Trouble with selecting text

[gradi]

I got an iphone 16+ iOS 18.0.1 last week. I had various Android phones for years.

I am having trouble with selecting text that I have typed. Happens in the Mail app and the gmail app. Probably other apps too, but those are the only 2 I have tried. I touch a word and a magnifier comes up, but usually the Select or Select All option never appears. It appears maybe 1 time out of 10. I found this info on how to select text, but it rarely works. Any ideas?

Steps to Highlight and Select Text​

1. Tap and Hold:
   • Tap and hold on the word or area where you want to start highlighting. The magnifier appears to help you place the cursor precisely.
2. Wait for the Selection Options:
   • After holding briefly, options like Select or Select All will appear.
   • Tap Select to highlight a single word or drag the handles to highlight more text.
3. Adjust the Selection:
   • Once the word is highlighted, small blue dots (handles) will appear at the edges of the selection.
   • Drag these handles to adjust the range of text you want to highlight.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Update - we're on iOS 18.2 now. Let us know if that doesn't sort the issue.

 

[mcru21]

unfortunately, selecting text on ios has been a mess for a long time lol

 

[gradi]

Update - we're on iOS 18.2 now. Let us know if that doesn't sort the issue.

I have been reading about all the bugs and problems in 18.2 and how 18.2.1 is ready for release, but probably won't happen until early January since it his holiday season now. I am not interested in introducing more bugs right now especially since the chances of this text selection being miraculously fixed in 18.2 is about 0%. Apparently the text selection bugs have existed for years.

 

[gradi]

unfortunately, selecting text on ios has been a mess for a long time lol

That is very discouraging. My wife and I bought new iphones last week and we typically several times a day need to highlight text to copy or to change the formatting (bold, italic, character color, etc.). For years this was just a no brain activity on Android, MacOS, and Windows. It never occurred to us that something so basic and commonly done by billions of people for decades on computers would not work properly on iphones.

 

[gradi]

I checked with my sister and nephew today because they have each owned multiple iphones for many years. I asked them about this and they confirmed their iphones have the same problem. My nephew said that all of his iphones going back years have had this problem.

 

[ManuCH]

I got an iphone 16+ iOS 18.0.1 last week. I had various Android phones for years.

I am having trouble with selecting text that I have typed. Happens in the Mail app and the gmail app. Probably other apps too, but those are the only 2 I have tried. I touch a word and a magnifier comes up, but usually the Select or Select All option never appears. It appears maybe 1 time out of 10. I found this info on how to select text, but it rarely works. Any ideas?

Steps to Highlight and Select Text​

1. Tap and Hold:
   • Tap and hold on the word or area where you want to start highlighting. The magnifier appears to help you place the cursor precisely.
2. Wait for the Selection Options:
   • After holding briefly, options like Select or Select All will appear.
   • Tap Select to highlight a single word or drag the handles to highlight more text.
3. Adjust the Selection:
   • Once the word is highlighted, small blue dots (handles) will appear at the edges of the selection.
   • Drag these handles to adjust the range of text you want to highlight.

Try to tap and hold a bit less long that what you usually do. A part of the text will already be selected. Drag one of the handles a bit more to the left or right, and then "Select all" should appear. Works every time for me, 0 issues with selecting text, although it's not very intuitive at first.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I have been reading about all the bugs and problems in 18.2

I've been using iPhone for over a decade, I've experienced zero "bugs and problems" in iOS 18.2. Staying up to date is going to eliminate FAR more bugs that it creates.

But - you do you!

 

[Wizec]

Text selection is a dark art on iPhone. They struggle with basics like text selection, and text prediction, and AutoCorrect.

If you’re just trying to select a single word, double tap on it. After you have a word selected, use the selectors to select more or less.

Select, cut, copy, and paste text on iPhone

On iPhone, select and revise text in text fields using the onscreen keyboard, an external keyboard, or Dictation.

support.apple.com

 

[hronists]

just press on word you want to select.

 

[gradi]

I've been using iPhone for over a decade, I've experienced zero "bugs and problems" in iOS 18.2. Staying up to date is going to eliminate FAR more bugs that it creates.

But - you do you!

Many reports of 18.2 overheating, extreme battery drain, etc. As usual, not everyone gets hit. 18.2.1 is reported to be ready to be released with bug fixes and probably would be out right now if not for the holidays. Expected in early January. I will wait for it. But - you do you!