GUIDES

How to add an AI keyboard on iPhone (and when to allow Full Access)

Updated 2026-11-04

By the SmartKeyboard team — makers of an AI writing keyboard for iPhone.

An AI keyboard lets you rewrite, shorten or change the tone of a message without leaving the app you’re typing in. Before you can use one, iOS needs you to add it as a keyboard — it won’t appear on its own after you download the app. This guide walks through the whole setup on iPhone, explains what the Full Access switch actually does, and covers the most common reasons a third-party keyboard doesn’t show up.

The steps use SmartKeyboard as the example, but the iOS part is the same for any third-party keyboard.

Before you start

• Install the keyboard app first. A keyboard extension ships inside a regular app. Download it from the App Store, then open it once so it can show you its setup steps.
• Check your iOS version. SmartKeyboard requires iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later. Other keyboards have their own requirements, listed on their App Store page.
• If you want on-device AI, check Apple Intelligence. SmartKeyboard’s free on-device writing uses Apple Intelligence, which must be supported, enabled and available on your device. Apple lists the current device, language and region requirements. We cover this in more detail in our Apple Intelligence keyboard guide.

Step 1: Add the keyboard in Settings

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
3. Tap Add New Keyboard…
4. Under Third-Party Keyboards, tap SmartKeyboard (or the keyboard you installed).

The keyboard now appears in your Keyboards list. If you don’t see it under Third-Party Keyboards, make sure the app finished installing, then close and reopen Settings.

Step 2: Switch to it while typing

Open any app with a text field — Notes is a good place to test. When the keyboard is on screen:

• Tap the globe key to cycle through your keyboards, or
• Touch and hold the globe key to pick a keyboard from a list.

iOS remembers the last keyboard you used, so you usually only need to switch once per app. If the globe key is missing, you probably have only one keyboard enabled — go back to Step 1.

To change the order, go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards, tap Edit, and drag the keyboards into the order you want. You can remove a keyboard from the same screen.

Step 3: Decide whether to allow Full Access

By default, iOS runs third-party keyboards in a restricted mode: among other limits, they can’t make network requests. Full Access lifts those restrictions. To turn it on:

1. Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards.
2. Tap the keyboard’s name.
3. Turn on Allow Full Access and confirm the alert.

The alert iOS shows is deliberately cautious: a keyboard with Full Access could send what you type to its developer. That’s why it’s worth knowing when a keyboard actually needs it.

When SmartKeyboard needs Full Access

Whether you need it depends on which AI provider you use:

• Apple Intelligence (on-device). With Apple Intelligence selected and available, your writing is processed on your device. No AI account or API key is needed.
• OpenAI or Gemini (cloud, Basic or Pro). These need your own provider API key, an internet connection and Full Access, because the keyboard has to send the text you submit to the provider you chose.

The app’s own setup screens tell you what your chosen provider needs, so follow them after adding the keyboard. If you’d like to understand exactly what text is processed and where, read the SmartKeyboard privacy policy.

Whatever keyboard you use, iOS never lets third-party keyboards type into secure fields such as passwords — the system keyboard always takes over there.

Step 4: Try your first rewrite

1. In Notes or Mail, type a short, rough draft — for example, “hey, any update on this? need it by friday”.
2. Switch to SmartKeyboard with the globe key.
3. Select the draft, then choose a writing action or one of your saved prompts.
4. Review the result before you send it.

Start with short selections. iOS limits how much text a keyboard can access around the cursor, so very long passages may be cut off. Once the basics work, you can save the instructions you repeat as a custom prompt — the free plan includes one.

If the keyboard doesn’t appear

• It’s not in the list. Check Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards. If it’s missing, add it again (Step 1).
• The system keyboard keeps coming back. Password and other secure fields always use the system keyboard, and some apps choose not to allow third-party keyboards. Test in Notes to confirm the keyboard itself works.
• On-device rewrites don’t work. Check that Apple Intelligence is turned on and that any required model download has finished.
• Cloud rewrites fail. Check Full Access, your internet connection, and your provider API key and account.

Still stuck? The setup & help page has more fixes and the support email address. Or head back to the SmartKeyboard homepage to see what the keyboard can do.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to allow Full Access to use an AI keyboard?

Not always. It depends on the keyboard and on where the AI runs. In SmartKeyboard, cloud providers (OpenAI and Gemini) need Full Access for network requests; the app’s setup screens tell you what your chosen provider needs.

Why can’t I find my new keyboard after installing it?

Installing the app doesn’t enable the keyboard. Add it in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard, then switch to it with the globe key.

How do I remove a third-party keyboard?

Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards, tap Edit, and delete the keyboard. Deleting the app also removes its keyboard, but it doesn’t cancel any subscription.