Select Phrases of Text on an iOS Device
This article teaches you how to select and perform actions on text using your iPhone or iPad.
Steps
- Insert a cursor. In text editing apps, like Notes, Mail, and Word -- as well as just about any field where you can enter text -- you can insert a cursor by tapping on the screen.
- Hold your finger in place to activate a magnifier, and drag your finger across the text for more precise cursor placement.
- Tap Select in the pop-up menu to highlight the whole word nearest the cursor.
- Tap Select All to highlight all of the text in the text field or on a page.
- Tap Paste to insert text or an image (if supported) from your device's clipboard.
- Tap Look Up to see a definition or source for the selected word or phrase.
- Hold your finger in place to activate a magnifier, and drag your finger across the text for more precise cursor placement.
- Double-tap a word. This works primarily in text-editing apps and fields in which you enter text.
- Drag the control points on either side of the highlighted word to select more text.
- Tap Cut in the pop-up menu to remove the selected text from the document or field and store it in your device's clipboard, so you can paste it elsewhere.
- Tap Copy in the pop-up menu to copy the text to your device's clipboard, so you can paste it in another text field.
- Tap Paste to insert text or an image (if supported) from your device's clipboard.
- Tap Replace... if you think a word may be misspelled and you'd like to see similarly-spelled alternatives.
- Tap Look Up to see a definition or source for the selected word or phrase.
- Tap Share... to send your selection to another person via any number of methods, including AirDrop, text message, or email.
- Tap another area away from your highlighted selection to deselect your text.
- Press your finger onto a word and hold until the word is highlighted. This works for static, read-only text, like many Web pages and embedded email messages.
- Drag the control points on either side of the highlighted word to select more text.
- Tap Copy in the pop-up menu to copy the text to your device's clipboard, so you can paste it in another text field.
- Tap Look Up to see a definition or source for the selected word or phrase.
- Tap Share... to send your selection to another person via any number of methods, including AirDrop, text message, or email.
- Tap another area away from your highlighted selection to deselect your text.
Tips
- Zoom in before selecting. If you're browsing a website and are trying to select text, you may be able to increase your accuracy by zooming in first. This is especially useful for devices with smaller screens, such as the iPhone and iPod Touch.
- Not all apps or sites work well with selecting text. You should be able to select text in most Apple apps and many popular third-party apps, but not all apps support selecting text. This may be for copyright reasons or simply because the developer did not implement it.
- Depending on how a website has been coded, you may only be able to select whole paragraphs at a time. This is because that site may have been coded in a way that is not suited well for iOS devices.
