How to enable the hidden trackpad on iPhone or iPad

How To
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See how to enable the hidden trackpad feature on your iPhone or iPad

iPhone 13 with keyboard trackpad showing
(Image credit: Future)

Whether you're using the iPhone 13, the iPad 10.2, or any other Apple device running iOS 15, there's a nifty secret hidden away in the keyboard that you may not have been aware of. 

With more and more of us using iPads and iPhones to help do our jobs or school work, having to navigate around lengthy documents is becoming a chore that a lot of us must face every day.

Thankfully, iOS 15 features a very handy trackpad that makes editing a breeze. What's more, it's extremely simple to activate and doesn't require any trips to the Settings app or downloading of any tools.

Want to know how to enable it? Here's our (very) short guide on to enable the hidden trackpad on iPhone or iPad.

How to enable the hidden trackpad on iPhone or iPad

1. Open a file that contains text, such as a note or Pages document, and tap on some text to open the keyboard. Next, tap and hold the "space" key. This will turn the keyboard into a trackpad.

(Image credit: Apple)

2. Keep your finger held down on the trackpad and move it around to move the cursor. Let go when the cursor is in the place you want it to be.

(Image credit: Apple)

And that's it — it's probably not going to change your life, but it might make some tasks a little easier, and that's never a bad thing.

Of course that's just one of many useful features within iOS, so now that you've unlocked the iPhone and iPad's hidden trackpad, maybe you'd also like to know about the hidden feature within the iPhone Weather app. We've also got guides on how to get full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15, how to record your iPhone screen, how to set up Wi-Fi calling on iPhone and many others.

And if you're after a more in-depth iPhone tutorial, here are the 15 essential Messages tips every iPhone owner should know.

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Dale Fox
Dale Fox
Freelance Journalist

Dale Fox is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He's been a tech nerd ever since childhood, when he used the money from his first job as a paperboy to buy a subscription to GamesMaster magazine. Dale was previously a presenter and editor in China, where he also worked as a copywriter for OnePlus at its Shenzhen HQ.