Google’s secret keyboard feature lets you easily move the cursor

Finally, an easy way to control the cursor on iPhone or Android.

We’ve all experienced a situation where you’re typing a message or email on your phone, notice a typo and need to fix it.

The process usually involves tapping on the screen in an attempt to place the cursor where you want it, but instead your phone puts the cursor a row too high or low. Then you tap again, and now the cursor is closer, yet still not in the right spot. The third tap usually gets the job done, or you grow so frustrated you delete text until you get back to the typo.

Google has a clever trick for quickly and easily positioning a cursor with its Android keyboard and the fairly new Gboard keyboard for iOS users. To move the cursor when typing in any text field, place a finger on the space bar and slide your finger left or right. As your finger moves, so will the cursor one character at a time. The feature feels similar to Apple’s 3D Touch feature on the iPhone 6S where a user presses on the keyboard to move the cursor, with a harder press highlighting text.

Google’s implementation works on any device, but doesn’t let you highlight text the way you might expect. Oh well, can’t win ’em all. I discovered this feature on Gboard shortly after it launched by pure accident, but never thought of trying it on the Android equivalent until this tweet from Androiddeveloper Kaushik Gopal.