Black keyboard pops up and gets stuck

[MiZDove]

This has been happening for awhile. I've tried looking up the solution but it's never quite exactly what is happening.

For no reason, out of the blue, a black keyboard will pop up across my screen - usually at the most inopportune times, and it won't close. Hitting the keyboard button is futile.

I have to click off the screen, click back on, so it will go back to my home screen (black keyboard still present). Then I swipe above it so it asks for my security code - and the keyboard goes away to allow me to type it in. (thankfully)

I adore my ipad. We have 4 iphones/ipads in this house. But I gotta say, these new iOS updates are turning my iPad into something that reminds me of a PC. Not good.

 

[MiZDove]

I forgot to mention, I'm talking about my iPad. Which version? Hard to say. It was called "The New iPad" when I bought it. Next gen after IPad 2, but not called iPad3 - and I have no idea what they are calling it now- since it's not "The New iPad" anymore. Fun stuff.

 

[twerppoet]

We went back to calling it the iPad 3. Even Apple seems to have given up on it, though they'd rather you called it the third generation iPad.

A black keyboard is usually a password entry keyboard. They don't go away until you enter the password, or exit the app. Might be what's happening.

 

[giradman]

I forgot to mention, I'm talking about my iPad. Which version? Hard to say. It was called "The New iPad" when I bought it. Next gen after IPad 2, but not called iPad3 - and I have no idea what they are calling it now- since it's not "The New iPad" anymore. Fun stuff.

Hello and welcome to the forum! As to your question in this post, simply look on the back of your iPad for its specific model number and then go HERE and match the number to the name - let us know (and also which iOS do you have installed - assume 8.x?).

As to your OP and the black keyboard, inversion of colors can cause this to occur but your description is just peculiar as to when this happens (and not sure if other colors change when the KB shows up?) - for starters, please 'Reset' the iPad, i.e. hold down both the ON-OFF & HOME buttons until the Apple logo appears, then release and let the iPad re-boot (you will not lose any apps, data, or settings) - let us know if this helps. Dave

 

[MiZDove]

Yes, it IS peculiar, isn't it. "When it happens" is anytime. I'll be minding my own business, doing any number of things - doesn't matter because it happens no matter what I'm doing. It will actually pop up when I'm doing nothing as well. The black keyboard pops up on my screen and won't go away. I use a bluetooth keyboard (the Zagg jacket and keyboard) and have since Day 1. This never happened before until the recent iOS updates. Worth noting that the normal onscreen keyboard screen pops up if the Zagg keyboard is acting up, that's normal.

But this black keyboard kidnapping my iPad? I couldn't have been more shocked. My trusty iPad never gives me cause or pause. It just "works". Well, until it didn't.

I'll try to reset. Thank you for that advice.

 

[giradman]

....I use a bluetooth keyboard (the Zagg jacket and keyboard) and have since Day 1. This never happened before until the recent iOS updates. Worth noting that the normal onscreen keyboard screen pops up if the Zagg keyboard is acting up, that's normal.....

I'll try to reset. Thank you for that advice.

Well, you've introduced another consideration not mentioned in the OP, i.e. the use of a BT KB which might be the issue - don't know at the moment? Try the 'Reset' as described; then if not effective, you may want to turn off BT and see if the problem still exists; also, go the the Zagg website to see if there may be a problem w/ iOS 8.x - Dave

 

[MiZDove]

Thanks so much. I hesitate to blame the Zagg keyboard when I've used it for years without issue. The keyboard isn't the one that got the iOS update that started generating the black keyboard of death.

To describe the offending keyboard a little better, it has a black background, with gray keys and white letters. It has a completely different look than the iPad's onscreen keyboard.

 

[giradman]

Did you try a 'Reset'? Can you do a 'screen capture' and post to this thread? Dave

 

[MiZDove]

Screen capture is a GREAT idea! I did a RESET though and it is not happening as often. Next time it does, I'll post a screen capture.

 

[MiZDove]

Alrighty, I finally got a screen capture of this mysterious black keyboard.

Again to get rid of it, I have to click off the screen so it goes to the lock screen, because having to put in my passcode is the only thing that the black screen removes itself for. So don't mind my dog photo as my home photo.

 

[twerppoet]

Odd. It looks a lot like the pre iOS 8 passcode keyboard.

The little gray line, top center of the keyboard, looks like the drag handle for the Control Center. If you swipe down on this, like you would to dismiss the Control Center, does it go down?

Try disabling the Control Center for the Lock Screen under Settings > Control Center and see if it goes away.

I don't see how any of this could happen without some sort of jailbreak tweak.

 

[giradman]

Hello again MizDove - thanks for the screen capture - I agree w/ TP about the apparent drag handle and will be interested in your response. Plus, I'm not sure that you have ever told us which iOS version you have installed? iOS 8.1.3 was just released (I installed on 3 iDevices last night) - if you have or plan to update to the newest version, let us know if it might have an effect on your KB issue. Dave

 

[MiZDove]

I'm always up to date with the iOS although I have not installed yesterday's yet. The drag handle doesn't do anything. Neither does tapping the keyboard key at the bottom right. The only way to get rid of it is to lock the screen by the button on the side of the iPad. The keyboard is still there when I wake it back up, but it will then go away when I swipe the screen to allow me to type in my 4 digit lock code onscreen. My iPad is not jailbroke. I bought it directly from Apple and it remains as it came from them.

It could be my Zagg keyboard reacting in some way to one of the updates. It's been doing this for awhile now. I could shut it off and see if it still happens, I suppose. It's just not a constant thing so it'll be hard to know when to call it.

 

[twerppoet]

So the keyboard doesn't always show up on the lock screen?

Yes, I'd try shutting down the Zag for a while and see what happens. If it fixes it, try forgetting the keyboard in the bluetooth settings then pairing it again. It might be a problem along those lines (though I have no idea why it would do something like that).

 

[The Merg]

I found a workaround for this issue on the Apple Discussion Forums. It appears that the Spotlight Search is getting control of the cursor, which causes the keyboard to appear after the BT keyboard is disconnected. Swipe down on the Home screen to make the Spotlight Search visible and then hit Cancel. That should get the keyboard to disappear.

Hopefully, Apple will figure out what is causing this. I think this issue showed up in one of the more recent iOS 8 updates.

- Merg

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