iPhone standard keyboard is known for making one simple task incredibly difficult: positioning the cursor exactly where you need it. The standard method involves pressing and holding your finger to trigger a magnifying bubble, but even with this visual aid, getting the cursor to the right spot can be a challenge.
Luckily, there's a much better and little-known alternative to moving the cursor when typing in iOS, and the best part is that it works even if you're using an older version of the software. for example iOS 16. Stop fighting your screen. Read on to learn how to unlock and use your iPhone's hidden trackpad feature.
To learn more, be sure to check out How to Fix the Most annoying features and settings on your iPhone.
The keyboard looks like this when the hidden trackpad is activated.
How to bring up the secret trackpad on iPhone or iPad
Here's how to spot a hidden trackpad on your iOS device.
1. Wherever you have written a block of text, open the keyboard and press and hold your finger on the spacebar until the keyboard goes dark. You should feel haptic feedback and see the cursor get bigger for a second, which means you can now use the keyboard as a trackpad.
2. Without releasing your finger, move your finger across the keyboard to move the cursor, just as you would on your Mac's trackpad.
3. To place the cursor, simply remove your finger from the screen. You can then use any other key, such as Delete, to make any changes to the text. If you want to move the cursor again, press your finger on the spacebar to reveal the hidden trackpad.
If you're interested in more tips and tricks for using your iPhone, find out how secret conversation in the Notes app. And if you have an Apple computer, here 10 hacks for Mac you should know about.
