How to Fix iPhone Keyboard Lag

iPhone users are complaining about keyboard lag with some saying it’s gotten so bad, it’s painful to respond to texts from friends and family. This can be a tricky problem to fix, but our guide will provide those in need with potential solutions.

While most complaints about keyboard lag these days come from iOS 17 users, iOS 16 and iOS 15 users aren’t immune to the issue.

If you’re experiencing keyboard lag in the a first-party app like Messages or a third party app like WhatsApp, here are several fixes you can try.

While some of these solutions have effectively gotten rid of keyboard lag for some iPhone users, others have said they only work temporarily.

If keyboard lag returns after trying these fixes, we recommend getting in touch with Apple support for further assistance.

Hard Reset

First, we recommend trying a hard reset/force restart. This is a simple button combination that will force your iPhone to restart. It won’t delete any data.

Hard resetting an iPhone is a potential solution for many iOS issues and it’s worth a try because it will only take a few seconds.

Update iOS

Next, ensure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS.

While Apple may not call out a fix for the problem in an update’s release notes, new software always has the potential to alleviate the issue.

If a software update is available, try downloading it. If the problem fails to subside, or if it gets worse, you can downgrade back to older software if the option is available.

Update Apps

If you’re noticing keyboard lag in a third-party application like WhatsApp, check and see if an update for the app is available to download.

Developers these days roll out a steady stream of updates and a new version of an app could fix the issue. If it doesn’t, you may want to contact the developer and see if they are aware of the issue.

Turn Off Reduce Transparency

Some iPhone users struggling with keyboard lag say they’ve had success after disabling the “Reduce Transparency” feature.

This function improves contrast by reducing transparency and blurs on some backgrounds to increase legibility. If you don’t need this feature on, try toggling it off.

Here’s how to do that:

• Open the Settings app.
• Tap Accessibility.
• Tap Display & Text Size.
• Toggle Reduce Transparency Off.

You can always toggle it back on if need be.

Remove Other Keyboards

Others have said they’ve solved the problem by removing active keyboards.

If you’re using multiple keyboard languages, the emoji keyboard, or a third-party keyboard like Bitmoji, try removing them and see if performance improves.

Here’s how to do this:

• Go into the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Tap Keyboard.
• Tap Keyboards.
• Tap Edit in the top right corner.
• Tap the red minus symbol next to the keyboard you wish to remove.

You can always reactivate these keyboards from the same menu if you don’t see a noticeable change.

Turn Off Auto-Correction

You can also try disabling keyboard features like Auto Correct to see if the lag dissipates. Most people depend on Auto Correct so this should only be used as a last resort.

Here’s how to shut off Auto-Correction on iPhone:

• Go into the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Tap Keyboard.
• Toggle Auto-Correction under “All Keyboards” off.

Disable Predictive Text

You should also try disabling Predictive Text.

With Predictive Text enabled, you can write and complete entire sentences with just a few quick taps. If you don’t need this on, try turning it off.

• Go into the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Tap Keyboard.
• Scroll down and toggle Predictive Text off.

Reset Keyboard Dictionary

Others have said resetting the Keyboard Dictionary has resolved their keyboard lag. We only recommend this as a last resort, but it’s worth a try if the lag is brutal.

• Go into the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone
• Tap Reset.
• Tap Reset Keyboard Dictionary.

Reset All Settings

You can also try resetting all of your iPhone’s settings as this may help with the lag. Here’s how to do this:

• Go into the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone
• Tap Reset.
• Tap Reset All Settings.

If you have a passcode enabled, you’ll need to enter it to complete the process.