7 Good Tips To Faster Typing On The iPad

Typing on the iPad: Maximizing Efficiency

Numerous discussions, both in written articles and video formats, currently explore the advantages and disadvantages of typing on the iPad. While some iPad users view the integrated keyboard as a practical and sufficient tool, others perceive it as a regression, finding the typing experience challenging.

Regardless of individual opinions regarding the software keyboard, its functionality remains consistent. Similar to typing on iPhones and iPod touch devices, there are techniques that new users can learn to enhance their typing capabilities on the iPad.

Optimal iPad Positioning for Typing

Generally, the more proficient your typing skills are on a conventional external keyboard, the smoother your transition to the iPad’s software keyboard will likely be. It’s not advisable to replicate the typing method used on iPhones or iPod touches when using an iPad. Attempting to hold the device and type with thumbs often results in instability.

Consider this illustrative video:

From experience, most individuals tend to type on the iPad in landscape mode, utilizing two to four fingers, as demonstrated in the video. The on-screen keyboard closely resembles the size of an external keyboard, though it lacks the tactile feedback of physical keys. Maintaining a slight hover of your fingers above the keys is necessary, as accidental key presses can occur.

Initially, you may find yourself glancing at the keys more frequently than at the screen while typing. However, the following suggestions will help you maintain focus on the screen as much as possible.

Utilizing Suggestions and Corrections

A particularly beneficial feature of the software keyboard on Apple’s mobile devices is its predictive text capability. As you type, the device suggests potential words you intend to write. These suggestions typically appear after typing three or four letters, though shorter words like "I," "you," and "an" are less likely to trigger suggestions.

If you are new to software keyboards, open the iPad’s Notes app and switch to landscape orientation to access the larger keyboard layout. Begin typing a sentence, incorporating multi-syllable words. You will observe suggested words appearing as you type. Accept a suggestion by pressing the space bar. If the suggestion is incorrect, tap the 'x' next to it to dismiss it.

The iPad also offers automatic correction for misspelled words or typos. Simply tap the space bar to accept the suggested correction.

Leveraging Commonly Used Words

The auto-completion feature functions exceptionally well with contractions such as "can't," "it's," and "they're." You are not required to type the apostrophe in these instances. Typing "theyre" will automatically insert the apostrophe when you press the space bar.

This also applies to many proper nouns like "iTunes," "iPad," or "Twitter." If the correct spelling, including capitalization, isn't suggested, manually correct it. The next time you type the word, it should appear as a suggestion.

By focusing on the screen while typing, you can effectively utilize these suggestion and correction features.

Disabling Auto-Correction

If you prefer to disable the auto-correction feature, navigate to Settings, then General > Keyboard, and toggle Auto-Correction off. It is enabled by default.

Editing: Cutting, Copying, and Pasting

Another essential iPad feature is the ability to select, delete, copy, and paste text.

Type a sentence in the Notes app. Double-tap a word to highlight and select it. A pop-up menu will appear, offering options to cut or copy the selected word. You can also paste a copied selection, or replace the word with the iPad’s suggested correction.

A quick triple-tap on a word will highlight the entire line.

When text is highlighted, you can drag the blue pins to adjust the selection’s boundaries.

Capitalization and Punctuation

To automatically insert a period at the end of a sentence, double-tap the space bar. The first letter of the subsequent sentence will then be automatically capitalized.

VoiceOver and International Keyboards

Two additional features for iPad typing include VoiceOver and international keyboard support.

Access VoiceOver settings by going to Settings > VoiceOver > Switch On. This provides options for audio cues and reading selected text aloud. By default, the feature will also vocalize characters and words as you type, with options to speak only characters, words, or nothing. The iPad manual provides comprehensive instructions on using this feature.

To type in a language other than the default, select Settings > General > Language and choose your desired language.

Consistent Practice is Key

It’s unlikely you’ll become a staunch defender of the iPad’s software keyboard in debates with its critics. Even Steve Jobs didn’t bestow a glowing endorsement upon it.

However, the convenience of a built-in keyboard enhances the iPad’s portability, making it less reliant on notebooks or laptops. It’s suitable for composing short emails, URLs, tweets, and forum posts. The more you use it, the more comfortable you will become.

There are applications like TapTyping available in the App Store that offer typing tutorials for the iPad, priced at $5.99. Alternatively, consider the free online resource, TypingWeb.

For extensive writing tasks, you can connect an official Apple external keyboard or a third-party Bluetooth keyboard to your iPad.

While the integrated keyboard isn’t perfect, it’s a functional component. Hopefully, future iterations will offer improvements. We encourage you to share your experiences with the iPad keyboard and any tips or tricks that enhance your typing efficiency.