Last updated: October 2026
You do not need a third-party keyboard to type well on an iPhone. The built-in keyboard has predictions, swipe typing and, since iOS 27, wider language support. But some people want an AI writing helper, a different layout or grammar fixes inside every app. This guide compares the main options and covers the part most lists skip: what "Allow Full Access" means for your privacy.
- Most people: stay with Apple's built-in keyboard. It needs no extra permission.
- Want predictions plus optional AI: Microsoft SwiftKey, actively updated.
- Want writing help everywhere: Grammarly keyboard (account and subscription for premium features).
- Want to avoid Full Access: Typewise says it does not need it (vendor claim).
- Be careful with Gboard: its App Store listing shows no update since May 2022.
Start with the built-in keyboard
Apple's keyboard offers QuickType predictions that adapt to context, and swipe typing. Because it is part of iOS, it has no third-party developer and no Full Access prompt. iOS 27 widened its reach: Apple's updated feature availability page, reported by 9to5Mac on September 18, 2026, says more than 30 new languages and variants are now supported across several features, including about 32 added to the QuickType keyboard such as Afrikaans, Basque, Esperanto, Luxembourgish, Xhosa and Zulu. 9to5Mac's earlier iOS 27 report also lists automatic punctuation on multilingual keyboards and faster loading of emoji and sticker keyboards.
Dictation: a June 2026 beta test by Tom's Guide found iOS 27's new dictation more accurate than iOS 26, though it could not start a new paragraph by voice. The new system is limited to the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air; other iPhones keep the older dictation. That was a beta, so the released version may differ.
Third-party keyboards compared
| Keyboard | Price | Strengths | Privacy and catches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft SwiftKey | Free; its in-app purchases are free themes | Glide typing, strong predictions, themes, optional Copilot AI (can be turned off) | Two languages at a time (Beebom). Full Access is needed for some features. Microsoft's developer reply says it does not collect or share personal information from your device. Privacy label lists email and IDs linked to you. |
| Grammarly: AI Keyboard & Notes | Free; paid plans in the US listing: $29.99 monthly, $59.99 quarterly, $139.99 annual | Spelling, grammar, tone and rewrite suggestions, swipe typing, emoji predictions | Requires a Grammarly account (Beebom). Suggestions come from Grammarly's online service. Its privacy label lists contact info, identifiers and usage data as used to track you. |
| Typewise | Free; Pro about $1.99 a month or $9.49 a year, varies by region (per Yaps) | Large hexagonal keys, swipe gestures, quick-delete gesture | No glide typing (Beebom). Says it needs no Full Access and sends no typing to the cloud, which is a vendor claim reported by Yaps. Last App Store update April 2025. |
| Gboard | Free | Built-in Google Search, GIF and emoji search, glide typing, translation | App Store version 2.3.19, last updated May 2, 2022; requires iOS 12 or later. Privacy label includes audio data and device ID linked to you, plus precise location and contacts. Yaps says searches, usage statistics and voice input go to Google. |
Yaps publishes its own keyboard and sells it in the same comparison, so I used its table only for details the App Store listings and Beebom did not give, and I mark those as vendor-sourced. Beebom's October 13, 2026 roundup also lists Y Keyboard from Yandex, which I did not check further.
What "Allow Full Access" really means
A third-party keyboard can only see what you type, so Apple lets you decide how much freedom it gets. Without Full Access, a keyboard works mostly on your device. With it, the keyboard can use the internet and share data with its developer. A Macworld guide (from 2016, so menu names may differ now) says keyboards do not get Full Access by default, that you must allow it for each keyboard, and that Apple's own disclaimer in Settings warns a keyboard may be able to send anything you type to the developer's servers.
That does not mean every keyboard does so. It means you are trusting the developer. Before you tap Allow:
- Read the App Store privacy label on the app's page.
- Check who owns the app and read its privacy policy.
- Ask whether you need a feature that requires the permission, such as cloud suggestions or search.
- Avoid typing passwords or payment details with a keyboard you do not trust.
How to add a third-party keyboard
These steps come from the 2016 Macworld guide; Apple's current page was not retrievable for this rewrite, so if menus look different on iOS 27, search Settings for "Keyboards".
- Install the keyboard app from the App Store.
- Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard, then pick the keyboard under Third-Party Keyboards.
- Tap the keyboard's name again to see its options, including Allow Full Access.
- In any text field, touch and hold the globe key until the keyboard picker appears, then choose the keyboard you want.
Which one should you pick?
- Typing in English and one other language, no extras: the built-in keyboard.
- You miss your Android predictions: SwiftKey. It is free, its App Store listing shows version 4.3.7 updated October 9 (the year is not shown), and Beebom says you can turn the AI features off.
- You write emails, essays or professional messages: Grammarly, accepting that suggestions run through its online service and some features need a subscription.
- You mistype on small keys: Typewise's different layout may help, but try it first; it is a big change from QWERTY.
- Gboard: I would skip it for now unless you accept an app without iOS updates since 2022. It still lists support for iOS 12 and later, so it may keep working, but it may not receive fixes for new iOS versions.
For more privacy switches worth checking after installing any app, see our 10 iPhone settings you should change. And if you mainly want an AI writing assistant, you may not need a keyboard at all; see how to use Claude AI on iPhone.
Catches and limits
- No real-world speed numbers. I did not time anyone, and none of the sources give reliable words-per-minute figures, so I make no speed claims.
- Prices vary. App Store prices differ by country and change; check the listing.
- Update dates mean support, not safety. An old update date does not prove a keyboard stopped working, only that it may not be fixed for new iOS versions.
FAQ
Is it safe to use a third-party keyboard?
It depends on the developer. Without Full Access, risk is lower; with it, you are trusting the company with what you type. Choose known developers and read the privacy label.
Can a keyboard read my passwords?
Anything you type with a keyboard is visible to it. Apple's own disclaimer, as quoted by Macworld, says a keyboard with Full Access may send anything you type to its developer's servers.
Does iOS 27 change third-party keyboards?
I found no iOS 27 change specific to third-party keyboards. The reported typing changes concern Apple's own keyboard, languages and dictation.
My verdict
For most readers, the built-in keyboard plus iOS 27's language and dictation improvements is enough, and it is the only choice that adds no new company to your typing. If you want more, SwiftKey is the safest feature-rich pick based on current update status, and Grammarly is the writing-help pick if you accept its account and cloud service. Treat Gboard as a legacy choice until Google updates it. Whatever you install, decide on Full Access deliberately.
What I could not verify: the live version of this post, Apple's current page on adding keyboards and Full Access (steps and wording come from a 2016 Macworld guide), and any independent privacy audit of these keyboards. Claims about Typewise and Yaps come from vendors or a vendor-published table. I did not test any keyboard myself.
Sources: App Store: Microsoft SwiftKey AI Keyboard | App Store: Gboard | App Store: Grammarly: AI Keyboard & Notes | Beebom: 5 Best Keyboard Apps for iPhone (Oct 2026) | Yaps: Best iPhone keyboard apps (vendor source) | 9to5Mac: iOS 27 language support | 9to5Mac: iOS 27 keyboards and typing | Tom's Guide: iOS 27 beta dictation | Macworld: Install and use third-party keyboards (2016)