# FirstVoices Keyboards — user reviews

> 30 indexed App Store user reviews of FirstVoices Keyboards by First Peoples' Heritage Language and Culture Council, rated 4.10/5 from 15 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstvoices-keyboards/id1066651145/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstvoices-keyboards/id1066651145.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 8 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 2 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 1

## Newest reviews (10 of 30)

### 3/5 — Please update to work with new iOS

*2022-10-10, version 15.0.270*

I recently upgraded to an iPhone SE (3rd gen) with the latest iOS and the FV keyboards do not work. I can select them and then get a blank box where the keyboard should be. This app is so important.

### 4/5 — Missing alphabet letter

*2022-06-01, version 14.0.288*

So happy the Maliseet language is in it. Nut thr upside down “e” is missing.

### 4/5 — please fix important app!

*2021-12-05, version 14.0.283*

This app has been such a game changer in all my language work! Please please please fix it soon to work on the new iphones - language work is suffering without it!

### 3/5 — Doesn’t work with iOS 15.0.2

*2021-11-10, version 14.0.282*

My Nisga’a keyboard doesn’t work with the newest apple iOS 15.0.2 update. 😖 A friend warned me that it wouldn’t so I avoided the update for as long as possible but eventually I had to update. Please fix it asap! I miss the keyboard. I’m in the process of using my language daily and loved incorporating it into the digital space, but now it’s difficult to do that without the keyboard.

### 4/5 — iOS 15 update

*2021-10-08*

This app is great and wonderful but with iOS 15 update the keyboard isn’t working. Other than that this app is amazing.

### 4/5 — great app but xaad kil doesn’t seem to work anymore

*2021-08-10, version 14.0.280*

none of the necessary special characters like the _ under the G or an accent marker. I remember that this app once had those characters so idk what happened

### 3/5 — No keyboard

*2021-02-20, version 13.0.108*

I just upgraded my phone to the iphone pro max and when switching over to the kwakwala font the keyboard doesnt not show.  Hoping you can fix this so i can continue to use the app.

### 4/5 — Such an amazing app, but

*2020-12-02, version 13.0.108*

The keyboard sometimes glitches on occasions when I want to switch over to it and I can’t type with it.  When it decides to stop working, it will only show the large grey box where the keys are supposed to be. It’s just a glitch, but it does slightly irritate me, hehe. I love this app, as it is literally the best and only app for endangered language keyboards, pls pls fix this lil glitch if you get the chance. It makes my life working with Plains Y Cree a lot easier.

### 3/5 — Kaska

*2019-03-01, version 1.0*

Can you guys put kaska in it pls

### 3/5 — Language

*2016-05-30, version 1.0*

Swampy Cree is missing

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 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.

### 1/5 — Horrible

*2024-04-23, version 16.0.147*

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

### 1/5 — First voices (Inuktitut font)

*2021-10-12, version 14.0.282*

Doesn’t even work on my iPhone 8 although it did on my previous iPhone 8! So annoying so I won’t put a star… since it won’t let me send without a star I’ll put one although I shouldn’t

### 1/5 — Keyboard won’t type letters

*2021-10-06*

I followed the instructions for installing the keyboard, and can open the keyboard to type, but none of the letters actually work and they keep crashing the app. Such a bummer.

### 1/5 — Keyboard not working

*2020-05-12, version 1.0*

Keyboard stopped working properly on both my iPhone and iPad.

### 1/5 — No Maliseet Alphabet?

*2018-03-20, version 1.0*

So disappointed that the original Maliseet Alphabet developed by Linguist Karl V. Teeter was not included in this app. It incorporates a schwa which is not available on the Apple keyboard like it is on Samsung.

### 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.

### 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. :(

### 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.

### 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 😩

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Hello

*2025-11-18, version 18.0.243*

Book

### 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 🧡

### 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.

### 5/5 — great

*2021-09-29, version 14.0.282*

overall really good and useful, haven't experienced any glitches. Wish there was a keyboard for Blackfoot syllabics though!

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2019-02-09, version 1.0*

Been looking for a keyboard with hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ ever since I took an intro class and this is way more than I was looking for.

### 5/5 — Nt'oyaxsn!

*2016-05-18*

This is so helpful in using Sm'algyax on my phone.

### 5/5 — Mi'kmaw

*2016-05-17, version 1.0*

I love the app, in glad that I'm able to finally write in my language. Thank you to those who made it possible

### 5/5 — Excellent app!!

*2016-03-20, version 1.0*

With this groundbreaking free app, speakers of every Indigenous language and dialect in Canada, Australia & New Zealand can instantly access custom keyboards to write their language in text, email, word processing and even Web browsing on mobile devices. Congratulations FirstVoices! What a breakthrough!!

### 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.

### 4/5 — Confused

*2022-07-03, version 15.0.264*

So for Anishinaabemowin i cant put macrons on the vowels and without that i cant wright nothing so like help ig otherwise its rlly awesome

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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.*