Add Arabic on iPad
- 01
Open Settings
Tap the Settings app.
- 02
Go to General → Keyboard
Tap General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards at the top.
Fig. settings → general → keyboard → keyboards - 03
Add New Keyboard
Tap Add New Keyboard…
- 04
Pick Arabic
Scroll down to Arabic and choose it. Plain Arabic is the standard pick; Arabic (Najdi) is a Saudi variant. Either types real Arabic.
Fig. add new keyboard with arabic selected - 05
Typing on a hardware keyboard?
If you type on a Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, or any Bluetooth keyboard, also go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Hardware Keyboard, tap Arabic, and pick Arabic – PC. That's the standard Arabic 101 layout, the one this site teaches; Windows and Mac use the same arrangement.
Fig. hardware keyboard → arabic – pc
How to switch to Arabic when typing
On the on-screen keyboard, touch and hold the globe key (🌐) in the bottom row and slide up to Arabic; a quick tap cycles keyboards instead. On a hardware keyboard, tap the 🌐 key in the bottom-left corner (hold it for the full list), or press Control + Space.
Try the floating keyboard
Pinch inwards with two fingers on the full keyboard and it shrinks to a floating mini keyboard you can drag anywhere. It types like a phone keyboard, one-handed; plenty of people thumb-type Arabic faster on it than on the full-width layout. Pinch it open (or drag it to the bottom of the screen) to get the full keyboard back. On older Home-button iPads, holding the keyboard-dismiss key may offer a Split option too.
And once you're in Arabic, expect the cursor at the right edge of the field. Right-to-left script, right-side cursor.
The Arabic 101 keyboard layout
The on-screen iPad keyboard is its own touch layout, but a hardware keyboard set to Arabic – PC types the real Arabic 101 arrangement below, the same one you'd use at a desk.
iPad Arabic keyboard questions
Does my Magic Keyboard type Arabic once I add the keyboard?
Only after you set the hardware layout separately. Go to Settings, General, Keyboard, Hardware Keyboard, tap Arabic and choose Arabic – PC. Miss that step and the on-screen keyboard types Arabic while the physical one keeps producing English.
Why should I pick Arabic – PC for a hardware keyboard?
Because it is the standard Arabic 101 layout, the arrangement used by Windows machines, Chromebooks and Macs set to Arabic – PC. Learn it once on the iPad and your hands already know any other keyboard you sit down at.
What is the floating Arabic keyboard on iPad?
Pinch inwards with two fingers on the full keyboard and it shrinks into a small draggable keyboard you can park anywhere on screen. It behaves like a phone keyboard, so thumb typing works, and plenty of people find Arabic faster on it than on the full-width layout. Pinch outwards to bring the big one back.
How do I switch between English and Arabic on iPad?
On the on-screen keyboard, hold the globe key in the bottom row and slide up to Arabic; a quick tap cycles instead. On a hardware keyboard, press the globe key in the bottom-left corner, or use Control + Space.
If the keyboard is step one of learning the language itself, our sister site Tfaddalu picks up from there: spoken Palestinian Arabic, taught at the same unhurried pace as this site.