Going Greek? Here’s How To Type Greek Letters On Your iPhone!

To type Greek letters on your iPhone, you need to first enable the Greek language on your keyboard and then switch to Greek from English when required.

First, go to Settings > General > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and then select “Greek” from the list of available languages. Then come back to the text box where you have to type in Greek letters and tap on the (🌐) symbol. From here, select Greek as your primary input language.

Easy peasy, right?

While most iPhone users can easily switch between keyboards, it’s not the case for many. Why? That’s what we’ll explore throughout this article. Stay with us if you’re having trouble enabling the Greek keyboard on your iPhone.

Is There A Greek Keyboard On iPhone?

Yes, there is a Greek keyboard on the iPhone, and the best part is you can do a lot more than just type letters.

With iOS 16, you get the Greek interface available in different features of the iPhone, including:

  • System language
  • QuickType Keyboard
  • Autocorrection
  • VoiceOver, and more.

However, the accessibility is still limited for on-device dictation (voice-typing), QuickPath (slide-to-text), and picture-to-text detection features. Still, the benefits of having a Greek keyboard can not be overlooked, especially for language learners, students, and professionals who work in fields like literature, philosophy, or mathematics.

How Do I Type Greek Letters On iPhone?

To type Greek letters on an iPhone, you can follow these steps:

  • Go to “Settings” on your iPhone. Scroll down and select “General.”
How Do I Type Greek Letters On iPhone (1)
  • Tap on “Keyboard” and choose “Keyboards.”
How Do I Type Greek Letters On iPhone (3)
How Do I Type Greek Letters On iPhone (5)
  • Tap “Add New Keyboard.”
How Do I Type Greek Letters On iPhone (4)
  • Scroll down and select “Greek.”
How Do I Type Greek Letters On iPhone (2)

[Unable to find “Greek”? We’ll get into that in a minute. So, keep reading.]

Now that you have added the Greek keyboard to your iPhone, you can switch between keyboards (English > Greek) by tapping the globe icon on the keyboard.

 Here’s how to switch keyboards on iPhone:

  1. Open the app or text box where you want to type Greek letters. This could be iMessages, Docs, Notes, Safari, etc.
  2. Tap and hold the globe icon (🌐) on the keyboard. You’ll see a list of available keyboards in a pop-up menu.
Tap-and-hold-the-globe-icon
  • If you can’t see the globe icon, tap and hold the emoji icon (😃) instead. Now select the Greek keyboard from the pop-up menu.
  • This will switch your keyboard from English to Greek. To type a letter, simply tap the corresponding key on the keyboard.
switch your keyboard from English to Greek
  • To type an accent mark (e.g., “ά”), tap and hold the corresponding vowel key (e.g., “α”) until a menu of accent options appears. Then, slide your finger to select the accent mark you want to use.

Can’t Find The Greek Language On Your iPhone?

All iPhone models now support the Greek language for primary keyboard inputs. However, you may still have trouble enabling them. And this is regardless of the iOS version you’re running or your iPhone model.

So, where’s the Greek keyboard on your iPhone? Why can’t you change your iPhone keyboard to Greek? Let’s have a look.

  • You’re searching in the wrong Settings menu

When you go to keyboard settings, there are multiple options to choose from. Most often, users end up tapping the English keyboard setting instead of “Add New Keyboard.”

Add New Keyboard

It’s a whole different set of functions we’re dealing with. So, make sure you select “Add New Keyboard,” nothing else.

  • The App you’re using doesn’t support Greek

It’s pretty uncommon, but the app you’re using may restrict using Greek letters in their interface. Try enabling the keyboard on a different built-in app like iMessage, notes, etc.

  • The features you want are not available on iOS

As I mentioned, Apple is yet to introduce the Greek language in voice-typing, slide-to-text, and some other features on the iPhone. Just hold on tight. Who knows? They are probably working on it as we speak!

Now, there are alternatives to the iPhone’s built-in keyboard that offer tons of cool features. I’ll briefly talk about a couple of them.

Best Third-Party App to Type Greek on an iPhone

1. Microsoft SwiftKey

Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard

Microsoft SwiftKey is one of the most popular keyboard apps for iPhone. And just like the name suggests, you can swipe to write any text in any language you want, including Greek.

Some of its key features include:

  • Predictive text
  • Auto-correction
  • Swipe-to-type
  • Multilingual support
  • Emoji and GIF support
  • Customization options

Overall, Microsoft SwiftKey is a powerful keyboard app that can help you type Greek faster, more accurately, and with more personalized features.

2. Gboard- the Google Keyboard

Gboard – the Google Keyboard

Gboard probably needs no introduction! It’s one the best custom keyboards out there, with several features to enhance typing on iPhones. Here are some of its key features:

  • Multilingual support
  • Google Search integration
  • Glide typing
  • Emoji and GIF support
  • Voice typing
  • Customization options

Gboard is famous for its accurate voice-typing features. So, if you’re a fluent Greek speaker, don’t forget to take this for a spin!

How To Change The Keyboard To English From Greek?

Now, let’s say you successfully switched the keyboard to Greek. But how do you change it back to English?

You’ve guessed it right! The process is fairly straightforward. You just have to press and hold the globe icon or the emoji icon until a pop-up menu appears. Select “English“, and your keyboard will return to default settings in no time.

However, with iOS 15 updates, some users have reported issues while changing the keyboard. The globe icon seems to be missing or showing only half of it. So, they have to go back and forth on Settings to change keyboard input.

To fix this, try a simple restart. If that doesn’t work, check whether you’ve accidentally enabled display zoom. Magnifying the iPhone screen will take the globe icon out of sight, so make sure to rescale the display from Settings.

How To Translate from Greek To English With My iPhone?

Unfortunately, iPhones do not support a dictation feature for the Greek keyboard. So, if you’re traveling to Greece or meeting someone who only speaks Greek, use Siri as your personal translator.

Just tell Siri to translate from Greek to English and then ask the other person to start speaking. This may sound a bit embarrassing, but trust me, Siri can be a lifesaver!

Frequently Asked Question

What’s the Difference Between Greek and Greek Polytonic?

Greek and Greek polytonic refer to two different styles of writing the Greek language.

Greek is a modern writing system, while Greek polytonic is an older writing system that includes additional accent marks and diacritical symbols to indicate tone and pronunciation.

How Many Letters Are in The Greek Alphabet?

There are 24 letters. You’ll find all the letters on the iPhone keyboard.

Here’s a list of the letters available in the Greek alphabet.

Greek alphabet

What Are Some Common Phrases I Can Write in Greek?

Here’s a list of 10 common words and phrases you write using the iPhone Greek keyboard.

Greek PhraseEnglish TranslationGreek PhraseEnglish Translation
Γεια σου! Πώς είσαι;Hi! How are you?Πότε μπορείς να μιλήσεις;When can you talk?
Ευχαριστώ πολύ!Thank you very much!Καλό βράδυ!Good night!
Τι κάνεις;What are you doing?Θέλεις να βγούμε;Do you want to go out?
Ναι, είμαι διαθέσιμος/ηYes, I am availableΚαλή επιτυχία!Good luck!
Συγγνώμη, δεν μπορώ αυτή τη στιγμήSorry, I can’t right nowΑντίο!Goodbye!

Final Words

Before I wrap up this article, let’s give you some tips to enhance your typing experience. For example, if you want to use accents on your Greek letters, simply hold the letter until a series of accents pop-up next to the letter.

Also, you can create custom shortcuts to type common Greek letters on the go. Go to “Text Replacement” on keyboard settings, and create a keyboard shortcut for any phrase or word you want.

Install Hoplite Keyboard if you want to write in ancient Greek. With these tools and techniques, you’ll master the art of typing Greek in no time!

Mohammad Tarekul Islam

Hi there! This is Tarekul Islam and I oversee all the blog posts published on Techiaid, craft them to reader demands, and ensure you, as a reader, get your questions answered the best way possible. As somewhat of a tech geek myself, I often find it surprising how rapidly Apple has evolved into one of the best tech companies. And I'm more than happy to help you out if you're facing any issues with your Apple device.

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