Typing on an on-screen keyboard can be hard, especially when you are working on a long document or email. With the release of apps like iWork, Microsoft office and others on iOS it is good to have a Bluetooth keyboard around so you can conveniently create or edit lengthy word documents on the go. Luckily, iOS has a great Bluetooth pairing feature, which enables users to connect their iPhone or iPad to a Bluetooth keyboard. You don’t necessarily need a keyboard specifically made for iOS devices as even Mac and PC keyboards work, provided they have Bluetooth functionality.
The best thing about using an external keyboard is that you also get to use the normal cut, copy and paste shortcuts that we love so much on our computers. In this post we are going to show you how you can connect your iPhone or iPad to a Bluetooth keyboard and use it to work on your documents without any troubles.
1. To connect your Bluetooth keyboard to your iOS device you first need to put it in pairing mode. This method is different depending on the models. You can refer to the manual of your keyboard if you don’t know how to do it. Typically you enter the pairing mode of a keyboard the moment you turn it on. In the case of Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard you can do so by pressing and holding the power button.
2. After your keyboard is in pairing or discover mode, on your iPhone or iPad head to Settings > Bluetooth and turn the toggle on. In a few seconds you will see your keyboard in the list of available devices. Tap on it. Now your device will ask you to enter a code using your keyboard, type the code and hit the return key.
That’s pretty much it. Now your Bluetooth keyboard is properly paired with your iOS device. You can use it anywhere you like.
Please note that if you are using a keyboard designed for Windows PC then you may have to use the ‘Windows’ button instead of ‘Ctrl’ for copy/paste shortcuts. Apart from that everything should work as normal.
Also read: Best third-party iOS 8 keyboards: Swype, Minuum, SwiftKey, Flesky, KuaiBoard and more
