# FirstVoices Keyboards

> Indigenous language keyboard app for Apple devices supporting over 100 languages. (iPhone/iPad app by First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Council.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstvoices-keyboards/id1066651145 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/467922662)
- Category: Utilities, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.10/5 from 15 App Store ratings · 30 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 20 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2016-03-15
- Data updated: 2026-06-11
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstvoices-keyboards/id1066651145/reviews.md

## What is FirstVoices Keyboards?

The latest ground-breaking FirstVoices innovation from the First Peoples' Cultural Council is an Indigenous language keyboard app for Apple mobile devices. 

The FirstVoices Keyboard App contains keyboard software for over 100 languages, and includes every First Nations language in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, plus many languages in the USA.

When the FirstVoices Keyboard app is installed on an iPhone or iPad, any one of the 100+ custom keyboards can be activated in any application on the device. Users are able to select their keyboard(s) of choice within their email, social media, word processing or other apps, enabling unlimited communication in their mother language.

Interested in learning more about FirstVoices and our other Indigenous language apps? Please email First Peoples' Cultural Council: info@firstvoices.com.

## Key features

- Supports over 100 Indigenous languages
- Custom keyboards for any app
- Enables communication in mother tongue
- Works with email, social media, and word processing
- Available for iPhone and iPad

## Recent user reviews (10 of 30)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstvoices-keyboards/id1066651145/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Overall great app!

*2026-03-11*

Overall this app is amazing! These last two updates for IOS; has not been working. App crashes when I try to open the app. My keyboard doesn’t work either.

### 5/5 — Hello

*2025-11-18, version 18.0.243*

Book

### 1/5 — Non operational

*2025-07-17, version 18.0.238*

I just installed it and it only types English. Is it supposed to translate to Gitxsanimx? Blank space beside what language it is supposed to be and switches back and forth to gitsanimx keyboard but teaches me nothing? Maybe it’s supposed to just be a keyboard and doesn’t translate. I am bummed cuz I thought it would help me.

### 2/5 — There is a really bad bug in this app, the permissions need to be reset.

*2024-12-25*

Why Deleting Gboard and IPA Didn’t Work Immediately:
	•	Deleting other third-party keyboards should, in theory, force iOS to recognize FirstVoices. However, since the cache or system still holds onto keyboard hierarchy data, simply removing Gboard or IPA doesn’t always refresh the keyboard list.

Why This Can Be Persistent:
	•	If iOS doesn’t refresh the keyboard list properly, even reinstalling the app won’t help immediately.
	•	This is why resetting the keyboard dictionary, resetting all settings, or even hard rebooting is required – to force iOS to refresh the keyboard environment.

Apple’s Handling of Third-Party Keyboards:
	•	Apple has been restrictive and buggy with third-party keyboards since their introduction in iOS 8. The system often prioritizes security and privacy, leading to unpredictable behavior when managing non-Apple keyboards.
	•	Apple’s default keyboards don’t require “Full Access,” but most third-party keyboards do, creating a discrepancy in how they are handled by the OS.

Make sure to fix this bug, and I'm finding out if the third-party keyboard still appears in the globe button in the keyboard.

### 1/5 — Horrible

*2024-04-23, version 16.0.147*

I was not able to write in Mohawk do not down load

### 5/5 — Missing a letter “ǧ” in Lakota

*2024-01-27*

As someone learning Lakota I noticed that “ ǧ “ was nowhere to be seen on the keyboard. Aside from that as far as I can tell the rest of the stuff on the keyboard looks great 🧡

### 2/5 — Nothing but a grey box

*2023-02-04, version 16.0.138*

Used to work great until iOS update a few months ago. Just an empty grey box even after reinstalling app. :(

### 3/5 — Please update

*2022-11-28, version 15.0.273*

I feel lost having to write in this foreign language all the time. Please update. I miss my nuuchahnulth keyboard! My keyboard disappeared after the new iPhone update HELP i want my ncn keyboard back 😩

### 2/5 — Too many glitches to type

*2022-11-06, version 15.0.272*

This is the fourth or firth time in a couple months I have had the app glitch on my ipad to the point I have now had to delete my app even after restarting it and deleting then redownloading. Please fix this horrible glitch. It makes it hard to use my language skills daily when the tools I use via devices aren't available.

### 5/5 — UPDATE-Awesome! (Not working since upgrade to new iOS 16.0)

*2022-11-02, version 15.0.271*

UPDATE-restalled today and the keyboard is working again! Yayyy! Very pleased with this. Upgraded to 5 stars. 
—
The keyboard no longer displays. Just a blank grey box instead of keyboard. If you have new updates, maybe I can reinstall. But for now I deleted it.

## Frequently asked questions about FirstVoices Keyboards

### What does the FirstVoices Keyboards app do?

The FirstVoices Keyboards app provides custom keyboard software for over 100 Indigenous languages. It allows users to type in their native languages directly within any application on their Apple mobile devices, such as email, social media, or word processors.

### What languages are supported by FirstVoices Keyboards?

The app supports over 100 Indigenous languages, including every First Nations language in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as many languages from the USA. Users can select their preferred keyboard(s) from this extensive list.

### Is FirstVoices Keyboards free to use?

Yes, the FirstVoices Keyboards app is available for free. There are no costs associated with downloading or using the keyboard software on your Apple mobile device.

### What devices is FirstVoices Keyboards compatible with?

This app is designed for Apple mobile devices, specifically iPhones and iPads. Once installed, you can activate the custom keyboards within any application on these devices.

### How can I use FirstVoices Keyboards to communicate?

After installing the app and selecting your desired language keyboard, you can activate it within any application that uses a keyboard input. This allows you to seamlessly type messages, emails, or documents in your mother language.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 18.0.249 — 2026-03-27

Published on 2026-03-12.

* fix(ios): Revert Sentry to 8.38.0 to fix FirstVoices crash on startup with 18.0.247 (#15726)

* Minor fixes and performance improvements

### 18.0.248 — 2026-03-12

Published on 2026-03-09.

* maint(ios): upgrade to Xcode 26.2 (#15614)

* Minor fixes and performance improvements

### 18.0.247 — 2026-03-09

Published on 2026-02-04.

* cherrypick(common):  Update FirstVoices versions in keyboards.csv (#15273)
* docs(ios): Use /cdn/dev assets for Engine guides (#15274)
* chore(ios): Add fv_tlingityooxatangi to FirstVoices for iOS app (#15496)

* Minor fixes and performance improvements

### 18.0.246 — 2026-02-05

Published on 2025-12-03.


* Minor fixes and performance improvements

### 18.0.245 — 2025-12-03

Published on 2025-10-31.


* Minor fixes and performance improvements

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All apps by First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Council: https://appshunter.io/developer/467922662

## Related topics

[indigenous bc](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/indigenous-bc)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-11.*