Speed Up iPhone Typing With This Simple Keyboard Trick

[MacRumors]

iPhone users often find themselves toggling between different keyboard layouts to type messages, emails, or fill out forms. This can slow down communication and disrupt your flow. But there are ways to streamline the process. If this quick tip is new to you, it could revolutionize the way you type on your iPhone and save you precious time.

Switching away from the alphabetic keyboard layout when you need to type a number or symbol is an all-too-often occurrence on ‌iPhone‌, so here's a quick tip for making the transition super-swift.

Rather than tap the "123" key in the bottom-left corner to switch to the number/symbol keyboard, hold down on the key and then slide your finger over to the number/symbol that you want to type, then let go.

This single action types the number/symbol and automatically switches you right back into the alphabetical layout, avoiding the need to perform three separate taps to achieve the same result.

So next time you find yourself needing to insert a number or symbol, remember this trick and you can type away without pause.

Article Link: Speed Up iPhone Typing With This Simple Keyboard Trick

 

[Nik]

Today I learned.

 

[d245770q]

That doesn’t work for me… when I long press I get no numbers show up? Any ideas?

 

[iZac]

If this thread is going to be a keyboard tips-and-tricks compendium then I’ll add something that took me years to learn.

If you hold your thumb on the spacebar it activates the cursor, offset without your finger being in the way of the text block.

 

[Godspeed8230]

Today I learned.

Indeed. It's like holding down the space bar to move the cursor and easily correct words - a hidden, very useful feature.

 

[stringbeanie]

Doesn’t work for me either. Maybe a setting has to be enabled first.

 

[JosephAW]

Enabling and learning swipe also improves speed especially one hand writing
Eventually you can write without looking like we used to do with the old flip phones

 

[michaelfyod]

In notes app on iphone in bullet list you can tap shift+enter to go to the next line without bulleting.

 

[twintin]

Doesn’t work for me either. Maybe a setting has to be enabled first.

That doesn’t work for me… when I long press I get no numbers show up? Any ideas?

When you press the 123 key, do you see the numeric keyboard ?

If so, without lifting you thumb (or whatever finger you use), just slide it over the number (or other character) you want and lift the finger. Now the selected character should be written and the keyboard return to the alphabetical keyboard.

Does it not work like that for you ?

 

[neuropsychguy]

That doesn’t work for me… when I long press I get no numbers show up? Any ideas?

I've tried it in Safari, Notes, and iMessages and it's worked. Did you long-hold the 123? If you just tap the 123 does that switch the keyboard?

 

[kenny7]

brilliant

 

[NoIdentity]

If this thread is going to be a keyboard tips-and-tricks compendium then I’ll add something that took me years to learn.

If you hold your thumb on the space key it activates the cursor offset without your finger being in the way of the text block.

This changes everything!

 

[emdub]

been doing this since copy paste made it to the phone

 

[coffeemilktea]

After years of reading Internet articles, I'm glad I finally found one that offered a genuinely helpful "One Simple Trick™" to improving my life

 

[gsmornot]

I know we dont like Android here but, I like how they have a number row above the keyboard as part of the standard view. It's optional, so you dont have to, but you can. It's a timesaver. This is a good trick though. I have used it many times but forget about it eventually until I am reminded again, appreciate it.

 

[amaze1499]

Rather than tap the "123" key in thbottom-left corner to switch to the number/symbol keyboard, hold down on the key and then slide your finger over to the number/symbol that you want to type, then let go.

Which key are you talking about? I press the 123 key and the numbers come up. What is more efficient than that?

 

[orpheus1120]

It's not necessary. When you press the 123 key to type a number, pressing the space key will switch the layout back to alphabetic keyboard. Since most times what follows after you type a digit is either another digit or a new word . This trick is only helpful when what you're trying to do is type a digit and letters together like "1st" or "2nd" etc.

There is an exception though: when you are typing on the url bar of safari. Pressing space key when u are in numeric keyboard won't get you back to alphabetic keyboard.

 

[tweaknmod]

I know we dont like Android here but, I like how they have a number row above the keyboard as part of the standard view. It's optional, so you dont have to, but you can. It's a timesaver. This is a good trick though. I have used it many times but forget about it eventually until I am reminded again, appreciate it.

I like Android just fine.
Options are good. Competition is good. Different opinions and perspectives are good!

 

[twintin]

Which key are you talking about? I press the 123 key and the numbers come up. What is more efficient than that?

Your solution:

1 press the 123 key
2 release the 123 key
3 select a number
4 press ABC key
5 release the ABC key

compared to:

1 press and hold the 123 key;
2 slide your finger to desired number;
3 release the numeric key and you are back to the alphabetic keyboard.

technically you save two actions. Whether that makes your day, is up to you.

 

[trainwrecka]

I still can’t believe with how much the screen has grown, we still don’t have the number row by default.

 

[twintin]

It's not necessary. When you press the 123 key to type a number, pressing the space key will switch the layout back to alphabetic keyboard. Since most times what follows after you type a digit is either another digit or a new word . This trick is only helpful when what you're trying to do is type a digit and letters together like "1st" or "2nd" etc.

There is an exception though: when you are typing on the url bar of safari. Pressing space key when u are in numeric keyboard won't get you back to alphabetic keyboard.

Does not work e.g. in iMessages or Notes (it just stays in the numeric mode after space).

 

[Nikita Razinkov]

Thanks for the tip

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

It’s a bit counterintuitive at first.

But it does work and is faster than switching fully to the numerical keyboard.

I wish they’d done a video or gif of this as I know many will think it’s not working for them.

 

[Hopefully Smarter]

This behavior is inconsistent. That's the problem.

 

[Saturn007]

If this thread is going to be a keyboard tips-and-tricks compendium then I’ll add something that took me years to learn.

If you hold your thumb on the space key it activates the cursor offset without your finger being in the way of the text block.

Indeed. It's like holding down the space bar to move the cursor and easily correct words - a hidden, very useful feature.

Now, that’s useful.

The article's tip is cool, but it doesn't help if you want to type 2-digit or greater numbers! Then, it's a hindrance, not a help.

It also doesn't resolve a bigger issue. That is, the auto-switching back to the alphabetic keyboard. I'm often typing a string of numbers — e.g., 34, 56, 128 — and after each space, it goes back to the alphabet. A nuisance.