Here are some top tech tips to get you typing at world-record speeds using your iPhone and iPad...
We live in a fast-paced digital age! Bosses want things done yesterday, customers want things done pronto and friends want you to respond now! It seems that the only way to thrive is to do things quickly and efficiently.
In addition, the traditional working day (in the business world) is no longer stipulated to be 9 to 5, in an office, at a desk. People are looking for remote and hybrid roles and are increasingly working on-the-go using phones and tablets. They can send emails whilst they travel to a client meeting, draw up documents whilst on a site visit or respond to instant messages on their commute.
In a study carried out by Aalto University, University of Cambridge and ETH Zurich, they found that “people type about 70% as fast on mobile devices as on full desktop keyboards.” Although we have got faster at typing on mobile devices, the desktop keyboard reigns supreme!
So how do you remain competitive in your productivity, using a mobile device, on the go? In this blog, we have compiled some top tech tips to get you typing at world-record speeds using your iPhone and iPad. We will cover:
- Text replacements
- Text predictions (QuickType)
- Slide to type (QuickPath)
- One-handed keyboards
- Security codes
- Switching between letters, numbers and special characters.
We’ll delay no more. On your marks, get set, get typing!
How to set up text replacements on iPhone and iPad
We all have our go-to phrases that we use all the time. Take emails, a lot of us will sign off a majority of our messages with the same phrase. Things like “please do not hesitate to contact me” or “thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.”
The “Text Replacement” feature on iPhone and iPad, allows you to create shorthands for these phrases – and longer words even – saving you typing them out in full.
To set up Text Replacement shorthands on your iPhone or iPad:
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
- Press the add (+) icon.
- Next to “Phrase,” enter the long phrase you would like to create a shorthand for. For example, “On my way.”
- Next to “Shortcut”, type in the respective shorthand for the above phrase. In this case, “omw.”
- Hit “Save.”
How to set up text predictions (QuickType) on iPhone and iPad
Similar to Text Replacement, “Text Predictions” or “Quicktype” is a feature that saves you from typing out a whole word. How does it work? When composing a message, when you begin typing out a word, three suggestions of what that word could be will be presented to you at the top of the keyboard. If they match, you simply tap the suggestion to insert it into your message.
To enable the “Text Predictions” or “QuickType” feature on your iPhone or iPad:
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
- Scroll down and switch the “Predictive” toggle to on.
How to set up slide to type (QuickPath) on iPhone and iPad
With the built-in slide to type – or QuickPath – feature on iOS, you don’t have to painstakingly enter every single letter of a word. You simply slide your finger roughly over the letters required for the word and your iPhone or iPad will guess the word you mean.
This feature doesn’t always guess your intended word correctly. In these instances, simply hit the backspace key and try again or type the word in instead. You may be thinking, why use this method, if you end up typing in the word anyway? On the whole, this is a way faster method of inputting text. A few inaccuracies here and there won’t detract from the time gained overall.
To enable the “Slide to Type” or “QuickPath” feature on your iPhone or iPad:
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
- Scroll down and switch the “Slide to Type” toggle to on.
How to set up one-handed keyboard on iPhone and iPad
When you are on the go, you may not always have both hands free. You could be on the train, holding on to the railing so you don’t fall over or walking along the street with your bag in hand. Trying to type one-handed onto the default, centralised keyboard, can prove quite tricky and awkward, especially if you have small digits!
Apple has made it possible to shrink the width of your keyboard and left or right align it, so that you can easily reach all the keys with your thumb when typing with one hand.
To switch to a one-handed keyboard layout:
- Press and hold the globe button which can be found in the bottom left-hand corner of your keyboard.
- Select the right- or left-handed keyboard layout icon, as applicable.
If you do not have a globe icon:
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > One-Handed Keyboard.
- Select the right- or left-handed keyboard layout, as applicable.
How to Enter Security Codes Quickly on iPhone and iPad
Two-factor authentication is becoming the norm for any account you sign into. When you are working, you may find yourself inputting lots of security codes. To manually do this on iPhone and iPad, you may find yourself switching apps multiple times, trying to remember and copy over the code. However, there is no need. There is a really quick and simple way to input them.
If you receive a security code via SMS or email, it will automatically come up as a keyboard ‘word suggestion’ when the SMS message or email arrives on the device. Just wait a second after you hear/see the message notification and the suggestion will pop up at the top of the keyboard when you are in the relevant app.
How to enter numbers and characters on iPhone and iPad
On a lot of the older models of iPad, in order to type in numbers or special characters, you had to tap the “.?123” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the keyboard to change the keyboard option to access them.
However, in some of the latest models of the iPad, the traditional Qwerty keyboard is a little bit different and way more efficient. Each letter key also has a number or a common special character attached to it too. This features above the letter and is smaller and in grey.
Rather than constantly switch between keyboards, all you have to do now is simply swipe down on the key with the relevant number or special character to enter it into your message.
At Appdrawn Software Development, our mission is to make software work for the user, not the other way round! Experiencing a technical issue? Why not browse our Tech Tip blog series for some answers and handy shortcuts to help you on your way.