8 iPad, iPhone typing tips for speed demons
c/o Bob/Flickr
Tip by tip, I’m trying to get better at using iOS. From time-to-time, that means I use these tips to type on iPhone or iPad.
Multiple languages
You can install keyboards for different languages. That’s useful if you usually write UK English and want to write in Greek; it’s also useful if you’re attempting to write in US English. Open Settings>General>Keyboard>Keyboards and choose Add New Keyboard. This has two advantages: 1/ Spelling will then be checked in the appropriate language and 2/ Auto-correct will help you spell correctly. Switch between keyboards by tapping the globe icon (where you can also summon Emoji’s).
Swipe is alternate type
Do you know what those smaller greyed out characters you can see on an iPad Pro keyboard do? I’m ashamed to say it took me way too long to figure out how to use them – and it’s a wonder once you suss it out: Tap the keypad to type the main character, swipe down to type the alternate character. Put it this way: Swipe is alternate type. (Hold down on keys to find more items — it’s worth a look!)
Numbers are a drag
Need to type a number? You can tap 123 and then choose the number when it appears and then tap ABC to get back to the normal keyboard if you like, but if you tap and hold 123 you can then slide your finger to the number that magically becomes visible when you do that you need (keep your finger holding the screen as you do) to type that number. When you let go the screen the keyboard will return to the alphabetical keyboard. This sounds way more complex than it is, but it gets more slick as you get intuitive with it…
https://youtu.be/Edy2-wskVZU
Capitalism
Use the same trick for capitals – tap the Shift button, keep your finger down and slide it to the letter you want to type in capitals.
The currency is sliding
Tap and hold the $ button and keep holding to see a whole bunch of alternate currency symbols. Bitcoin not yet included…
Use a mouse 1
iOS doesn’t let you use a mouse, but when typing on an iPad, hold and press two fingers on the keyboard to navigate to wherever you want to place your insertion point, for example when editing a message. Move to where you want, raise your fingers, carry on. If you use a keyboard with your iPad, take a look at the keyboard shortcuts here.
Use a mouse 2
It’s different on a 3D Touch iPhone just press one finger for this – press a little harder to select a word, practise double press to select a sentence, and triple press to get a paragraph.
Never forget
On an iPad tap and drag the keyboard apart with you fingers, or tap the keyboard icon and choose Splitto get to the thumb-friendly split keyboard. Slide the halves together the same way or use the icon again to pull them together once again. On recent iPhones you can tap and hold the globe icon and slide it to the left or right of the screen to make the board easier to use one-handed.
Also read:
- 16 essential iOS typing tips for iPad and iPhone(I do like this one, lots of useful little ideas here)
- Sweet iOS secrets(Take a look)
- 7 iPhone tips that make you look smart(They kind of do)
- 11 essential iOS 9 keyboard tips(I wrote this in 2016, but still some good ideas).
