How Does It Work?

To use the virtual trackpad, put two fingers on the screen, or do a long press on the space key. When the keys on the keyboard go blank, the trackpad is active. To move the cursor, leave your fingers on the screen and move them around just as you would on a normal trackpad. The cursor follows your movement. When the virtual trackpad is on, you can move anywhere on the display, and it will act as one giant trackpad. You can also scroll through text by moving the cursor to the far top or to the far bottom of the screen. As you move your fingers in that direction, the text scrolls with you.

How to Select Text Using the Trackpad

You can also select text using the trackpad. Here’s how:

Does the Trackpad Work in Third-Party Apps?

While the virtual trackpad should work in most apps that allow you to write text, not every app supports the functionality. Some third-party programs that don’t use the trackpad now may include it in a future release. And, if the app doesn’t support editing text — such as a web browser viewing a standard web page — the trackpad may not work.

Don’t Forget the Undo Button

Apple has added a few app-specific buttons to the on-screen keyboard. In most apps that let you edit text, there’s an undo button to the left of the auto-correct suggestions. This button is specific to certain apps, so it won’t always be there. But if you make a mistake selecting, copying, or pasting text, tap Undo or shake the iPad to take it back.