Nuked Hello, tech enthusiasts! It’s your favorite tech-loving buddy Nuked, and today we’re diving into the world of one-handed phone use. We all know there are times when we only have one hand free—maybe you’re walking the dog or juggling groceries. With modern phones boasting screens that are six inches or larger, using one hand can feel like an Olympic sport!
But fear not! Both Android and iOS have features designed to make one-handed operation a breeze. Let’s explore some nifty tricks to help you navigate your phone with just a single hand.
Methods for Android Phones
First up is Android’s dedicated one-handed mode. This feature allows you to shrink any app down to the bottom half of the screen for easier access. To enable it, go to Settings, then System > Gestures > One-handed mode on most devices. If you’re rocking a Samsung Galaxy, head to Advanced features > One-handed mode instead. Once activated, swipe down near the bottom of the screen to bring the app into reach—just be careful not to refresh it by swiping too high!
Next, let’s talk about the Gboard keyboard. You can adjust it to slide over to one side of the screen, making typing a cinch with just your thumb. While the keyboard is up, tap the four-box icon on the left and select One-handed from the menu. Voilà! You can even switch sides or return it to full width by tapping the corresponding arrows.
For those frequently-used apps, place them closer to the bottom of your home screen. On Pixel phones, you can make this even easier by enabling app suggestions on your home screen through Settings > Apps > Default apps.
If you’re browsing with Samsung’s Internet Browser, you can also move the address bar down for easy access. Just go into Settings from the hamburger menu and enable Show toolbar at bottom and Show address bar at bottom.
Methods for iPhones
If you’re team iPhone, don’t worry—you’ve got some handy tricks too! The Reachability feature is iOS’s answer to one-handed mode. To activate it, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and turn on Reachability. Now, a quick swipe down will shrink whatever’s on your screen so you can reach it with ease.
The iOS keyboard also has a one-handed option! Long-press the globe or emoji icon in the lower left corner and select either left or right layout to shift the keyboard over. You can return it back by tapping the arrow that appears in its place.
For browsing in Safari, you can move the address bar down to make it more accessible. If it’s not already at the bottom, tap on Settings in Safari and adjust it under Tabs.
So there you have it! Whether you’re on Android or iOS, these features can help make using your phone with one hand a lot easier. Now go forth and conquer that phone with confidence—one hand at a time!
