The HowTo NetworkTech

How to Customize iPad Keyboard Shortcuts

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Difficulty
Intermediate
Tested on
iPadOS 18.4 - iPad Pro M4
You will need
iPad, Hardware keyboard connected via Bluetooth or Smart Connector

Step by step

  1. 1 min

    Open the Shortcuts menu

    Connect your hardware keyboard to the iPad. Open the Settings app, navigate to Accessibility, and select Keyboards.

  2. 1 min

    Access Full Keyboard Access settings

    Select Full Keyboard Access from the menu. Toggle the switch to On to enable deep system-level control via your keyboard.

    Note: Enabling this allows navigation of the UI without touching the screen.
  3. 1 min

    Define custom commands

    Tap the Commands button within the Full Keyboard Access menu. This displays a list of all existing system and app-specific shortcuts.

  4. 1 min

    Assign a new key combination

    Select the command you wish to modify. Press the specific key sequence on your external keyboard that you want to trigger this action.

    Note: Ensure the combination does not conflict with reserved system keys like Command-Space or Command-Tab.
  5. 30 sec

    Confirm the mapping

    Review the command list to verify your new key combination is assigned correctly. Exit Settings and test the shortcut within the target application.

    Note: If a shortcut does not trigger, check if the app has its own internal shortcut override.