# Aggravating issue with new smartphone **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368 "2024-04-16T16:34:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/1 "2024-04-16T16:34:21Z")
Finally had to replace my 8 year old one with a new one, Samsung Galaxy S24+ ( Android ). It’s a keyboard issue, and despite diddling with all my settings and internet searches, the solution seems to elude me. On my old S8, to allow accented letters, I could long press a letter, a box of choices would pop up and I could just type a selection from it and it would display. I’ve tried the Samsung keyboard, and the Google smart keyboard and the issue is the same: Long pressing a letter key brings up a pop-up of choices, but upon tapping one of the choices, nothing happens. Thanks for any insights. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/2 "2024-04-16T16:54:27Z")
On my phone you have to drag your finger over the accented vowel before lifting it up. So technically one long press-drag-release. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/3 "2024-04-16T16:56:52Z")
Yes, I have to hold and drag as well, using Swiftkey, which I highly recommend you switch to. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/4 "2024-04-16T17:31:00Z")
Yes, the drag is a finesse I find hard but when you get down it works. @:—\_⁴±⁹¿5bë Just practiced. It works. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/5 "2024-04-16T18:46:11Z")
OK, thanks. I’ll look at Swiftkey, but when it comes to touch screens, dragging/swiping is my weakest subject. 😀 ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/6 "2024-04-16T19:04:58Z")
BTW, your user name was one of the hardest answers in the NYT Spelling Bee recently. I only guessed it because of you. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/7 "2024-04-16T19:32:56Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > On my phone you have to drag your finger over the accented vowel before lifting it up. So technically one long press-drag-release. > > ~Max Exactly this on every Samsung Android I’ve had. Which is several now. Darn good bet that’s the OP’s solution. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/8 "2024-04-16T19:55:04Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > using Swiftkey, which I highly recommend you switch to. Seconded ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/9 "2024-04-16T20:22:43Z")
You can also enable alternate characters on the primary keyboard (each character shows an alternate that can be selected by a long press). The process on an S23FE: Settings → General management → Samsung Keyboard settings → Layout → Alternative characters Getting the duration of the long press right may be a bit of a challenge, but for me it’s easier than swiping. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/10 "2024-04-16T22:31:56Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > BTW, your user name was one of the hardest answers in the NYT Spelling Bee recently. I only guessed it because of you. First off, glad that I am of some use. 👍 I installed Swiftkey and adjusted the options, and now the accent pop-ups work just fine…and…I just have to tap to get the accented character rather than drag. Not only that, I downloaded an Italian language pack that works great in conjunction with it. > [@OttoDaFe](#): > > You can also enable alternate characters on the primary keyboard (each character shows an alternate that can be selected by a long press). The process on an S23FE: > > Settings → General management → Samsung Keyboard settings → Layout → Alternative characters > > Getting the duration of the long press right may be a bit of a challenge, but for me it’s easier than swiping. I shall save that for future reference. Thanks for the advice, and thank you all very much for your assistance. Much appreciated. 👏 ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/11 "2024-04-17T00:47:47Z")
Damm, I’m francophone in Canada, and accented letters are common in french but I never knew how to type them on my Samsung S21,so I simply ignored the accents. Now I know, ignorance fought, Thanks ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aggravating-issue-with-new-smartphone/1000368/12 "2024-04-17T09:54:12Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > Not only that, I downloaded an Italian language pack that works great in conjunction with it. Yeah, I added the German keyboard for help with my Duolingo lessons.