iOS 8.1.3 - Braille keyboard feature completely unusable for Me

The Braille keyboard works just fine on my iPhone 5S running 8.1.3. i need to test on my iPadmini when I update it later today.

What device are you using?

Hello,
I have no problems with it. I have an IPhone six. I have used the keyboard feature since it came out, so I don't know if it would make a difference for those who try to use it for the first time with this version, 8.1.3.

Everything is working fine with the braille keyboard feature on my end. I just sent someone a message using this feature, and it worked flawlessly.

I have had some problems entering my passcode on the lock screen with the braille keyboard since updating, though text entry seems fine in notes and messages etc. Particularly on the lock screen ios8.1.2 seemed to give you lots of flexibility with finger placement, now not so much. I was also unable to enter my passcode in braille in the field before downloading, was much easier to use conventional keyboard and swipe, so did that instead. Can't really confirm if this behavior is a bug or simply my mistakes at this stage.

Hi Martin! Just tested on my iPhone 5C, and it works as previously. Have you tried to reboot your phone by holding down the power and home buttons for 10 seconds? My language of the IOS is set to Danish, so I don't think it is language specific. Hope you'll get the keyboard to work again. Best regards Thomas

Hi Martin!

This is quite interesting. I use it the same way as you're saying, and it doesn't shut down here. However I have some issues when typing fast on it, therefor I've decided to use MBraille when writing longer messages. I've tried to test it from the homescreen, and I can't get it to restart Voiceover. Can you give some examples where you find that it crashes? Then I'll be happy to give it some tests here.

Hi! I just did a quick test with Braille Screen Input under IOS 8.1.3 with my iPhone 6, and it worked the same here as it always has done, with words coming out correctly as long as I place my fingers in the right position on the screen. I don't type passwords or passcodes with Braille Screen Input, so I didn't test that, nor did I test contracted braille, as I tend to use the six dot mode because it has better typing feedback. I've found it's bettter to change the keyboard, as you do for onscreen typing, if you want to change the language you're brailling in: if you have tried to braille in English using the German keyboard, that might explain why things don't work so well. That shouldn't make Braille Screen Input shut down, though, nor should you lose VoiceOver, judging from my own experience. I don't use Braille Screen Input all the time, but I've found that it usually tends to work well for me when I do use it, and I'm sorry others have far more problems with it than I do.

Just some additional confirmation, Braille is functioning as expected, previous issues with passcode failure, were my incorrect finger placement. I've attributed this to a new casewhich positions the phone slightly differently.

I always use Screen Away mode myself,, as I'm honestly not really sure how to position my fingers for Tabletop Mode, and I've never had any trouble with it, except typos because I'm not the world's most perfect braillist an yway, but I already mentioned that above.

Though I haven't had the issue myself, I have seen this issue reported by a couple of other users in the past. The best theory I can come up with is that the dot calibration for screen away mode may be getting corrupted, causing VoiceOver to crash when trying to use braille screen input in that orientation. If this is the case, a reset of the VoiceOver settings would take care of it, though I don't know how one would go about doing that.

When you open Braille Screen Input and put it in Screen Away mode, VoiceOver will tell you the orientation is Landscape if that has changed, then it usually prompts you to calibrate the dots by pressing three fingers on the right-hand-end of the screen then three on the left-hand end without lifting the first three. I've sometimes found that this calibration gesture can make all six dots be brailled, or just some of them, but this can easily be got rid of with a swipe to the left with one finger to clear any character you accidentally brailled by calibrating the dots. I sometimes start brailling without listening to the calibration prompt, but that still seems to work for me, probably because I'm getting used to where my fingrs should be in Screen Away mode.