There's a hidden one-handed keyboard in the latest version of iOS — here's how to turn it on

iphone x
Getty/Carl Court
  • Apple's newer iPhones have bigger screen sizes, making them more difficult to use with one hand.
  • But there's a hidden one-handed keyboard mode in the latest version of iOS that could help. 
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If you've been struggling with the bigger iPhone sizes, here's a trick that could change how you use your phone.

In iOS 11, the latest version of the software for iPhones, there's a hidden one-handed keyboard mode.

It smushes the keyboard to the right or left side of the screen to make it easier to tap out a message without using your other hand. So, if you've been putting off getting a new iPhone because it's hard to use with one hand, you should check this trick out. 

Unfortunately, there's no one-handed iPad keyboard — but you don't use an iPad with one hand anyway.

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Here's how it works: 

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You're looking for the globe icon near the bottom of the keyboard. Here's where it is on an iPhone X.

globe
Screenshot

And here's where you'll find the globe on older iPhones.

iphone 7
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You'll need to long-press on the globe icon. Hold it down, and you'll pull up this menu. Those keyboard icons on the bottom are what you're looking for.

Longpress
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This is helpful for right-handed folks. See how the keyboard smushed onto the right side of the screen?

right handed version
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And there's a version for the lefties, too.

Lefty
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If you love the one-handed keyboard enough that you want to make it the default, there's a setting in Settings > General > Keyboard.

One handed keyboard
Screenshot
Apple iPhone
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