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The keyboard on iPhone Duo: closed, open, and split for two thumbs

Published · 3 min read

The foldable iPhone Duo has two screens and several ways to hold it, and Apple’s keyboard changes with each one. Here is what it does in every pose, how to split it, and what to expect from a keyboard from the App Store.

In short. Closed, the Duo shows a normal large-phone keyboard, and touching and holding the emoji or globe key gives the one-handed layouts. Open and upright, the keyboard spans the inner screen with bigger keys. Open sideways, tap the keyboard’s options button and choose Split for two halves, one under each thumb, or Full for one board across.

Apple’s keyboard in each pose

  • Closed, upright. The outer screen gets the keyboard of a large iPhone. This is the only pose with the one-handed layouts: touch and hold the emoji or globe key and pick one.
  • Closed, sideways. The outer screen is nearly square on its side, and the keyboard is Apple’s landscape one with taller rows.
  • Open, upright. The inner screen gets a full-size phone keyboard with bigger keys.
  • Open, sideways. Tap the keyboard’s options button, then Split: the keyboard still runs across the screen, but its keys part in the middle, one half under each thumb. Tap it again and choose Full to close the gap.
  • Stood on its edge, like a laptop. The keys grow to fill the lower half.
The keyboard in three iPhone Duo posesClosed, a phone-sized keyboard on the outer screen. Open and upright, a wider keyboard with bigger keys. Open and sideways, one keyboard across the bottom of the screen with its keys parted into a left and a right half, G and V on both. q w e r t y u i o p a s d f g h j k l ⇧ ⌫ z x c v b n m 123 ⏎ Closed the large-phone keyboard q w e r t y u i o p a s d f g h j k l ⇧ ⌫ z x c v b n m 123 ⏎ Open, upright a full-size board, bigger keys q w e r t a s d f g ⇧ z x c v 123 y u i o p g h j k l v b n m ⌫ ⏎ Open, sideways one board, keys split for two thumbs
What Apple’s keyboard draws in each pose, and what Pilcrow draws too. Open sideways it is still one keyboard: the keys part in the middle, and G and V sit on both halves so neither thumb has to reach across.

Third-party keyboards on iPhone Duo

A keyboard from the App Store draws its own layout, so whether it follows the Duo depends on its maker. One that does not will look stretched on the inner screen, or show a single wide board where you wanted the split. Try it open and sideways before you settle on one. Keyboards are added the usual way, under Settings › General › Keyboard › Keyboards › Add New Keyboard.

Pilcrow on iPhone Duo

Since version 1.2.2, Pilcrow draws the keyboard Apple’s draws in each pose, measured key by key against Apple’s own in Apple’s iPhone Duo simulator.

  • The split, as Apple splits it. Each half keeps the stagger of the rows, the middle letters sit on both halves so neither thumb has to cross over, and the suggestions sit over the right half.
  • Split or one board when open sideways, under Settings › Keys & layout › Split when open sideways. The one-handed button on Pilcrow’s toolbar switches between them.
  • Bigger keys when the Duo stands like a laptop, filling the space iOS gives the keyboard.
  • Everything else unchanged: your languages, theme, swipe and corrections are the same in every pose.

The Duo layouts are not a paid extra: they stay after the three free days, because Apple’s keyboard has them too. One difference remains: a third-party keyboard cannot have a dictation key.

Last checked October 2026 against Apple’s iPhone User Guide for iOS 27. If anything here is out of date, write to info@pilcrowtype.com.

Sources

  1. Apple, Type with the onscreen keyboard on iPhone
  2. Apple, Add or change keyboards on iPhone

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