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ApplesAreSweet&Sour

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2018
1,962
3,583
Now, that’s useful.

The article's tip is cool, but it doesn't help if you want to type 2-digit or greater numbers! Then, it's a hindrance, not a help.

It also doesn't resolve a bigger issue. That is, the auto-switching back to the alphabetic keyboard. I'm often typing a string of numbers — e.g., 34, 56, 128 — and after each space, it goes back to the alphabet. A nuisance.
That's a good observation.

This trick only makes single digit and symbol typing faster.

If you need to type several of them then switching fully to the numerical keyboard is faster by far.

Which also begs the question if simply spelling out shorter numbers as words instead of using digits can be as fast or faster than this trick or switching to the numerical keyboard?!

Obviously, that's incorrect or inefficient to do in many cases. But it's worth keeping in mind if you just want to type as fast as possible and switch keyboards less frequently.
 
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GtrDude

macrumors 6502a
Apr 17, 2011
843
1,139
The iPhone keyboard is horrible.
They should add one more row on top with numbers only.
So simple but Appler prefers making things hard on people.
On top of that the haptic feedback is all but gone.
There's hardly anything there.
Plus you can't turn up the volume on just the keyboard independently from other volumes in the phone.
Ridiculous design overall, as bad as their notification center, and Apple refuses to change it.
They think they're so perfect.
 

TechRemarker

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2009
528
701
That doesn’t work for me… when I long press I get no numbers show up? Any ideas?
When you click "123" it doesn't switch to numbers at the top? When you just tap for a second or hold "123" it's the same outcome. Or are you saying when you click "123" it switches, but if you hold for more than a second it goes right back to numbers before you've even moved your finger? If clicking "123" does not thing sounds like you need to restart.
 

toobravetosave

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2021
901
2,236
imagine if apple just let you move numbers above the keyboard row…u know…a basic option seen in most third party keyboard programs
 
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mathieuplante

macrumors member
May 2, 2010
52
4
Here's a tip that I just learned for people who use multiple languages.

For years, I've had 3 keyboards enabled: French (Canada), English (US) and Emoji. That unfortunately sends the Emoji key next to the Shift key and replaces the Emoji key at the bottom of the screen with a globe.

In that case, in Emoji mode, the ABC key is always one character-space to the left compared to the Emoji key, so I'm always pressing the wrong key to go back, because it's not in a predictable place. It sucks.

So here's the tip: if you remove the English keyboard (which I always thought I had to keep enabled to be able to type in English), you can still type in English, as long as you have the English dictionary installed. That's the important part, not the keyboard. It'll even predict words and correct typos. The best part is that it puts the Emoji key back below the keyboard, where it belongs, always in the same predictable place.
 

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Feek

macrumors 65816
Nov 9, 2009
1,358
2,003
JO01
Something I didn't know which will be useful.

Shame I'll have forgotten about it by tomorrow!
 

krakman

macrumors 6502
Dec 3, 2009
421
446
Or simply install Microsoft swift keyboard and have a row of numbers above the letters on the keyboard.
 

Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
5,743
6,721
Seattle
Does not work e.g. in iMessages or Notes (it just stays in the numeric mode after space).
Not sure why it isn't working for you, but I can confirm that, in Messages and Notes, after typing a number then a space, the keyboard switches back to ABC mode.
 

autrefois

macrumors 65816
Your solution:

1 press the 123 key
2 release the 123 key
3 select a number
4 press ABC key
5 release the ABC key

compared to:

1 press and hold the 123 key;
2 slide your finger to desired number;
3 release the numeric key and you are back to the alphabetic keyboard.

technically you save two actions. Whether that makes your day, is up to you. :)
To be fair, I had to read the article a couple times and try it before I fully understood for sure how to do it. Now that I know it’s a useful tip!
 

Mousse

macrumors 68040
Apr 7, 2008
3,520
6,759
Flea Bottom, King's Landing
Why not use a keyboard with numbers on another row above the letters. This sort of keyboard is standard on my android phone.

The real way to speed up typing on my phone is to adopt the younger generation's two thumb typing instead of Gen Xer's and Boomer's one finger pecking at the keyboard.👨‍🦳
 
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