Have you ever been typing on your iPhone and wished you could reach for a mouse to edit your message? While this isn’t exactly the solve-all for smartphone messaging, this handy hack will definitely make typing easier overall.
Follow these steps to use 3 fingers to copy, paste, and a handy trick to undo text on your iPhone and iPad.
How to copy and paste
Before we get into the latest iPhone typing trick, let’s go over the basic way to copy and paste on an iPhone.
If you want to copy text you’ve typed, the easiest way is to
- double tap a word to highlight it.
- Then you can extend that highlight bar using the blue dots on either side, and drag the highlight to cover all of the text you want to copy.
- A selection of options will pop up over your text, including Copy.
- Tap copy and your text will be copied.
This method works for copying text while reading an email or browser as well.
If you want to copy text someone else has sent via text,
- just hold down their message, and options will appear.
- Tap Copy, and their entire message will be copied.
- If you just want a portion of their message, you’ll have to edit it while pasting.
To paste the text you copied using the methods you used above, simply
- open whatever app you’d like to use.
- Tap in a blank space where you’d normally type, and if you successfully have text copied, the word Paste will appear.
- Just tap it and you’re set.
3 finger typing hack
How to copy, paste, and undo text using 3 fingers
The main key for this trick is to use your fingers as if you were pinching and zooming in on a photo with your fingers.
To copy text
- Select the text you would like to copy
- Pinch your three fingers together on the screen (from out to in).
- Try doing this on the quicker side. It may take a bit to initially get the hang of.
- When you do it right, you’ll see the word “Copy” appear at the top of your screen.
- Your text is now copied
To paste text
- Click wherever you’d like to paste your text – you can even open another app. IE – if you’ve typed up a grocery list on the notes app, you can copy it from notes and then open up Messages to send your list to someone
- Using three fingers, spread your fingers apart as if you’re zooming but with three fingers instead of two.
- When doing this, go relatively slowly.
- Your text is now pasted
Bonus Tip: To undo any typing
- Simply shake your iPhone or iPad (in any direction!) and you’ll receive a prompt if you want to undo your typing
- Click Undo and what you just typed will disappear
- If you want to redo what you just undid, simply shake again, and you’ll receive a prompt to Undo or Redo
Have you tried this hack on your Apple iPhone or iPad?