Review: Clicks keyboard for iPhone

Clicks is a fascinating story, from start to, well... it hasn't finished yet and even as I write this, (what is effectively) a version 2 with notable improvements is being made for the new iPhone 16 series. The whole 'you don't need keyboards' motif came in with the Apple iPhone in 2007, so 17 years ago, but while that's true on the whole, there are a number of use cases where a keyboard is surprisingly handy:

• When writing anything more than a couple of sentences, in a social or messaging or business app, it's really handy to have the full display of content and the keyboard separate.
• In particular, when working with numbers, perhaps a spreadsheet, having 40% of the screen full of number or QWERTY input makes things very tricky. Clicks solves that elegantly.
• Using hot-keys that you've learned on, for example, a Mac. So Command-F to find something in a web page in Safari, or Command-N for a new message or email, or space bar to play/pause in YouTube or any other media app, that sort of thing. In practice, I only use half a dozen, but they're all time savers.
• When inputting passwords or equations or real names or numbers, occasions when a software keyboard is slower.

Those are very real 'pros' for Clicks. Balanced massively by the obvious caveat - the sheer size of the newly enclosed iPhone. Which is where I have to make a point that isn't addressed at all by most reviews or indeed by Clicks themselves. 

It's assumed by all of these people that you put your iPhone into the Clicks case and that's it for days, weeks, or months. So you're living with the size and weight 24/7. But I beg to differ. 

I treat Clicks as just another accessory. When I'm low on power, I snap on a MagSafe power bank. When I go out snapping, I consider my (also MagSafe) ShiftCam SnapGrip. When I think I'm going to need to work or at least be productive, I swap out my Ringke TPU case for Clicks. And, at the end of the day, I swap it back out. 

It takes 10 seconds to change cases, even allowing for the alignment into the Lightning port on Clicks. 10 seconds twice a day is nothing. Absolutely nothing. So Clicks is something I can add at a moment's notice. And similarly discard.

(the top section is more flexible and this helps insert the iPhone within the case body)

This is critical to me, as it allows me to appreciate all the positives in Clicks while not being overly inconvenienced by the negative. It's just part of this iPhone geek's accessory arsenal.

That out of the way, the build and design of Clicks is phenomenal (notwithstanding that a version 2 just got announced, for use with the iPhone 16 series):

• super-grippy rubberised edges make the cased iPhone almost impossible to drop.
• the vegan leather back behind the keyboard is a superb touch, gives extra grip and provides tactile feedback for your fingers cradling the device.
• the textured plastic back is beautifully judged to seem 100% solid when 'on' and yet the top section bends back far enough to insert the iPhone 'straight' when applying Clicks.
• the keys themselves have super feel, with so many memories of using old Nokias and Blackberrys - my muscle memory was there from day one, though I appreciate that younger people may be new to the idea and will take time to adjust, if at all.
• the keys are all backlit (and you can adjust the brightness), something which you'll only really appreciate the first time you find yourself with Clicks still installed after dark.

(snapped in the pitch dark and still working!)

Of note in my Clicks for iPhone 14 Pro Max here is that the use of the Lightning port means that if I need to connect with my Mac or my car with a cable, then Clicks offers passthrough and everything works. The same is true for the new v2 for iPhone 16 series with USB Type C, but not, notably, for the 15 series and Type C, where only charging works.

(Music syncing with my MacBook through the Lightning pass through)

The fit and finish, then, is excellent. The design also allows for apertures over microphone and speaker holes in the iPhone's bottom edge and neither seem significantly impaired.

With a physical keyboard connected, there's no touch cursor control in edited text, of course. The Clicks software implements a hack of sorts, mapping two groups of four letter keys, gaming-style, into 'nudge' controls. This can be turned on with a keypress and kind of works, but I'd still rather see capacitive keycaps in a future Clicks version, so that swipes would achieve a more natural effect. Here's hoping!

Almost the full set of iOS typing auto-correct features still work, i.e. you can mash away at the keys and it doesn't usually matter if you hit a few wrong ones because, just as with the on-screen keyboard, your attempt will get auto-corrected. I say 'almost' because there are some auto-correct peculiarities for words with an apostrophe in them - so those need a fraction more care when entering.

A handful of system wide hotkeys include Command-H to go back to the home screen, though a swipe up still works too. And Command-space brings up iOS's Spotlight search, so this plus typing a few characters from what you want to do or find works superbly.

(the hotkey to pop up the iOS software keyboard is mainly useful to insert emoji - yes, geeks can have fun. Occasionally! The microphone key kicks off iOS voice typing, giving another input option if you're in a rush and want to input faster but with a chance of some errors. The usual trade-off.)

Firmware updates are built-in, so new features and tweaks can (and are) added in as the product ages. A variety of 'locks' on the modifier keys are handy, but I had everything set as I wanted after only 30 seconds and I haven't changed anything since day one.

This being 'version 1' of Clicks, there are no MagSafe magnets, but with care I found that MagSafe accessories do (kind of ) work. Certainly my iPhone charges through the materials from Apple's MagSafe puck. Ditto from MagSafe power banks - and you can still feel where the magnetic sweet spot is. But I still lust after the 'version 2' design with larger, sculpted keys and MagSafe magnets - so maybe when I eventually upgrade to a 16 (or 17) series iPhone then I'll finally get the works!

I enjoy Clicks every time I put my iPhone into it. I also enjoy taking my iPhone out (after use) and enjoying how much smaller and lighter my phone is all over again. It's a cyclical arrangement and one which suits me perfectly.

There are so many occasions in my 'road warrior-lite' life where I'll want to deal with emails or spreadsheets 'on the go', or simply do some writing, and Clicks means that I can turn my iPhone into a themed workstation of sorts. With the keyboard in place, I want to do different things with the phone than when Clicks is off. It's a mindset thing.

Do I leave for a trip of any length without Clicks? Rarely. Granted, sometimes it starts off in my coat pocket, sometimes it starts in place, sometimes it never gets used at all. But I'm sure glad I have the option.

I know full well how hard it can be for a small company to get something manufactured, so kudos to the Clicks team for creating and then evolving and improving this accessory. Ignore the price - this is a quality bit of kit and if you really need it then price genuinely is no object.

PS. If you like my work then think about buying me a beer at paypal.me/stevelitchfield - thanks!