Let’s face it: iPhones aren’t exactly difficult to use. In fact, it’s the simplicity of the iOS user experience that has always been one of Apple’s favorite things to brag about, and what makes iPhones the best phones around in the eyes of many.
However, what you may not know is that in addition to the straightforward interface, Apple also gives iOS users several little-known gestures to move between iPhones and iPads quickly and intuitively — from quickly switching between apps to additional ways to copy and paste. And while you may already be familiar with some of the gestures below, we’d be willing to bet that at least one is or is also unknown or unfamiliar to you.
So, without further ado, here are 7 of our favorite iOS gestures that you may not know about, that will change the way you use your iPhone.
7 hidden iOS gestures that will change the way you use your iPhone
While most of these gestures have been around for at least a little while now, it’s best to make sure we’re all on the same page. So, before we start, make sure your iPhone is fully updated by learning How to update iPhone.
1. Swipe quickly between open apps
(Photo: © Future)
On iPhone X and later, you can quickly and easily swipe between any apps without having to open the app drawer. This feature is very useful when you need to go back and forth frequently between two apps. For example, I use it a lot when transferring money on banking apps, to double check that I’ve entered the account details correctly.
To quickly scroll between open applications, Swipe along the bottom edge of the screen (It should be the very bottom edge). Swipe from left to right To open the previous app, and Swipe from right to left To return to the recently opened app.
2. Swipe through pages
(Photo: © Future)
So scrolling isn’t exactly difficult. But if you’re trying to navigate to the bottom of a long page, it can be frustrating to keep scrolling up. Fortunately, iOS features a way to quickly navigate a page without having to scroll constantly. It’s a little tricky to start with, but very easy once you get the hang of it.
to swipe, Tap on the screen to show the scroll bar on the right. then Press and hold the scroll bar quickly with one finger And Swipe up and down with another finger to move around the page.
3. Multi-select with two-finger drag
(Photo: © Future)
Have you ever wanted to delete a lot of contacts at once? If you’re anything like me – this is it: chain friction – you probably have it. Fortunately, iOS gives you a way to select contacts in bulk instead of having to select them all one by one (which used to be the way). This will also work for group selection in other apps, like Messages.
for multi select, Tap and hold a contact or message with two fingers And Swipe up or down.
Full guide: How to select multiple items by dragging with two fingers on iPhone (Opens in a new tab)
4. Multi-select by stacking
(Photo: © Future)
In addition to the two-finger swipe method, iOS also features a second gesture to select multiple objects by stacking. While the two-finger drag method works better for selecting from a list to delete etc., the stacking method works better if you need to move things around. This could be moving applications and widgets on your home screen, or moving images between applications (as we will see in point 4).
for multi-select by stacking, Click and hold On something (here we use pictures) with one finger, then Quickly push it to one side. with a second finger, Click on the other photos To add them to start and add to the stack.
5. Drag and drop between apps
(Photo: © Future)
If you need to copy something between apps, you can follow the long paths of importing or copying and pasting. However, there is an iOS gesture that will make your life much easier. The drag-and-drop gesture does exactly what it says on the tray and makes moving files between apps much easier. It can also be used with stacking from the point above, allowing you to quickly transfer multiple files.
to drag and drop between apps, Press and hold on a file (in this case photos) and Quickly push it to one side. If you want more files, Press and stack it with a second finger As per point 4. Then keep it Hold the file(s) with your first finger And Use the second finger to change the application – You can swipe to open your home screen, swipe to open the app drawer, or swipe across the bottom of the screen according to step 1 to open a recent app. now only Drop or stack your file into the second app.
Here’s a look at how to perform this gesture in real time. For more helpful tech hacks, check this out Follow Tom’s guide on TikTok (Opens in a new tab).
@employee (Opens in a new tab)
♬ American Boy But Shibuya is there too – goals (Opens in a new tab)
Full guide: How to use drag and drop on iPhone (Opens in a new tab)
6. Copy/cut/paste with three fingers
(Photo: © Future)
While you can still long-press to copy/cut/paste text and files on iPhone, there is also a gesture to quickly do the same things with a three-finger pinch. This gesture still requires you to select text as you would when copying normally, and can get a little infuriating, so admittedly there’s not much copying and pasting the old-fashioned way. However, it is still interesting to know.
To copy with a three-finger pinch, Text highlighting And Press inward with three fingers. To cut, Press inward with three fingers twice. sticky, Press out with three fingers.
Fun fact: Because it uses the universal clipboard, this trick can be used to paste on other devices registered to the same Apple ID. For example, you can press with three fingers to copy a photo on your iPhone, then hold to paste it on your iPad. Here’s how it works in real time.
@employee (Opens in a new tab)
♬ original sound – ozu ♚ (Opens in a new tab)
Full guide: How to copy and paste between iPhone and iPad using Universal Clipboard (Opens in a new tab)
7. Swipe to go back or forward
(Photo: © Future)
When using Safari, among other apps, you can quickly navigate back or forth a page using a simple swipe gesture. This saves you from reaching the bottom of the page for the back/forward buttons, and proves intuitive and fast when surfing the Internet.
to do this, Swipe from right to left to go back And Swipe from left to right to move forward.
That’s it for now guys. We hope you learned at least one new gesture to help you get the most out of your iPhone. If you want to read about other hidden features, check out our guide to hidden iOS Messages features everyone should know about.
You may also be interested in our guides on how to clear RAM on iPhone, how to delete multiple contacts on iPhone and how to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone.
