Pilcrow

How-to

How to change keyboard sounds and vibration on iPhone

Published · 3 min read

The tick you feel and the click you hear as you type are two separate settings, both under Sounds & Haptics. Apple lets you switch each on or off. It does not let you change how they feel.

In short. Go to Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Keyboard Feedback and turn Sound and Haptic on or off. The ring/silent switch mutes the clicks either way. A third-party keyboard has its own settings, and iOS lets it vibrate only with Allow Full Access on.

Apple’s keyboard

  1. Open Settings and tap Sounds & Haptics.
  2. Tap Keyboard Feedback.
  3. Turn Sound on for a click on every key, and Haptic on for a small tap under your finger.

When the phone is in silent mode, the clicks are silent too. There is no choice of sound, strength or feel.

Third-party keyboards

A keyboard from the App Store does not use Apple’s switches; it has its own, in its app. One rule comes from iOS: a keyboard can only make the phone vibrate when Allow Full Access is on. If a keyboard’s haptics do nothing, that is the usual reason. Our Full Access explainer covers what else turning it on allows.

Sound and haptics in Pilcrow

Pilcrow keeps them under Settings › Sound & haptics, with more to choose than on/off:

  • Haptic style: Crisp, a clean strike like Apple’s with more presence; Full, a firm strike with a short low settle, like a good key bottoming out (the default); or Soft, rounded and quieter.
  • Strength, so the tap can be faint or firm.
  • Key click sound, on or off on its own. The ring/silent switch still silences it.
Three haptic stylesCrisp is a single sharp pulse, Full is a sharp pulse with a smaller settle after it, Soft is one rounded pulse. Crisp one clean strike Full a strike, then a short low settle Soft rounded and quieter
Pilcrow’s three haptic styles. The shapes show the idea; they are not measured waveforms.

Haptics are played on their own queue, so fast typing is never held up waiting for one. Sound and haptics stay free after the three free days.

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 If anything here is out of date, write to info@pilcrowtype.com.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 Developer, Configuring open access for a custom keyboard
  3. Apple, Add or change keyboards on iPhone

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