Accessing the Emoji (or any other) keyboard using an iPad is a straightforward affair if the keyboard is iOS-specific (such as the Logitech Keys-To-Go, with its dedicated media keys) or Apple’s excellent Magic Keyboard, where the Eject button serves to bring up an alternate keyboard.

But what if you want to use a mechanical keyboard, like the excellent Poker II I just started using? Turns out, it’s a key combo. From Six Colors:

How can [users] still access Apple’s emoji picker from said keyboard, without resorting to tapping the screen? Apple’s own Smart Keyboards have a dedicated key for switching the onscreen keyboards, but others, not so much.

Good news! There is a way. On any Bluetooth keyboard, just hit Control-Spacebar to bring up an onscreen keyboard switcher. (Make sure the cursor is in a text field; it doesn’t seem to work otherwise.) You can then either hit Control-Spacebar to switch between various keyboards, or use the Up and Down arrows on the keyboard.

Quick Tip: A keyboard shortcut to bring up the emoji keyboard on iOS – Six Colors