How to Slide to Type on the iPad Floating Keyboard (iPadOS 16)

Learn iPad swipe keyboard tricks to type faster on your iPad than ever before, using quick gestures instead of tapping on every individual letter.

By Cullen Thomas Updated 11/22/2022

* This post is part of iPhone Life's Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

Using the iPad floating keyboard, you can drag your finger from one letter to the next without lifting it, spelling out entire words in one quick motion. To get Slide to Type working on your iPad, you’ll need to use the floating keyboard. Here's how to use QuickPath and the floating keyboard on your iPad.

Why You'll Love This Tip

  • Use a smaller keyboard and Slide to Type for faster typing on your iPad.
  • Move your keyboard to a more convenient location on your display. 

Related: How to Swipe Text on the iPhone

How To Swipe Text on the iPad with the Floating Keyboard

The iPad Swipe Keyboard, often called Swipe Text, Swype Keyboard, Slide to Type, or sometimes QuickPath, is available on iPadOS 13 or later. However, to use the swipe typing feature, you’ll need to switch from the regular on-screen keyboard to the smaller floating keyboard. For more iPad tips, don't forget to check out our free Tip of the Day. 

  1. Open any app that requires typing. For this example, I'll open the Notes app.

    Open any app that requires typing. For this example I'll open the Notes app.
  2. Open a note or create a new note.

    Tap on the note to begin typing.
  3. Tap anywhere in the note to begin typing. The keyboard will fill the bottom of your screen.

    Tap and hold the keyboard icon in the bottom right corner of the keyboard.
  4. Tap and hold the keyboard icon in the bottom right corner of the keyboard.

    A menu will pop up.
  5. A menu will pop up. Unlike many menus in iPadOS, this menu requires that you keep holding your finger on the screen and drag your finger to the menu option you want. Select Floating from the keyboard menu.

    Select Floating from the keyboard menu.
  6. The keyboard will disappear, to be replaced with the floating keyboard. You can move the floating keyboard around the screen by touching and dragging the grab bar at the bottom.

    You can move the floating keyboard around the screen by touching and dragging the grab bar at the bottom.
  7. You can compose text with QuickPath, AKA Slide to Type, by touching the first letter of a word, and then dragging your finger to the rest of the letters in turn.

    You can compose text with QuickPath, AKA Slide to Type, by touching the first letter of a word, and then dragging your finger to the rest of the letters in turn.
  8. You can also tap the 123 key for punctuation marks and numbers.

    You can also tap the 123 key for punctuation marks and number.
  9. You can tap the #+= key for symbols (such as % and *).

    You can tap the #+= key for symbols (such as % and *).
  10. To switch back to the regular keyboard, grab the bar at the bottom of the floating keyboard and drag it to the center-bottom of your screen.

    To switch back to the regular keyboard, grab the bar at the bottom of the floating keyboard and drag it to the center-bottom of your screen.

Return to top

Now you can go crazy with the swipe texting feature on your iPad! Next, read about the newest iPad announced by Apple. 

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Topics

How-To
iPad
Keyboard
Productivity & Business

Author Details

Cullen Thomas's picture

Author Details

Cullen Thomas

Cullen Thomas is a senior instructor at iPhone Life, creating tips and guides to help users unlock the full potential of their iOS and iPhone. In addition to writing countless tip-of-the-day articles and many detailed guides, Cullen has spent ten years as an instructor in media and communications at Maharishi University, lecturing on technical and artistic subjects ranging from camera and audio hardware to story-plotting to how to manage a film crew. Cullen answers questions daily about iPhones and iOS as part of the Ask an Editor insider service, and designs curricula for iPhone Life’s online classes. As a frequent contributor to iPhone Life magazine and occasional guest on the iPhone Life podcast, Cullen likes to talk about security and privacy news, tech, gadgets, and apps, even if nobody asked.

Cullen holds a master’s degree in Cinematic Arts from the David Lynch School of Cinematic Arts. Cullen also holds two Bachelor’s degrees from Maharishi University, one in literature with an emphasis in writing and the other in Communications and Media. Cullen’s short fiction has been featured in anthologies from Amphibian Press and TANSTAAFL, and Cullen co-owns a game design company, Thoughtspike games, which builds thought-provoking puzzle games. Cullen is a sci-fi author, a coffee connoisseur, and an iPhone expert.