How To Type Faster On Iphone

Download Article

One of the big perks of owning an iPhone, iPad, and/or iPod Touch is convenience. You can take your iDevice pretty much everywhere. But the days of using your phone for calling alone are over. Now you need to type, often in the form of texting, to reach out to others. Tapping at your iDevice with both pointer fingers isn't worth your time. If you want to type faster you need to take maximum advantage of your current iDevice keyboard. Or, you can install a third-party keyboard designed for speed. Honing your typing skills is another way to have your fingers flying across the screen!

1
Take full advantage of Text Replacement. This function allows you to create shortcuts by pairing short abbreviations, even symbols, with longer phrases or even images which will be inserted in the text. Go to Settings, select General, select Keyboard, and you will see Text Replacement. You will see a blue plus sign located in the upper-right hand corner. Tap this sign and you will see two text fields: Phrase and Shortcut.
- In Phrase, put the longer statement that you want inserted automatically. In Shortcut, put the text that you want to type originally that will be replaced by the longer statement that you put in Phrase. For example, you might put, "I don't know," in the Phrase box and "idk" in the Shortcut box. Every time you type "idk" it will be replaced by "I don't know" automatically.^[1]
- When you first arrive at the Text Replacement page, prior to tapping the plus sign, you will see a search bar to navigate your shortcuts. You will also notice a list of shortcuts presented below the search bar. This is a good way to refresh your memory as shortcuts are only useful if you stay familiar with them.
- Some iDevices will show the label "Shortcuts" in the iDevice keyboard menu instead of "Text Replacement." The function is essentially the same.
- The shortcuts that you established will apply in Messages and in other applications such as Calendar and Reminders.^[2]
2
Use 'tap method' short-cuts. Once you have the standard iDevice keyboard open there are a variety of shortcuts that are built-in, that you do not need to install. Most of them use a tap sequence that then prompts a certain action, cutting down on your keystrokes.^[3]
- You can double-tap your space bar to insert a period at the end of a sentence, allowing you to move on to the next one seamlessly.
- You can double-tap your shift button to start and end a period of caps lock.
- If you tap and hold a letter, you will see a handful of accent options. You can then slide your finger over to select one.
- Adding symbols will often slow down your typing. To include a symbol quickly, select and hold the "123" button. Then, move your finger over to the symbol that you want to include. Once you let go, it is added in.
- You are not limited to just the symbols showing on the initial page. To see more options, tap and hold one of the keys. For example, the dollar sign key will expand to show you the Euro symbol as well.
3

Enable the right keyboard settings. Go to Settings, select General, select Keyboard, and you will be presented with a handful of customization options. As a general rule, you want to enable all of the items listed in order to increase your typing speed. Auto-capitalization, auto-correction, caps lock, predictive, character preview, and spell check should all be activated.
4
Allow Siri to dictate. You can also turn on dictation via the keyboard settings menu. Siri will take dictation for those iPhones (4s or newer) and iPad (third-generation or newer). To activate the dictation process, simply tap the microphone button on the keyboard. Then, you can begin speaking and Siri will type it out for you.^[4]
- Siri's dictate function allows you to add punctuation as well. For example, if you state, "how does ten work for you question mark," it will appear as, "How does ten work for you?" The capitalization process is automatic as well.
- Always check your transcriptions for accuracy as additional noise can interfere with the dictation process.

1

Consider your typing needs. Think about what you want in your ideal keyboard. Focus on your daily patterns of use and how certain functions could improve your speed and lifestyle. Some questions you could ask are: Do you type a great deal and want a keyboard that adapts to your phrasing over time? Are you comfortable with swiping or do you want to stick with typing methods? Do you need a keyboard where numbers or symbols are especially accessible?
2
Research your keyboard options. There are a wide variety of third-party keyboards available for download via the App Store. To choose the one that is right for you, browse the App Store and narrow it down to five keyboards of interest. Then, type the names of those five into major search engines to see what kind of user reviews are available.
- You can also find websites that will list your keyboard options in a side-by-side comparison, allowing you to quickly scan competing features, etc.^[5]
- You will also want to consider cost. Some keyboards are free, others require a small upfront cost, and others are a bit pricier. Many of the keyboards encourage in-app purchases which could also impact your bottom line.
- Some of the keyboards will also ask for access to your emails, files, Facebook information, etc. SwiftKey, for example, uses this information to predict your word usage patterns, thus increasing the speed of your typing by offering tailored suggestions. But, you will want to consider if you are comfortable sharing this information with a keyboard app.^[6]
- Don't discount non-traditional keyboards. If you are fond of using emojis, there are emoji keyboards available for purchase from the App Store. They can help you type strings of emojis at an accelerated speed.^[7]
3
Install a third-party keyboard. Once you've decided on a particular keyboard, go to the App store. Find your keyboard, download and install the app. Go to Settings, tap General, tap Keyboard, tap Add New Keyboard, and select your Keyboard from the list shown. Enable "Allow Full Access" and you will be good to go.
- To switch between installed keyboards when typing, select the "Globe" button next to the spacebar.
- Decide to keep it or delete it. Remember that making an app purchase doesn't necessarily have to be a permanent move. If you play with your new keyboard for a few days and don't particularly like it, you can uninstall the keyboard or simply work from another keyboard in the future.

1

Try landscape mode. Turn your iDevice sideways and it will transition to landscape mode. This will extend the size of the keyboard and keys, giving you more room to maneuver. It will also allow for a more comfortable handhold. To type faster in this position, use both thumbs instead of your index fingers.
2
Focus on the text. Instead of watching the keyboard as you type, look at the text as it appears on the screen. You will gradually train your thumbs to move ahead on the keyboard, increasing the pace of your typing. This is similar to a training exercise used by typists on traditional keyboards.
- You will make mistakes as you practice. If you touch the wrong key, hold your finger down and slide over to the correct key. The key will not be entered until you release the pressure. Other than that, don't worry about fixing errors until you finishing typing or it will slow down your pace.
3

Purchase a typing trainer app. You can purchase one of a variety of typing trainer apps via the App Store. Some are pretty basic and focus on retention of short-cuts while others are more elaborate and include practice tests. The expanded versions usually include a fee. This is a good option if you are going to be typing a great deal and need to increase your speed and accuracy as soon as possible.
4

Connect a Bluetooth keyboard. If you've tried third-party keyboards, but still yearn for a tangible typing device, you may want to look into purchasing and using a Bluetooth keyboard. These keyboards are very compact (some even roll up) and can be connected to any iDevice. This is a good option if you are going to be typing extensively and are worried about hand cramps or ease of editing.^[8]

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

When using the text replacement function, don't limit yourself to only words for words. You can also use a symbol to sub-in for commonly used information such as an email or mailing address. For example, if you type "@" it could signal iOS to include "brand@gmail.com" in the text line.^[9]
Shake your iPhone from side-to-side to erase typing quickly.
Some third-party keyboards also have the convenience of being linked to search engines. The search bar usually appears right above the keyboard.^[10]