How to copy text from webpages

[Meister]

The title sums it up.

Sometimes the text marks up - Sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes it lets me mark individual words - Sometimes only blocks of text.

Sometimes "copy" shows - sometimes it doesn't.

This happens on my iPads, too and really hampers the productivity of these devices for me.

How do you do it?

 

[willmtaylor]

The title sums it up.

Sometimes the text marks up - Sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes it lets me mark individual words - Sometimes only blocks of text.

Sometimes "copy" shows - sometimes it doesn't.

This happens on my iPads, too and really hampers the productivity of these devices for me.

How do you do it?

It's a crap shoot at best.

Zooming in/out to different levels helps. If "copy" etc. doesn't show up, tap one of the handles on the edge of the selected text; it should reappear.

I know nothing about web coding or browser programming, but I do know selecting text is the #1 most aggravating part of Safari for me.

 

[RedOrchestra]

... I do know selecting text is the #1 most aggravating part of Safari for me

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Meister]

It's a crap shoot at best.

Zooming in/out to different levels helps. If "copy" etc. doesn't show up, tap one of the handles on the edge of the selected text; it should reappear.

I know nothing about web coding or browser programming, but I do know selecting text is the #1 most aggravating part of Safari for me.

It's not just safari.

This is a problem with all browsers.
Probably because they're all based on the safari webkit.

It's a huge problem that makes iOS devices impossible to use for me as laptop replacements.

 

[RedOrchestra]

I have a 9.7 iPP but haven't yet purchased an Apple Pencil - I've wondered if the Pencil would/could make copying easier i.e. more exacting?

 

[Meister]

I have a 9.7 iPP but haven't yet purchased an Apple Pencil - I've wondered if the Pencil would/could make copying easier i.e. more exacting?

I don't see how.

This is a real issue that's actually getting worse!

A very expensive device that can't properly copy some text from a webpage. WTF apple!

 

[Field3]

I have a 9.7 iPP but haven't yet purchased an Apple Pencil - I've wondered if the Pencil would/could make copying easier i.e. more exacting?

It sucks, in safari anyway. Getting the pencil to highlight a word is the hard part. Expanding the highlight is the best part.
Just tried a rubber capacitive tip on the pencil lightning connector and it works much better.

 

[RedOrchestra]

It sucks, in safari anyway.

Thanks for that.

 

[M. Gustave]

The title sums it up.

Sometimes the text marks up - Sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes it lets me mark individual words - Sometimes only blocks of text.

Sometimes "copy" shows - sometimes it doesn't.

This happens on my iPads, too and really hampers the productivity of these devices for me.

How do you do it?

I'm not a web developer, but I'm pretty sure this has to do with how the page itself is coded. Some "text" on websites is actually an image, or a form, script, etc. It could also possibly be due to being in a mobile view. Have you tried forcing desktop view first?

Do you have a specific link I can try? One trick that works occasionally is zooming in on the text, then selecting.