Copy & paste

[Allan Pendlebury]

Just bought an Ipad mini 5: Selecting a word or line to copy is a real hassle. I tap on a word in a line and the cursor shows two lines above. I have a heck of a time selecting / identifying a word or words in a line to copy. Once I do have it selected it's fine I can just extend the copy to either end or up and down to select more text.
I've never been too keen on Apple, but I do like their tablets which is why I chose this one and am quite happy and satisfied with it other than previously mentioned.
Forgot to mention that my selective tool is a stylus.

 

[twerppoet]

If you tap, the cursor is placed.

If you tap-hold, then the cursor will enlarge, and you can drag it to where you want.

If you double tap, you select the word you tapped.

If you drag after the double tap, you can select more text.

If you place two fingers on the touch keyboard, you can use it like a trackpad to drag the cursor to where you want.

If you tap-hold with two fingers on the touch keyboard the cursor will enter selection mode and you can drag to select more text.

There are more tricks, but that should do most of what you need.

I can't say much about the accuracy of you taps with the stylus. If its a cheap rubber/foam stylus, it should act much like a finger. Too small a tip is actually a detriment, since the iPad expects a finger's worth of capacitance.

The Apple Pencil and other styluses that use the same technology are very fine pointed, but what they do may differ depending on the app. Some apps, by default, limit a pencil to drawing. There is usually an option to choose whether the pencil will only draw, or whether it can be used in place of normal finger input.

There are still a few active styluses with fine points that use older technology. Their accuracy and reliability varies a lot, but none come close to the Apple Pencil.


I recommend creating a note in Notes with lots of text where you can experiment and practice. You'll get the hang of it eventually.

 

[Allan Pendlebury]

Yeah it's kind of weird I do like you say and tap or tap and hold but the cursor for some reason is up a couple of lines and no where near where I tap. Maybe it's my stylus as it is a cheapy.

 

[twerppoet]

Try your finger (if that is an option) and see if it acts differently.

 

[Allan Pendlebury]

Will try, but my fingers aren't of a delicate nature

 

[twerppoet]

You might be surprised. I have largish fingers as well, but the iPad does a pretty good job of guessing what I wanted to tap. Of course, everyone is different.

 

[Allan Pendlebury]

Hmm yeah just tried it and not perfect, but better than my stylus; thanks.

 

[twerppoet]

No problem.