iOS 16 Brings 86-Year-Old Dvorak Keyboard Layout to the iPhone, but It’s Not a Big Deal

Every year, Apple releases a new iOS and we all do the same ritual: update, poke around, and then tell a group chat,
“It feels… faster?” iOS 16 had the usual headline-makers (Lock Screen glow-up, Messages edits, and other things that
made everyone’s aunt feel briefly powerful). But tucked into the “blink and you’ll miss it” category was a tiny,
wonderfully nerdy change: the iPhone’s built-in keyboard finally added the classic Dvorak layout.

Dvorak is old. Like “invented when typewriters were still the main character” old. And yes, adding it to iOS 16 is
technically a big deal if you’re one of the people who already uses Dvorak. But for the rest of humanity? It’s more
like Apple adding a new spice rack label. Nice! Harmless! Not exactly a revolution.

What Actually Changed in iOS 16: Dvorak Goes Native

Before iOS 16, you could get Dvorak on an iPhone in a couple of clunky ways: install a third-party keyboard app, or
rely on hardware keyboard settings if you were using an external keyboard. The problem with third-party keyboards is
that they don’t always show up everywhere. Password fields and certain secure inputs often bounce you back to Apple’s
default keyboard, which is the digital equivalent of your car switching the steering wheel to the other side mid-turn.

With iOS 16, Dvorak became a first-party option for the on-screen keyboardbuilt in, official, and ready to confuse
anyone who borrows your phone and tries to type “lol.”

How to Turn It On (And Off When Your Friends Borrow Your Phone)

Enabling Dvorak is straightforward once you know where Apple hides keyboard layout options:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General > Keyboard.
3. Tap Keyboards.
4. Select your English keyboard.
5. Choose Dvorak as the layout.

After that, you can switch between keyboards/layouts using the globe/emoji key (depending on your setup).
Also worth noting: Dvorak support is generally presented as an English layout optionso if you’re expecting it to
magically appear across every language keyboard, you may be disappointed.

Why Dvorak Exists in the First Place

The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard was created in the 1930s by Dr. August Dvorak and William Dealey, and it was patented
in 1936. The goal was simple: reduce finger travel, keep commonly used letters on the home row, and make typing feel
less like your hands are doing interval training.

In plain English: QWERTY wasn’t designed to be “optimal” for your fingers; it was designed for early typewriter
constraints and, later, it became the default because habits are sticky. Dvorak was designed with efficiency and
ergonomics in mindat least on a physical keyboard with all ten fingers participating like a well-coached team.

The Home-Row Idea (And Why People Still Care)

A core Dvorak principle is that frequent letters should live under your fingers most of the time. That’s why vowels
are clustered and why common consonants are placed to encourage alternating hands (again, on a physical keyboard).
On desktops, many Dvorak devotees report less strain and a more “flowy” typing rhythm once they’ve adjusted.

Apple has supported Dvorak on Macs for a long time, including variants like left-handed and right-handed layouts.
So iOS 16 adding on-screen Dvorak feels less like Apple discovering Dvorak and more like Apple finally checking a box
on a very old to-do list.

So… Is Dvorak Better Than QWERTY?

This is where keyboard discussions become a hobby, a personality, andoccasionallya minor religion. The honest answer
is: it depends on what you mean by “better,” and who you are.

On a Laptop or Desktop, “Better” Can Mean Comfort

If you type a lot for workwriting, coding, support tickets, academic workthe “better” you might care about is
comfort over hours. Dvorak’s design aims to reduce awkward reaches and keep your hands more centered. For some people,
that feels genuinely nicer once they’re past the learning curve.

But “learning curve” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. Switching layouts means retraining muscle memory. Your
fingers will feel betrayed. Your brain will feel like it’s buffering. And if you regularly use other computers that
are still QWERTY, you may spend a while living a double life: Dvorak at home, QWERTY in the wild.

On a Phone, the Keyboard Layout Matters Less Than You Think

iPhone typing isn’t the same sport as desktop typing. Most people aren’t touch-typing on a glass rectangle with ten
fingers. They’re thumb typing, swipe typing, autocorrecting, using emoji as punctuation, and occasionally yelling at
dictation like it’s a tiny intern.

In that world, layout efficiency has less room to shine. Autocorrect and prediction smooth out a lot of “inefficient”
keystrokes. Swipe typing cares about gesture paths more than home-row theory. And iOS 16 itself leaned into
voice+typing workflows by improving dictation so the keyboard can stay visible while you talkmeaning your input method
is increasingly hybrid, not purely keyboard-driven.

So for most iPhone users, switching to Dvorak won’t instantly make texting faster. It might even make it slower for a
while. Like… painfully slower. Like “why is it taking me 45 seconds to type ‘on my way’?” slower.

Why Apple Added Dvorak Anyway

If Dvorak isn’t going to overthrow QWERTY on iPhones, why bother adding it? Because software platforms mature.
Eventually, the goal shifts from “build what most people need” to “support what some people truly rely on.”

1) It Helps People Who Already Use Dvorak

For committed Dvorak users, the on-screen keyboard being stuck in QWERTY was a daily annoyance. They could use Dvorak
on Macs and possibly on external keyboards, but the iPhone glass keyboard stayed stubbornly mainstream. iOS 16 removes
that friction. If Dvorak is already how your brain spells words, you shouldn’t have to “translate” every time you text.

2) It’s a Low-Risk, High-Goodwill Feature

Adding a layout doesn’t disrupt anyone who doesn’t want it. It doesn’t change the default. It doesn’t force a new UI.
It quietly makes the system more complete. Apple does a lot of “quiet completeness” workespecially in accessibility,
localization, and input methodsbecause it improves the platform without starting a culture war.

3) Because Even Steve Wozniak Cares

Dvorak has always had a certain “delightful oddball” status in tech circles, and Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak has
been associated with it as a fan. When a feature makes a small group of users very happyespecially influential,
keyboard-nerd usersit’s an easy win.

What to Expect If You Try Dvorak on iPhone

If you’re curious, go ahead and try it. Curiosity is how we end up with cool skills. Just go in with the right
expectations: the first few days will feel like your thumbs are wearing oven mitts.

Give It a Real Trial (Not a 90-Second Dare)

Switching layouts is not like switching a wallpaper. It’s more like switching which side of the road you drive on.
You can do it, but the first attempts should happen somewhere safelike a notes apprather than in a time-sensitive
message to your boss.

Expect “Mixed Keyboard Life” Problems

Many people type on multiple devices daily: work laptop, personal laptop, iPad, phone, maybe a shared family computer.
If only some of those are Dvorak, you’ll constantly context-switch. Some people adapt. Others decide the mental
overhead isn’t worth it. Neither is a moral failure; it’s just brain logistics.

Consider Whether You Swipe-Type or Dictate a Lot

If you mostly swipe-type, Dvorak may feel weird because swipe gestures were “learned” by your brain in QWERTY space.
If you mostly dictate, the keyboard layout might barely matter at all. Ironically, iOS 16 made dictation more
convenient, which reduces the practical impact of any keyboard layout change for many users.

Other iOS 16 Keyboard Upgrades That Matter More for Most People

If your goal is faster, less annoying iPhone typing, Dvorak isn’t the biggest iOS 16 keyboard story. The bigger story
is that Apple made typing more flexible: you can mix voice and typing more naturally, and you can even add subtle
tactile feedback to make the glass keyboard feel less like typing on a polite aquarium.

Dictation That Doesn’t Hijack the Keyboard

iOS 16 improved dictation so the keyboard can remain on screen while you dictate, letting you tap to correct, insert,
and continue typing without stopping dictation mode. It’s a small UI change that makes voice input feel less like a
separate tool and more like part of the typing experience.

Keyboard Haptics: Tiny Clicks, Big Feelings

iOS 16 also introduced optional keyboard hapticslittle vibrations on key presses. Some people love it because it
makes typing feel more precise; others turn it off immediately, either because they hate the sensation or they’re
protecting battery life like it’s an endangered species.

Security and Convenience Keep Creeping Into “Typing” Too

Modern typing isn’t only about lettersit’s also passwords, autofill, authentication prompts, and secure inputs.
iOS 16 continued Apple’s push toward more secure sign-ins (like passkeys support). None of that changes your keyboard
layout, but it does change the overall “typing workload” your phone asks of you.

The Bottom Line: Dvorak on iPhone Is Nice, Not Life-Changing

iOS 16 adding Dvorak is a thoughtful, slightly quirky improvement. It matters a lot to a small group of people who
already live in Dvorak. For everyone else, it’s mostly a reminder that iPhones are mature platforms nowplatforms where
Apple can afford to polish the edges and support niche preferences without trying to sell them as a moon landing.

If you’re a Dvorak user, iOS 16 probably felt like Apple finally saying, “We see you.” If you’re a QWERTY user, it’s
okay to keep living your best, perfectly adequate, default-layout life.

Experiences: What Using Dvorak on iOS 16 Feels Like in Real Life

Because “Dvorak on iPhone” sounds abstract until you imagine the day-to-day, here are some realistic experiences people
tend to have when they flip the switchwhether they’re long-time Dvorak users or just curious keyboard tourists.

Experience #1: The Long-Time Dvorak User Finally Stops Translating

If you’ve used Dvorak on your computer for years, your brain doesn’t think in “where are the keys?” anymore. Words just
happen. On pre–iOS 16 iPhones, that flow often broke the moment you needed to type on glass. You’d either suffer through
QWERTY, install a third-party keyboard (and then get bounced back to the Apple keyboard for passwords), or avoid typing
altogether and overuse voice dictation in public like a very confident spy.

With iOS 16, the biggest “experience” is relief. Texting becomes consistent with how you type everywhere else. You stop
doing that tiny mental map conversion for every message. The first day feels oddly calmlike you finally matched all
your socks. You might not type dramatically faster, but you feel less annoyed, and that’s an underrated productivity win.

Experience #2: The QWERTY User Tries Dvorak and Immediately Regrets Everything

This is the classic trial: you enable Dvorak out of curiosity, open Messages, and try to type “Hey.” Two minutes later,
you’ve typed something like “Jt.,” and you’re questioning your literacy. That’s normal. Your thumbs have years of QWERTY
muscle memory. They are not impressed by your new hobby.

The emotional arc tends to go like this: (1) confusion, (2) slow-motion typing, (3) accidental profanity because you hit
the wrong key again, (4) a brief moment where a word comes out correctly and you feel like a wizard, (5) a return to
confusion. If you stick with it, the “wizard moments” become more frequentbut it takes time. Most people bail early,
which is why Dvorak remains niche.

Experience #3: Thumb Typing Doesn’t Match the Dvorak Sales Pitch

Dvorak was designed around finger travel on physical keys, not two-thumb tapping on a touchscreen. On iPhone, your thumbs
already move differently than touch-typing fingers do. Some users report that Dvorak still feels comfortable because
common letters cluster in ways that feel natural. Others feel that QWERTY is simply “shaped” better for phone typing
because it’s what they’ve practiced for years and what the phone keyboard experience has been tuned around culturally.

The practical truth: your iPhone typing speed is often limited more by autocorrect choices, the size of the keys, and
how often you’re multitasking than by whether you’re on QWERTY or Dvorak.

Experience #4: Dvorak Makes You Notice iOS 16’s Other Typing Tools

Switching layouts makes you hyper-aware of everything else iOS does to help you input text. Predictive text becomes a
lifeline during the transition. Dictation becomes your “break glass in case of emergency” option when you need to send
a long message quickly. And iOS 16’s improved dictation flowkeeping the keyboard on screenfeels even more valuable
because you can bounce between voice and taps while your thumbs are still learning the new geography.

Some people also turn on keyboard haptics during the switch because the subtle click feedback helps confirm key presses.
Others do the opposite and turn haptics off because they don’t want their phone buzzing like an excited bumblebee every
time they misspell “definitely.”

Experience #5: You Become “That Person” in Group Chats (In a Fun Way)

Once you enable Dvorak, you will eventually forget you did it. Then someone will borrow your phone to look something up
and try to type. They will pause. Their eyebrows will do a little interpretive dance. And you will get to say,
casually, “Oh yeah, it’s Dvorak.”

This is a small joy. It’s also a reminder to keep a quick path back to QWERTY if you share your device with family
members or if you regularly help someone else type on your phone. Dvorak is friendly, but it is not universally fluent.

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