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If you accidentally edit a cell, esc removes focus from the cell without committing the changes. Or if you need to focus within the cell to e.g. copy a formula, ESC lets you leave without needing to put your hand on the mouse. It’s truly miserable trying to use spreadsheets on the iPad without having ESC. Once the reset is complete, you can set up your iPad as new or choose to restore your previous settings and data. At Asurion, we don't just fix your devices, we fix the frustration you feel when your tech doesn't work—from solvingissues with your Face ID® torepairing a broken iPhone® speaker.

Many people have mentioned trying Command + HH to access multitasking. It does seem to work in iOS simulator, but it doesn’t work for me on my iPad Pro with the actual Smart Keyboard. I know right, how can an Apple keyboard not be compatible with Apple "It just doesn't work" how can Logitech other companies make Apple keyboard layouts "That just work"with Apple products. Now, I am a big Apple fan but I do love Logitech's solar lineup.
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Only the virtual keyboard is built-in; everything else is an optional add-on. Long-press on several keys offers MANY rarely-used options. Though I don’t know why ESC isn’t available, it seems clearly intentional. Pressing the fn function key and Home button together will mimic pressing the Escape key button on most third party iPad keyboards that have the square / home button on the keyboard.
If you have an external keyboard connected to your iPad, you can use keyboard shortcuts to do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device. BuyThe Smart Keyboard Folio is a comfortable keyboard when you need one, and it provides front and back protection when you don’t. BuyThe Magic Keyboard Folio is the perfect iPad companion.
iPad mini
None of the options above work and the picture shown at the beginning is of the 2nd gen smart keyboard. There’s no square key either since it’s Apple’s smart keyboard so that option is out too. Control Open Bracket sends an escape signal in many terminal, it is quite old, so funny to me Apple allows this on the iPad, but then again without an escape key there must be SOMETHING that sends Escape! Even the Apple Maps application on iPad offers the ESCAPE key as an option to cancel a search when keyboard attached, so, incongruent a bit for this company to remove this key. The Apple Smart Keyboard is an official iPad keyboard. Additionally, you can connect just about any Bluetooth keyboard to an iPad if you want to do so, and there are many keyboard cases for iPad too.
It features an incredible typing experience, a built-in trackpad to handle precision tasks, and a 14-key function row. The versatile two-piece design includes a detachable keyboard and a protective back panel that both attach magnetically to iPad. An adjustable stand offers smooth, continuous viewing. And the Magic Keyboard Folio helps iPad stay protected wherever you go. There are multiple keyboard shortcuts that you can use to perform commands.
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For example, Termius for iPad can use CONTROL ` to mimic the Escape key. Prompt and some other third party iPad apps with SSH and command line capabilities will have touch screen controls to mimic the ESC escape key too. The alternative ESC key options for third party apps depend on those individual apps, and are not always the same. The virtual onscreen iPad keyboard does not include ESC by default, unless a third party app added one in an additional function row. Regardless, remembering the key combinations above to type the escape key on an iPad keyboard can be helpful. For one, in the Apple Maps application the keyboard shortcut “ESC” is specifically mentioned as a way to cancel searches.
If you’ve owned a Mac for many years, this is the same way you’ve been accessing Spotlight search since pretty much the dawn of OS X. Just like on your Mac, you can quickly access Spotlight Search with the Smart Keyboard by using the Command + Space shortcut. Command + H lets you quickly return to your iPad’s Home screen without having to reach for the Home button. In hindsight, not all my frustration should have been attributed to the Smart Keyboard.
Hopefully, over time, more options will be added and more functionality will make its way to the Smart Keyboard, just like it did with Bluetooth keyboards. One of the first things you’ll most likely scratch your head at, particularly if you’re a new Smart Keyboard owner, is how to access the emoji keyboard. This isn’t just a question I get from Smart Keyboard owners, but owners of any hardware keyboard.
I have iPad as well, it is for consumption since I can not produce a thing on it except a scribble, hehe. In that case, just press the ESC key to type the escape key on the Mac or PC keyboard that is connected to iPad. If the iPad keyboard has a square shaped Home button in the upper left corner, you can use that with the FN key combined as a keyboard shortcut to function as an ESC key. For now, I’m willing to take the trade-off for the portability the Smart Keyboard offers.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro was just not a good fit for me personally. I much preferred the size and portability of the iPad Air 2, so I went back to it. Apple has extended service on the Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro to address "functional issues." I also have a Mac Keyboard paired with this iPad 3 and the question is...

To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question. MacRumors attracts a broad audience of both consumers and professionals interested in the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms. A detachable keyboard and a protective back panel attach magnetically. To use the keyboard, your iPad needs to be in the groove above the number keys and folded in the type position.
To access it, just hold down the Command key and press the Tab key. However, you can instead use Command+H to return to the Home screen of your iPad Pro from wherever you are. Once I realized I could do this, it clicked instantly. And if you use a Mac, you’ll recognize this shortcut from there as well, where it’s used to hide windows. My first few days with the Smart Keyboard took some adjusting.

It is a dedicated keyboard for iPads and does NOT use bluetooth connectivity but rather a special connector only found on the specific iPad models that are compatible with it. So it is just as correct to refer to the Smart Keyboard as the iPad keyboard as it is to refer to the onscreen keyboard as the iPad keyboard. So, how do you type the Escape key on an iPad, iPad Air, or iPad Pro keyboard then? Despite often not having an ESC key, you can type it on most iPad keyboards, and we’ll show you several different ways that you can type Escape on iPad using a variety of options.