This Secret Trackpad on Your iPhone Can Make Typing Way Easier

    The iPhone and iPad are both loaded with cool hidden features, including many new additions from?the latest iOS 15.5 update. The?SharePlay?add-on to FaceTime now lets you watch movies or listen to music with friends, while the new?Focus?mode lets you eliminate distractions while working or occupied.
    And while many hidden features can be found in the iPhone’s settings, other iOS tricks are built directly into the interface — like the secret trackpad for your keyboard.
    When you’re editing text, you probably hold your finger down on the screen and move the cursor around all the letters, numbers and punctuation to get to where you want. A magnifying bubble provides some help, by enlarging the text underneath your finger, but there’s another way to move your cursor — and it’s even easier to use than the traditional way.
    Check out how to access the trackpad that’s hidden in your iOS keyboard below.
    For more, learn about the latest 15.4.1 security release for iOS, Apple’s plan for an iPhone subscription model and the latest review of the third-gen iPhone SE.
    
    When the hidden trackpad is activated, your keyboard will look like this.
    Nelson Aguilar/CNETHow to bring up the secret trackpad on an iPhone or iPad
    Here’s how to discover the hidden trackpad on an iOS device.
    1. Anywhere you’ve written a block of text, bring up your keyboard and press and hold your finger down on the space key until the keyboard goes blank. You should feel a bit of haptic feedback and see the cursor enlarge for a second, which means you can now use the keyboard as a trackpad.
    2. With your finger still pressed down, move it around the entire keyboard to move your cursor, just like you would on your Mac’s trackpad.
    3. To place the cursor, simply lift your finger off the screen. You can then use any of the other keys, like delete, to make any edits in the text. If you want to move the cursor once again, press your finger down on the space key to bring up the hidden trackpad.
    Check out the video below to see the hidden feature in action.
    

This iPhone hack makes editing text on your phone SO much easier. pic.twitter.com/gp5rCN3lyn
    — CNET (@CNET) December 23, 2021

    If you’re interested in more tips and tricks for the iPhone, check out these?iOS 15 hidden features every iPhone user should know about, iOS 15 settings you should change and how to unlock this hidden iPhone feature to quickly ID songs. And if you’ve got an Apple computer, here are?seven of the best hidden features for your Mac.