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iPhone X Is there anyone with normal size hands who is able to use the MAX with 1 hand, and please share tips

Hieveryone

Hieveryone

macrumors 603
Original poster
Apr 11, 2014
5,627
2,339
USA
I was thinking of upgrading my iPhone X to a space gray MAX.

I have normal size male hands and was wondering if there was a way to use it comfortably with 1 hand.

Thanks!
 
Yes it’s not super easy but I’ve figured it out.
Three fingers on the back. Pinky holding the phone from the bottom where the lightening port is.
Thumb can reach and use the bottom half of the screen. But I’m able to use the phone one handed like that.
 
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I have a huge hands and the thing is still not a one handed device. It's a phablet and best used with two hands.
 
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clarencek said:
Yes it’s not super easy but I’ve figured it out.
Three fingers on the back. Pinky holding the phone from the bottom where the lightening port is.
Thumb can reach and use the bottom half of the screen. But I’m able to use the phone one handed like that.
Click to expand...

Ok, does reach-ability help any with navigating the whole device?

I'm able to reach the top of my iPhone X with my thumb with relative ease without reach-ability, although I do use reach-ability often. Was hard at first but with practice I can do it fine now.

I'm thinking with practice, if I can make the MAX a 1 handed device with not too much difficulty, it would be worth upgrading to.

That screen is bananas!!!
 
But but but I thought the selfie cam was worse on the xs. All your important selfies will look horrible.
 
I can one hand it using the pinky on bottom three fingers on back approach. Weight strains joint of pinky after a while though.
 
I’m a big-phone guy with big hands (currently using 7+), but like to use them one-handed. When I played with an XS Max in store, I realized there was no way I could comfortably use it one-handed (at least when it comes to reaching top and bottom of the screen, as the UI frequently demands). It’s just too much of a stretch.
 
So far I haven’t needed to use reachability.
I use the swipe from the edge of the screen forward and back a lot. If an app doesn’t support that then I basically can’t / don’t use their app.

If I need to reach the top of the screen for any reason I have to use my other hand. My thumb can’t cover the whole height of the screen.

And yea there’s definitely pinky fatigue. But I think I just need to build up that muscle.
 
Your fingers do the holding and your thumb does all the on screen work including typing. Make use of reach ability for things like accessing the control panel. Use your fingers to adjust your grip to allow your thumb to move up and down the screen.
 
I think it depends on what your use is. Typing one handed? Doable. Interacting with on screen elements at the bottom half or scrolling text? No problem. For notifications center and control center, with reach ability yes. Otherwise two handed.
 
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I don't have an issue using mine one handed, my hands are fairly average, maybe a bit larger than average. What I normally do is reposition the phone on my palm slightly whenever I need to reach. It's not something I would do while walking or if I have the chance to be jostled or moved.

But the past few years I've trained myself to use my phone differently, I grip it hard when it goes in/out of my pocket and am very careful with it overall so I feel comfortable carrying it around without a case or screen protector. It's this trained awareness of my phone which I think has saved me from any accidents.

It's definitely a trade off, but a worthy one IMO. Once you use that humungous screen you will never ever want to go back.
 
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i don’t think the MAX was intended to be used with one hand
That said, it doesn’t mean people wont use it with one hand
 
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75137E6B-05C1-47EF-B906-E27D21A7DB34.jpeg
Yes, I can one hand everything with minimal to no hand shifting. Just the pinky cradle. My tip? Be 6’8” lol. But that’s the only reason I can do it. For many it’s a two handed device. I have no issues.
 

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I picked up my X tonight, and it now feels too small. Interesting to me what a difference there is.
 
I have larger hands but this phone really is killing my pinky from holding it. Lol.

I can actually use it one-handed. I’m right handed and I haven’t found the need to reach for the top left corner often..I use the swipe gesture to go back. But the few times I needed to, reachability saved the day. And the one-handed keyboard has really helped. It’s not the best looking, but very practical. It pretty much just stays on for me. Lol
 
I’m coming from a 7 Plus and a 6 Plus before that. But with the Max I find myself using 2 hands every now and then.
I just got it delivered today and the case I have is somewhat thicker than my 7 Plus case that I used for 2 years so that’s contributing to not using it one handed exclusively.

I still have my 6 Plus and that thing feels like a wafer compared to the 7 P and the Max. 2 years in a drawer and it still not bent and it runs good on iOS 12.
 
When I have to use my Max by one hand, actually there’re 2 mode:
- Pinky finger at lightning port. Can reach from middle til half end

12E49380-2029-4D42-8F76-6432AA6E3C12.jpeg

- Move out the pinky finger. Let the phone slide down in my hand a lil bit. Then my thumb can reach far up. It’s easier to do with my right hand, but it has to take the pictures :))

5B7CD074-6F13-42CA-94C2-0C4A2CEA4F7C.jpeg

- Practice with case you believe will be safe even if you drop the phone. In my case, it’s UAG.
- Otherwise use two hand. Or buy Xs :D
 
Having looked at it over the weekend, it's a two handed device. Fair dos to those people who can use it with one hand, but as someone said above, the Plus was hard work using that one handed, but put in a taller screen and you're asking for trouble.
 
I have big hands. Normally I use both hands, but in a pinch I have no problem with using one hand.
 
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