App at a glance
Make Your Own Keyboard is a free iPhone utility from developer Jack Goossen that lets you build custom on-screen keyboards from plain text. It’s aimed at anyone who needs nonstandard input layouts — from regional dialects and historical languages to productivity-focused arrangements and playful symbol sets.
Key capabilities
- Create fully custom keyboard layouts using simple text files.
- Browse and grab Unicode symbols from the app’s integrated web tool for easy copy-and-paste.
- Start quickly with a variety of pre-made templates and practical examples.
- Export and import keyboard packs to move layouts between devices or to share with others.
- Add special characters, decorative glyphs, and other unique inputs to your personal layout.
- Works well for niche languages, custom workflows, and experimental keyboard designs.
How it works
You define the keys and their characters using plain text, then apply or save the layout inside the app. Templates and sample keyboards reduce the setup time — simply edit an example to suit your needs or build a new layout from scratch. The built-in browser is handy for locating uncommon characters and inserting them into your keyboard definitions.
Moving and sharing keyboards
The app supports exporting and importing keyboard files, which makes it straightforward to back up your layouts or distribute them to colleagues and friends. Importing a shared keyboard on another device restores the exact layout and characters so you can keep the same setup across multiple iPhones.
Who benefits most
- Users needing support for minority or historic languages.
- People who want to optimize typing for specific tasks or shortcuts.
- Creators who enjoy adding decorative characters or custom symbols.
- Anyone who prefers a keyboard tailored to their personal workflow.
Alternative to consider
Suggested substitute: AppValley — a free option often recommended for discovering alternative keyboard tools and related utilities.
Technical
- iPhone
- Free