Apple devices without 3D Touch can now use trackpad mode to precisely place a cursor for editing
Screenshot 2018-09-25 14.40.34.jpg

Apple's trackpad mode is a great way to make corrections when you're editing text on your iOS device. It allows the user to turn the virtual QWERTY on his iPhone into a trackpad that can be used for more precise placement of the cursor on the screen. Up until now, this feature was available only on iOS devices that had 3D Touch, which meant that all iPads and iPod touch models could not use it. That is, until iOS 12 was launched.

With iOS 12, the trackpad mode can be used on all Apple devices that run the latest iOS build. That means that Apple iPhone 5s and later can use the feature as can the Apple iPod touch (6th generation), all Apple iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, the iPad mini 2 and up, and the fifth and sixth generation iPads.

To activate the feature on those models with 3D Touch, deep press anywhere on the virtual QWERTY. With the mode enabled, those using a device with 3D Touch can select a specific word by deep pressing on it. A complete paragraph can be highlighted pressing even deeper into the screen.

Devices without 3D Touch can also can enable the trackpad mode with a long press on the space bar. A long press on the space bar followed by a tap anywhere on the keyboard will open a text selection mode that will allow you to select text by moving your thumb up and down.

Keep in mind that on those iOS 12 devices running 3D Touch, you need to deep press on the screen. This means pushing down on the glass harder than normal. Those devices without 3D Touch respond to a long touch, which is based on time, not the amount of pressure placed on the screen. There is a difference. And we should point out that you'll know the mode is enabled when the letters disappear from the QWERTY keys, leaving them blank (See image at the top of this article).