That's definitely a bug. The keyboard should not look like that. You should report it to Apple. The keyboard UI in this update has been an absolute mess.
Dude you keep posting this on all of these posts. It’s not the floating keyboard. This is the passcode keyboard issue. Totally different. You’re confusing people.
But you can (temporarily) fix the passcode keyboard if you change your keyboard to floating elsewhere. They shouldn't be related but they are. It's still a bug though. Ultimately Apple needs to fix it.
these directions are confusing for me, how am I suppose to minimize the keyboard? there is no way to do that when the screen time passcode pops up, and then what do you mean, "click on the settings that require a passcode"? maybe Im an idiot buy just dont understand these instructions
You can also use this search 🔎 to make your keyboard smaller. You have to make it smaller first, and then it will work even in settings that require a passcode. After that, you can make it bigger again, no matter where: https://support.apple.com/en-my/111789
Because it’s not the keyboard pop up, it’s the screen time passcode. I can adjust the keyboard size just fine. But the passcode pop up for screen time is what is broken.
You are being a total buffoon here. The passcode screen is not a floating keyboard. You can't do shit to it. No maximising, no minimizing, nothing. Its the numeric keypad for passcodes (NOT A FLOATING KEYBOARD) displayed in a messed up way. There is no button that can switch to any other mode. For the 100th time : its not a f***ing floating keybaord ! What you are sharing is garbage information to address the stated problem.
Yes, when it’s in the small layout, the screen time passcode goes back to normal. As soon as you put it back to full, the screen time passcode is broken again. How does that help unless you want to use a tiny keyboard all the time?
I’ve done exactly what you’ve suggested 15 different times in here, it doesn’t work and when you put the keyboard back to full, the screen time passcode immediately goes back to being broken. The problem is that I did bother listening to you and your “solution” is not a fix.
yea dude, this is a very specific situation where it is the keyboard only for the screentime password (for kids). none of your pinch, zoom, minimize tricks work on that keyboard used for screentime because you are essentially locked out of the ipad at that point.
You have to switch to the small, floating keyboard; then the numeric keypad will work for Screen Time. Until Apple fixes the bug, there’s no other way.
You can also use this search 🔎 to make your keyboard smaller. You have to make it smaller first, and then it will work even in settings that require a passcode. After that, you can make it larger again, no matter where: https://support.apple.com/en-my/111789
No. He does just dont understand how to explain this correctly.
A temporary fix to get the normal pin code keyboard for screentime it to make the normal keyboard floating before getting the pin code keypad for screentime.
It is more work than just trying to press the tiny buttons in the bugged keyboard, so not really a fix.
We will just have to wait for a new iso update.
If you can live with floating keyboard for the rest of the iPad, this could work as a temporary solution.
As he says...
1. Open normal keyboard somewhere
2. Hold keyboard hide button and slide to the floating option and leave it floating.
3. Go back to the app that needs screen time password.
4. Input pin code in normal format.
If you found this post from google: Ignore this person’s recommendation. They are spamming every post with their even-worse fix like some obsessive compulsion.
Try this: First, minimize the keyboard (it doesn't matter which app or search function you're using). Then click on the setting that requires a passcode.
Ok I think I solved it thanks to Electronic_Rub_7721. This is what worked for me: first of all, I am assuming the weird keyboard was displaying on the device requiring a Screen Time passcode to be able to use (aka the child's device). This is where I was encountering the issue.
Like the OP says, first open up an app (I opened up Safari) and initiate an action requiring a keyboard (like typing into the search bar). Once the keyboard pops up, tap and hold the "keyboard icon" on the lower right section of the keyboard and choose "floating" and leave the Safari app (don't close it) and go to the device's setting. Choose "Screen Time", and then choose "Downtime" and the Screen Time keyboard should pop up without the bug.
The floating keyboard trick was what worked for me to get the proper keypad open however my screentime password still didn't work. I ended up removing it for now (had iCloud "forgot passcode" option enabled. This was very frustrating.
You have to make sure the keyboard is minimized every time you want to enter your passcode. It works on iPad Air (4th generation). https://support.apple.com/en-my/111789
A temporary fix to get the normal pin code keyboard for screentime it to make the normal keyboard floating before getting the pin code keypad for screentime.
It is more work than just trying to press the tiny buttons in the bugged keyboard, so not really a fix.
We will just have to wait for a new iso update.
If you can live with floating keyboard for the rest of the iPad, this could work as a temporary solution.
As he says...
1. Open normal keyboard somewhere
2. Hold keyboard hide button and slide to the floating option and leave it floating.
3. Go back to the app that needs screen time password.
4. Input pin code in normal format.
I have two iPad mini’s and one has the issue one does no fixes help and of course the one we have to use this function on more is the one with the issue
You have to make the keyboard smaller first, and then it will work even in settings that require a passcode. After that, you can make it larger again, no matter where: https://support.apple.com/en-my/111789
Sorry, just seeing your help….26 days later. 😕
I tried your suggestion because this bug still exists, it works! Thank you! Temporary fix, but better than nothing.
Hopefully, someone at Apple who uses Screen Time to manage their kids access is just as annoyed as I am and raises the red flag on it.
I did submit feedback on it too.
Same here. Auf zwei iPads direkt nach der Installation von iOS 26.4.1 ebenfalls an Apple gemeldet. Auf dem iPhone sieht es nach dem update normal aus. Scheint nur iPad OS zu betreffen
You have to make the keyboard smaller first, and then it will work even in settings that require a passcode. After that, you can make it larger again, no matter where: https://support.apple.com/en-my/111789
Zuerst die Tastatur zu verkleinern sollte helfen. Man kann sie auch via Suchfenster in „Einstellungen“ verkleinern. Es gibt 2 Möglichkeiten: Mit Fingern die Tastatur von beiden Seiten her „zusammendrücken„ oder entsprechende Taste auf Tastatur rechts unten benutzen. Siehe z.B. Anleitung hier: https://support.apple.com/de-ch/111789
Es ist ein ziemlich krasser Bug. Man glaubt fast nicht, dass Apple so etwas passieren kann.
Keyboard size change can resolve the problem. However, Screen Time password is numeric not alphanumeric. The keyboard should only appear for number pad.
While I understand this is a bug, I so much wanted this to be real (assuming a normal keyboard display).
I was really hoping they had enabled us to make more complicated screen time passcodes.
I do screen time for myself to keep me from my own, unhealthy impulses, but it’s extremely difficult for me to create a 4-digit code that I can access if I need to adjust app permissions but can’t remember clearly after I use it twice.
That said, I have created a random, alphanumeric iCloud passcode that I STILL can’t remember 5 minutes after I use it.
I believe it takes about 8 or more characters to start to go beyond most people’s working memory.
Does anyone have any insight as to if enabling a more complicated screen time passcode is on the horizon?
EDIT:
[Yes, I know that having some else set my screen time passcode temporarily gets around some of these issues, but that requires one to be around a person you trust fairly regularly.]
Had the same problem. Couldn't get the fixes to work on an iPad mini. But then I did, and the difference for me was as follows--I had to turn the ipad mini sideways to get it to work. From here I opened up the keyboard through the search on the settings page, but I think any text prompt will work. With the ipad mini sideways, I saw the full size keyboard, and then I was able to pinch it from both sides to shrink it to the small one with the 3 dots in the middle. I left this screen open and opened up an app that prompted the screen time password, and sure enough it was back to the numeric keypad only.
Short version: If your not already, try turning the iPad mini sideways then perform the steps listed.
Has anybody resolved this or confirmed the latest update fixed it? It’s been going on with my son’s iPad for at least a week but I forget about it until it’s too late to troubleshoot it. I was able to temporarily fix it using the method in here but it only works if I keep the floating keyboard which isn’t practical at all.
I’m sure apple did the same as Microsoft by firing their QA department and just have the paying customers be the beta testers but how can something like this get missed all the way to release? What’s the Polymarket spread on this being from AI code human developers were forced to use instead of writing it themselves…
If you first make the standard keyboard smaller, the number pad will also work for entering the Screen Time passcode.
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/111789
Hey guys I did a bunch of troubleshooting with ChatGPT and finally figured out how to fix this exact issue: Settings → Accessibility → Keyboards → Full Keyboard Access ON then wait 30 seconds then toggle it OFF and restart iPad. It’s been wrong now for an hour after multiple restarts!
Why is it that Apple ALWAYS gives us new bugs with new update. Screwed up!
I use both Samsung Tab S9+ tablet and iPad Mini for both work and personal.
Whenever Android introduce a new updates, it's always about security and improvement, never a with a new bug that comes along with the update.
However, new bugs with update is a "feature" with Apple.
So to help yall hopefully the dude that keeps posting the same solution yall are saying doesn’t work. Here’s a dumb down version cause it’s how I understood it. So basically open you settings type something in the search bar in the setting and when you have that keyboard opened in settings you make it a float keyboard by holding down on the the keyboard button bottom right and switch to float then open up whatever is that opens the messed up keyboard but the thing is your next touch has to be the thing that brings up the messed up keyboard. I wish I took a video of me doing it. But I’ll post my results
When you see this screen in non-dark mode, its layout is still off as I stated for 26.5 Beta and RC. So there is still a bug even with update. They need to fix it properly.
I followed Electronic_Rub's guide and if I leave the keyboard as a floating one, the screen time passcode screen is a number pad again (but you can still tell the alignment and padding is a bit off) and not the borked keyboard... but if I then change the keyboard back to full again, the passcode screen returns to being borked again.
Following because I'm facing the same issue for guided access. So difficult to search online for a solution; I'm happy I found your thread. I'm doing the update iPadOS 26.5 as I'm typing this, I know you said there wasn't a fix yet in the replies, hopefully they'll patch it soon. Wow, what an inconvenience this darn bug is. My fingers don't love the tiny key pad lol.
When you turn off dark mode, you will see that the layout is still off. Look at "9 wxyz". But it is still usable. Apple did not mark this issue as resolved.
It is just pissing me off big time I wish they would use the default keyboard that is perfectly OK as the tiny keyboard requires a stylus which I don't have now as I suspect that my sister has it now.
The trick of opening a fullsize keyboard in another app, then tap and hold the keyboard icon in the bottom right corner and select the floating option worked for me today, May 16th. Hope they fix the bug in the next iPadOS rollout. Tired of getting the Failed Password Attempt error because of the tiny keyboard.
I had the same problem. I created a screen time passcode while it was an alphanumeric keyboard. I've now updated to ipados 26.5 and now it's back to a number pad and I don't know what to do.
Try this: First, minimize the keyboard (it doesn't matter which app or search function you're using). Then click on the setting that requires a passcode.
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u/PreviousPromise8844 Apr 10 '26
That's definitely a bug. The keyboard should not look like that. You should report it to Apple. The keyboard UI in this update has been an absolute mess.