I finally got the MacBook functionality I needed on my iPad for $5

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Apple’s default virtual keyboard for the iPad. Despite sharing the same DNA as the iPhone keyboard — which revolutionized touch-based language input back in 2007 — I feel as though the iPad version fails to take advantage of the tablet form factor (and the larger display canvas it provides) in any meaningful way.

Yes, the iPad offers both a split-style and a miniaturized keyboard layout for more comfortable in-hand use, which I appreciate, but it’s missing a crucial component of the typing experience: a full-sized mode that mimics a standard, full-blown physical keyboard layout.

On my 12-inch Surface Pro, by comparison, this isn’t an issue. The software keyboard that ships out-of-the-box offers a bespoke Traditional layout, complete with function keys, an escape key, tons of extra punctuation marks, shift, caps lock, and more. With all these options at the helm, I’m actually able to get by on a Windows 11 tablet without the need for a physical keyboard, even if the platform’s touch interface still needs some refinement.

On the iPad side of things, there’s no such equivalent, with its full-sized virtual keyboard largely sticking to the basic set of keys needed for writing, and with the rest obfuscated behind a secondary button. Much to my dismay, I can’t even pin the number row to the top of the keyboard, which would make all the sense in the world from a convenience standpoint.

With this in mind, I decided to look around for alternative on-screen keyboards for the iPad. iPadOS natively supports third-party keyboards, but the pickings are relatively slim when compared to the likes of Android. Thankfully, in my research, I stumbled upon Typefinity: a typing solution that gets me most of the way towards the classic-style PC layout I enjoy on my Surface tablet.

Typefinity nails it on the functionality front

A virtual keyboard designed with big screens in mind

Typefinity argues that the modern iPhone keyboard is a relic of the small-screen smartphone era, and that it has an antiquated layout informed by the confines of yesteryear’s 3.5-inch display panels. This out-of-box Apple keyboard experience, Typefinity reckons, hasn’t scaled up for today’s era of giant handsets and tablet computers.

To solve this problem, Typefinity offers a full on-screen keyboard layout that makes better use of available space. By default, there’s a dedicated number row at the top, as well as cursor keys, a tab key, and an expanded selection of always-available punctuation marks.

A function key is also present, which reveals a wide variety of less common characters behind a second screen when tapped on. With so much going on, I was a bit worried that all these extra functions would create a cluttered typing environment, but I never felt overwhelmed when tapping away on documents in the real world.

In fact, rather than feeling visually cluttered, I find myself quite liking Typefinity’s aesthetic. The keyboard offers several theming options, each with its own colorway (my personal favorite is the Lazuli blue hue). There’s also automatic support for light and dark mode theme switching, as well as an optional toggle to hide secondary key functions from view.

I also appreciate Typefinity’s built-in support for word swiping, the enlarged European-style (ISO) Enter key, the full-width predictive word selection bar, the ability to swipe on the number row to reveal a proper number pad, the space bar cursor gesture, and the easy-access slider for controlling the intensity of autocorrection. These small touches make the keyboard feel feature-complete, and they’re all well implemented and stable in use.

Of course, Typfinity isn’t perfect — for as powerful an option as it is for journaling, email crunching, blogging, and other word processing applications, it lacks the split and miniature layouts that make one-handed usability so excellent with the default iPad keyboard. If the developers were to implement these two additional layout options within the keyboard, I honestly don’t think I’d have any need to switch back to the iPad system’s default pad.

I love the idea of using my iPad as an all-in-one replacement for all my Mac and PC workflows. iPadOS isn’t quite there yet, even with version 26’s enhancements, but with Typefinity in tow, I’m that tiny bit closer to having the MacBook or Surface functionality I need right on my iPad.