Making Your iPhone Work For You: One Hand Texting

iPhone Keyboard in Messages App. Create new iMessage. Globe icon.
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When the iPhone debuted in 2007, it ran an unnamed operating system. A year later, it had yet to take a title. The software was simply called “iPhone OS 1.” It wasn’t until 2010 that Apple scrambled with marketing to don it “iOS” for the release version 4.

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Over the last 15 years, Apple’s iPhone iOS has seen a range of changes, with each release embracing new ideas and refinements to the software’s interface making it more and more customizable and user-friendly.

Did you know that you can change the position of your keyboard on your iPhone screen?

There is, by default, both left- as well as right-leaning keyboard options for those of us who find themselves regularly typing with only one hand.

To find this setting, open any app that requires your keyboard and take a look at it as it is now. If you’ve downloaded over 3 keyboards in your iPhone’s settings, (i.e. English, Emoji, and your 2nd language,) then you should see the globe icon on the bottom on your keyboard. If you only have your preferred language and emoji keyboards, you’ll instead have the emoji icon at the bottom of the keyboard. To find the different keyboard positions, hold down that icon (globe or emoji) until a menu pops into view.

In the pop-up, you will find “Keyboard Settings” followed by the keyboards you installed to your iPhone, and 3 rectangles at the bottom. Each of those rectangles represents a keyboard. The arrow is pointing toward the side of the screen that the keys will be leaning. It’s intuitive; the left most box will shift keys to the left-side screen. The right most box is the equal and opposite option. The middle box (which is most likely blue, meaning that it’s the current selection) is the standard, balanced keyboard.

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After you’ve made a selection to use either the left- or right-side keyboard, you’ll find a white arrow in the unfilled, gray area of the keyboard. Tapping that white arrow, pointing to the edge of your screen, will make your keyboard spread out and go back to the full width of your screen.

Now you can change the position of your keyboard anytime the keyboard is open and change it back to normal with one simple tap.

I hope that this iPhone user tip makes your texting speed double and your carpal tunnel flare-ups more infrequent…
If you’re interested in learning more ways to make your iPhone work the way you want, make it even more convenient and easy to use, then keep coming back to The Internet Patrol and read on for all our top tips and tricks!

iPhone Keyboard in Messages App. Create new iMessage. Globe icon.

The Internet Patrol is completely free, and we don't subject you to ads or annoying video pop-ups. But it does cost us out of our pocket to keep the site going (going on 20 years now!) So your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated!
Receipts will come from ISIPP.

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Venmo us Venmo link

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