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Discover the essential finger gestures you need to know to efficiently navigate and control your iPhone or iPad. With Apple’s multi-touch technology, using your device is now easier than ever. In this guide, we break down the common multitouch gestures, home screen tips, and tricks to help you master your iOS device.
For those who have yet to own a multi-touch device, you may be unfamiliar with terms like pinch-to-zoom, flick, and swipe, but rest assured that these gestures are straightforward to learn.
Common Gestures
Tap: Similar to clicking on a desktop computer, a tap gesture is the most common and basic action on an iOS device.
Double-tap: A tap gesture done twice in a row effecting a double-tap. This gesture is primarily used for zooming in or out on the text.
Tap, hold, and drag: For features such as highlighting text, copying and pasting, deleting and moving apps, a tap and hold gesture is necessary. Dragging your finger while holding down on the screen can increase or decrease the selection size.
Flick and Swipe: A left or right swipe gesture is the main navigation tool used to move through app pages on your home screen or pictures in the Photos app. An up or down swipe is used to scroll through text on Safari, iBooks, Newsstand, or other apps. It is one of the most straightforward gestures to learn.
Pinch: A pinch gesture is used for zooming in or out. To zoom in, place your thumb and index finger, pinched together, on the screen and spread them apart. To zoom out, do the reverse.
Rotation: Certain elements can also be rotated using two or more fingers. Place two fingers on the screen and make a circular motion either in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some additional tips and tricks to help you in controlling your iOS device:
- On your home screen, swipe down for Spotlight search.
- For a quick way of returning to your home screen, tap on the home button. To view recent activity, double-tap the home button.
- In Safari, holding down a link opens it in a new window or shows options like opening the link in a new tab.
- In camera mode, tap anywhere on the screen to produce the best focus and lighting for that area.
- In Photos, pinch or spread to zoom in and out of the image in full-screen mode.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I customize or change these gestures on my Apple device?
No, iOS does not currently allow for customization of these gestures.
2. Which iPhones and iPads support these gestures?
Most iOS devices, including the iPhone and iPad, support these gestures. However, some older models may not have all the features mentioned here.