diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-body.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-body.js.es6
index 99cf7b65f48..4a2fa237e32 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-body.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-body.js.es6
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import afterTransition from "discourse/lib/after-transition";
 import positioningWorkaround from "discourse/lib/safari-hacks";
 import { headerHeight } from "discourse/components/site-header";
 import KeyEnterEscape from "discourse/mixins/key-enter-escape";
+import { iOSWithVisualViewport } from "discourse/lib/utilities";
 
 const START_EVENTS = "touchstart mousedown";
 const DRAG_EVENTS = "touchmove mousemove";
@@ -132,16 +133,12 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend(KeyEnterEscape, {
       $document.on(END_EVENTS, endDrag);
     });
 
-    if (this.shouldUseVisualViewportListener()) {
+    if (iOSWithVisualViewport()) {
       this.viewportResize();
       window.visualViewport.addEventListener("resize", this.viewportResize);
     }
   },
 
-  shouldUseVisualViewportListener() {
-    return this.capabilities.isIOS && window.visualViewport !== undefined;
-  },
-
   viewportResize() {
     const composerVH = window.visualViewport.height * 0.01;
 
@@ -178,7 +175,7 @@ export default Ember.Component.extend(KeyEnterEscape, {
   willDestroyElement() {
     this._super(...arguments);
     this.appEvents.off("composer:resize", this, this.resize);
-    if (this.shouldUseVisualViewportListener()) {
+    if (iOSWithVisualViewport()) {
       window.visualViewport.removeEventListener("resize", this.viewportResize);
     }
   },
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences/interface.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences/interface.js.es6
index 072c42c3b63..e5b7bf42bf7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences/interface.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences/interface.js.es6
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ import {
   setLocalTheme
 } from "discourse/lib/theme-selector";
 import { popupAjaxError } from "discourse/lib/ajax-error";
-import { safariHacksDisabled, isiPad } from "discourse/lib/utilities";
+import {
+  safariHacksDisabled,
+  isiPad,
+  iOSWithVisualViewport
+} from "discourse/lib/utilities";
 
 const USER_HOMES = {
   1: "latest",
@@ -51,7 +55,9 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(PreferencesTabController, {
 
   @computed()
   isiPad() {
-    return isiPad();
+    // TODO: remove this preference checkbox when iOS adoption > 90%
+    // (currently only applies to iOS 12 and below)
+    return isiPad() && !iOSWithVisualViewport();
   },
 
   @computed()
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/safari-hacks.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/safari-hacks.js.es6
index bb190354768..c0c76750cf1 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/safari-hacks.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/safari-hacks.js.es6
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import debounce from "discourse/lib/debounce";
-import { safariHacksDisabled } from "discourse/lib/utilities";
+import {
+  safariHacksDisabled,
+  iOSWithVisualViewport
+} from "discourse/lib/utilities";
 
 // TODO: remove calcHeight once iOS 13 adoption > 90%
 // In iOS 13 and up we use visualViewport API to calculate height
@@ -95,7 +98,7 @@ function positioningWorkaround($fixedElement) {
       fixedElement.style.position = "";
       fixedElement.style.top = "";
 
-      if (window.visualViewport === undefined) {
+      if (!iOSWithVisualViewport()) {
         fixedElement.style.height = oldHeight;
         Ember.run.later(
           () => $(fixedElement).removeClass("no-transition"),
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ function positioningWorkaround($fixedElement) {
 
     fixedElement.style.top = "0px";
 
-    if (window.visualViewport === undefined) {
+    if (!iOSWithVisualViewport()) {
       const height = calcHeight();
       fixedElement.style.height = height + "px";
       $(fixedElement).addClass("no-transition");
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/utilities.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/utilities.js.es6
index 530f21d6ac3..599c3a4965a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/utilities.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/utilities.js.es6
@@ -544,6 +544,10 @@ export function isAppleDevice() {
 
 let iPadDetected = undefined;
 
+export function iOSWithVisualViewport() {
+  return isAppleDevice() && window.visualViewport !== undefined;
+}
+
 export function isiPad() {
   if (iPadDetected === undefined) {
     iPadDetected =
@@ -554,6 +558,8 @@ export function isiPad() {
 }
 
 export function safariHacksDisabled() {
+  if (iOSWithVisualViewport()) return false;
+
   let pref = localStorage.getItem("safari-hacks-disabled");
   let result = false;
   if (pref !== null) {