyboard back tomorrow.
Thanks for your feedback. Let us know if you get any recommendation for the keyboard lag issue from Apple’s support staff.
Hi
This method does not permanently resolve the issue, it just clears it temporarily. Where’s the permanent fix please?
John
iPhone 6s on latest software
Thanks for reporting John. I couldn’t replicate the keyboard lag issue after the latest iOS 14 updates. Do you have a newer iPhone model in house that you can check? The iPhone 6s is the oldest model supported by iOS 14. Could this be caused by hardware being at the edge of the accepted requirements?
Thanks! Resetting keyboard dictionary worked on my iPad
You’re welcome. Glad we could help!
Disabling iMessages then FaceTime, rebooting and then re-enabling iMessages then FaceTime cured an infuriating keyboard and dictation lag, which was plaguing the start of every new text message and driving me to distraction.
So grateful, Many thanks, Mark
iPhone 6S Plus – iOS 14.2
You’re most welcome. Glad we could help!