Smartphone gestures that will change how you use your phone

Master Your Smartphone with These Essential Gestures: A Guide to iOS and Android

Tired of slow smartphone navigation? Ditch the taps and embrace the power of gestures! This updated guide (originally published September 27, 2018) shows you how to use intuitive swipes, taps, and holds to boost your efficiency across various apps and operating systems.

iOS Gestures: Unlocking iPhone Efficiency

Keyboard Control: Swipe down on the keyboard's top border to hide it; tap inside the text field to reappear.

Navigation: Swipe right from the left edge to go back, left from the right edge to go forward (most apps).

Message Timestamps: Swipe left on a message thread to reveal timestamps.

Map Zoom: Double-tap to zoom in, double-tap with two fingers to zoom out (Apple Maps). In Google Maps, double-tap and hold, then slide your finger up/down to zoom.

Calculator Deletion: Swipe left or right on the display to delete digits.

Photo Selection: In Photos, tap "Select," then swipe across photos to select a range.

Email Draft Saving: Swipe down on an email draft to minimize it; tap to restore.

Email Management: Swipe right to mark as read/unread; swipe left briefly for options (Reply, Forward, Trash); swipe left fully to archive. Customize these actions in Settings > Mail > Swipe Options.

Message Thread Management: Swipe left on a conversation to mute or delete.

Notification Control: Swipe right to open a notification; swipe left to dismiss.

Control Center Access: Swipe down from the top right (iPhone X and later) or up from the bottom (other iPhones).

Search: Swipe down from the middle of the home screen to initiate a search.

Reachability: Swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen to lower the top (enable in Settings > Accessibility > Touch).

New iPhone X and Later Gestures:

Unlock/Home: Swipe up from the bottom to unlock or go to the home screen.

Recent Apps: Swipe up from the bottom to the center and hold to view recent apps; swipe right along the bottom to switch between them.

Android Gestures: Streamlining Your Android Experience

Quick Settings: Swipe down once for notifications, twice for Quick Settings. Swipe down with two fingers directly to Quick Settings.

Chrome Tab Management: Swipe down on the address bar to view open tabs; long-press to group tabs; swipe left/right to switch between tabs.

Notification Management: Swipe left/right quickly to dismiss; slowly to snooze or manage; long-press to hide future notifications from an app.

Message Archiving: Swipe left or right on a conversation to archive.

Email Management: Swipe left/right to archive (customizable in Gmail settings).

One-Handed Typing (Gboard): Press and hold the comma, then swipe up to the left icon.

One-Handed Map Zoom (Google Maps): Double-tap, hold, and slide up/down to zoom.

App Uninstallation: Long-press an app icon and drag it to the "Uninstall" button.

App Switching: Swipe left/right on the bottom navigation bar. Hold to scroll slowly.

Split-Screen Mode: Slowly swipe up on the bottom navigation bar, long-press an app icon, and select "Split screen."

New Android 10 Gestures:

Selfie Mode: Double-press the power button, then shake your phone twice to switch cameras.

Silent Mode: Flip your phone screen-down to silence.

Notification Peek: Tap the locked screen to check the time and notifications.

By mastering these gestures, you'll transform your smartphone experience, navigating with speed and efficiency.

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