URGENT: iOS 26.5 broke my ONLY way to type (Airtype gone) – need replacement ASAP

By Michael Dunn, 12 May, 2026

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hi everyone,

I’m a blind VoiceOver user, and I’m dealing with a serious accessibility issue after updating to iOS 26.5.

Since 2022, I’ve relied entirely on an app called Airtype, which allowed me to type on my iPhone using my Windows laptop keyboard via a web interface. This wasn’t just a convenience—it was the only reliable way I could enter text such as email addresses, passwords, and messages.

As of iOS 26.5, Airtype is no longer available or functional.

Because of this, I’ve effectively lost my ability to type on my iPhone in any practical way. Touchscreen typing with VoiceOver is extremely difficult for me, and Braille Screen Input has not been reliable enough to use consistently.

I’ve searched the App Store extensively, but every result is the opposite of what I need (using the iPhone as a keyboard for a computer). I also tried older alternatives like KeyWi, but they appear unsafe or no longer maintained.

So I’m asking:

* Does ANY current app replicate Airtype’s functionality (typing from a Windows PC to iPhone over Wi-Fi or web)?
* Has anyone found a reliable workaround that allows full text entry from a computer keyboard?
* Is there any built-in iOS accessibility feature I may be missing?

This is urgent. Without a solution, my ability to communicate via iMessage and other apps is severely limited.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Michael

Options

Comments

By Gar on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 11:44

Hi there,
Sorry to hear that AirType no longer works for you. Have you considered purchasing a bluetooth keyboard? I realize that's not necessarily as portable, but it's a decent option for a lot of use cases. Alternatively, perhaps you could get a braille display through your government, depending on where you live. Those are much smaller, and a unit might come with a carrying case you can use.
Hope this helps.

By Christopher Hallsworth on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 11:47

Hello.

Have you tried a bluetooth keyboard? This lets you not only type directly on your iPhone through a tactile qwerty keyboard; it also acts as a remote control for your device. For example, you can, in some cases completely control your iPhone using VoiceOver's keyboard commands. For reference, go to settings/accessibility/VoiceOver/commands/keyboard shortcuts. Finally as of iOS 26, you can type in Braille as well as use Braille commands directly from a bluetooth keyboard. This was actually implemented in later versions of iOS 18, however functionality has improved as of 26.x.

I hope this helps, and good luck with your research into a bluetooth keyboard should you go down this route.

By Michael Feir on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 11:56

I don't understand why you ever bothered with an app rather than just getting a Bluetooth keyboard. There's such a wide range of them out there. I like ones from a company called Nuphy. They're mechanical keyboards which feel great to type on. Logitech makes a number of more budget friendly keyboards which work very well with iPhones. Protoarc makes folding Bluetooth keyboards. I like their KX04 keyboard. There's a lot of good choices and you won't need to go through your laptop. The keyboards pair directly with your iPhone. Get one with uses Bluetooth 5 at a minimum to avoid Bluetooth lag. Some keyboards, including ones from Nuphy and Keychron, can also connect directly to more modern iPhones which have USB C ports rather than the older Lightning system Apple has now abandonned. Hope this helps get you out of your predicament.