Does the Apple Watch have a keyboard with which you can type? The answer is yes! Apple Watches allow text input in various ways. Messaging on an Apple Watch is easy, as you can use an on-screen keyboard as well as scribble input and voice-to-text dictation to type. In this article, we will explain exactly how you can do all three, so read on!
How to Enable the Text Keyboard on Apple Watch
To enable the Apple Watch keyboard when typing, click on the input field, such as the text message or Google search bar. You will see an icon in the bottom-right corner, indicating which kind of input method you are currently using.
Click on that icon, and you will be able to select from various input methods. To use the on-screen keyboard, simply click on the keyboard icon to switch to text input.
Note that the onscreen keyboard is not available in the Watch SE and Watch Series 6 or earlier. Unfortunately, if you have an older Apple Watch, you won’t be able to use the onscreen keyboard, but you can use a third-party keyboard. We cover third-party keyboards in a later section.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 7 or later, it will be available by default, so you don’t need to enable it in the settings.
Switching Between Scribble and Keyboard
You can switch to Scribble the same way you switch to your keyboard on your Apple Watch – by pressing the icon in the bottom-right corner to display the available Apple Watch text icons. Click on the Scribble icon (which looks like a hand drawing something) to switch to Scribble.
When deciding between Scribble vs the keyboard, I’d suggest trying out both and seeing which one is easier for you.
The onscreen keyboard is easy to use, but since the watch’s screen is pretty small, it might be difficult if you don’t have small fingers. The Scribble option allows you to scribble letters on your screen and type out words that way. You can even get suggested words and use the Digital crown to scroll through them and select the word you want, making it even quicker and more intuitive.
Troubleshooting Missing Keyboard on Apple Watch
Is the keyboard missing on your Apple Watch? That’s one of the most common Apple Watch troubleshooting requests we get.
If you don’t see the keyboard, it’s due to either one of two reasons. Either you have an unsupported model, or you are typing in an unsupported language.
Unsupported models are anything that is not the Series 7 or later. Earlier versions do not support the onscreen keyboard, even if you have the latest watchOS software version.
Some languages also do not support an onscreen keyboard. Try switching to English to see if it shows up.
Using Third-Party Keyboard Apps
If you have an older Apple Watch, you can use a third-party keyboard for the Apple Watch. Keyboard alternatives for the Apple Watch allow you to type with an onscreen keyboard even if your Apple Watch doesn’t support it by default.
The best alternative keyboard is FlickType. It is available on older Apple Watches and only requires watchOS 5.2 or later.
Texting on the Apple Watch Series 7 and Later
Texting on an Apple Watch 7 or later is easy due to the built-in on screen keyboard. The Apple Watch Series 7 keyboard allows you to type words and get suggested words that you can select from. Furthermore, it is a QuickPath keyboard, which means you can type by sliding your finger from one letter to another without lifting it up from the screen, making it much easier to type.
Advantages of Having a Text Keyboard on Apple Watch
There are many advantages to having an Apple Watch keyboard. The convenience of wearable keyboards allows you to type out accurate text messages from your watch while on the go, without removing your phone from your pocket. This communication feature is highly valuable, so if you have an older Apple Watch, you might consider upgrading just for that.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our Apple Watch keyboard review. It’s incredibly convenient for text messaging and shows the advancement of wearable technology. If you have an older Apple Watch that does not support an onscreen keyboard, don’t worry. Simply use FlickType as an alternative.
