iPhone keyboard's hidden feature streamlines typing process - Streamlined iPhone keyboard feature enhances typing convenience secretly
Simple Techniques Unveiled: Effortlessly Navigate Your iPhone Keyboard for Seamless Typing
- Author: Malte Mansholt
- Published: 1 Minute
In the digital age, smartphones have evolved into our primary computing devices, motivating many individuals to compose even lengthy texts directly on their tiny screens. However, manipulating text—such as moving the cursor or copying a particular block—can prove tedious. Fortunately, your iPhone's keyboard provides a less stressful alternative.
Since the advent of iOS 13, navigating the cursor has become significantly easier. Instead of laboriously tapping on the intended spot within the text with your thick fingers, you can now simply hold down the space bar for a few seconds—allowing you to move the cursor freely around the screen. This feature initially launched on devices equipped with 3D Touch, but it is now accessible to all iPhones.
Effortless Text Selection
Text selection has become more intuitive than ever on the iPhone, contrasting the early days of the device. One tap marks a single word, while two taps select the entire paragraph. To copy or cut a sentence or a sequence from a lengthy text, however, adjusting the awkward selection symbols denoted by small circles becomes necessary.
To make the process less cumbersome, follow these steps: Hold down the space bar until the letter keys on the keyboard turn gray. This is the prompt that you can now move the cursor to the beginning of the text range you want to select. Leave it in place and continue holding down the space bar. With a second finger, tap briefly on any spot within the grayed-out keyboard area. As you move the finger on the space bar, the iPhone will highlight the text below the cursor for selection. Release once your desired text is marked.
If the text is emphasized in color, tap it once briefly to access options like copy, paste, or formatting options.
Remember, when positioning the cursor, it's essential to start the selection directly at a letter instead of a space, to prevent the entire preceding sentence from being selected.
- iPhone
- Apple iOS
- Keyboard
Knowledge Base:
The Comprehensive Guide
Selecting Text
- Placing the cursor: Tap and hold within the text area to bring up the magnifying glass, then slide it to position the cursor where you want to start your selection.
- Selecting text: Twice-tapping a word selects it. To choose a block of text, twice-tap and swipe across the words you want to highlight.
- Utilizing the quick selection tool: On iOS 13, after making a selection, you may encounter a vertical bar with handles. Drag these handles to modify your selection.
Manipulating Selected Text
- Cut, copy, or paste: Once text is selected, options will appear above or below your selection (Cut, Copy, Paste). Tap "Cut" or "Copy" to transfer or duplicate the text.
- Drag and drop (app-dependent): If you are using an app that supports drag and drop (such as Notes or Mail), you can tap and hold the selected text until it slightly lifts from the screen, then drag it to a new location within the same page—this feature had limited compatibility in iOS 13, but expanded support in subsequent updates [5].
- Keyboard copy/paste (alternative method): In certain apps, keyboard shortcuts (when using an external keyboard) can be used, although this feature is not standard on the iPhone’s virtual keyboard; it primarily applies to external devices [3].
Accessibility Features
- Voice Control: Utilize Voice Control to navigate and modify text via voice commands, accessible on iOS 13 and later. Activate Voice Control in Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control, then employ commands like "Select [text]" or "Cut that" and "Move to [position]" [4].
Summary Table
| Action | Execution on iOS 13 iPhone Keyboard ||----------------------|------------------------------------|| Select a word | Twice-tap on a word || Select a phrase | Twice-tap and swipe || Adjust selection | Use handles in the selection bar || Cut/Copy/Paste | Tap option after selecting text || Drag & Drop | Tap and hold, drag (app-dependent) || Voice Control | Enable in Accessibility settings |
These methods remain generally consistent across iOS versions, with drag and drop becoming more robust in recent updates (iOS 15+)[5]. In iOS 13, the majority of users will rely on selection and cut/copy/paste actions directly on the virtual keyboard.
- To navigate the vast realm of digital communication, smartphones, including electrical and electronic equipment like gadgets such as smartphones, have become our primary tools, allowing us to compose texts directly on their miniature screens.
- With the advent of technology in the form of iOS 13, the iPhone's keyboard has introduced streamlined techniques for navigating the cursor and text selection, making the process less tedious and more intuitive, transforming the way we interact with our devices.
