# Do you type on your smartphone with your thumbs?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 24, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770 "2020-10-24T16:12:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/1 "2020-10-24T16:12:37Z")
The other day, my index finger was shaking and I wondered why. I figured out it was because I was using it to type and swipe n my phone. That’s a lot of work for one finger sometimes.
When I watch TV shows, when people are on their smartphone typing, they’re using both hands and typing with their thumbs very quickly. I tried it, but am largely unsuccessful since my thumbs are even bigger and clumsier than my index finger.
How do you type on your smartphone?
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/1))_
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/2 "2020-10-24T16:39:24Z")
Index finger here.
I cannot imagine how people type with thumbs. My index finger covers 3 or 4 keys and which is pressed is almost random. My thumbs cover 6 or 7 keys each. And I’m small as men go.
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/3 "2020-10-24T17:22:54Z")
Generally, I hold my phone (Galaxy S7 Edge) with my right hand and type with my right thumb. Sometimes I might hold it between both hands and use my left thumb, too, especially if I’m working in landscape mode.
For those who type with other fingers, are you holding it with your non-dominant hand and typing with your dominant index finger, or vice versa? Do you use more than just your index finger?
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### Author:  [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/4 "2020-10-24T17:24:23Z")
Most often, hold the phone in my left (non-dominant) hand and type with my right thumb.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/5 "2020-10-24T17:29:59Z")
I use my right index finger to swipe along the letters on the keyboard. It’s not 100% accurate, but I have to make very few corrections.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/6 "2020-10-24T17:32:25Z")
I hold it portrait mode in my left hand and type with my left thumb.
As for whether that’s my dominant hand, it’s complicated.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/7 "2020-10-24T17:33:15Z")
Précision! 😁
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### Author:  [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/8 "2020-10-24T17:35:35Z")
I like to hold my phone in landscape mode to type, and use both thumbs. I have a big phone (Pixel 2 XL). On the new Discourse site, I can’t see what I’m typing in landscape. When I turn to portrait, which I hate, I type with my no dominant index finger (right), but I’m pretty ambidextrous, so it’s not difficult. I’m not sure why I use my right, but I’m guessing it’s because something is set up to favor the right.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/9 "2020-10-24T17:38:18Z")
The backspace and return key are always set on the right, favouring righties. It’s a bit of a reach To do leftie in portrait, impossible to do In landscape.
Just for fun, I tried now to use both thumbs. It’s doable but I just use my left thumb.
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### Author:  [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/10 "2020-10-24T17:49:05Z")
I just flipped to portrait, and I do type with two thumbs that way too, sometimes, but it’s cramped and less accurate. I use sort of the corner of my thumb, not the whole pad. But I also have to correct a lot, and rely on autocomplete more.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/11 "2020-10-24T17:51:47Z")
Off-topic, but my iPhone autocorrects to English and French, without any pattern I can see. That was supposed to be « Precision! » in my reply to **LSLGuy**.
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### Author:  [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/12 "2020-10-24T17:57:03Z")
> [@commasense](#):
>
> For those who type with other fingers, are you holding it with your non-dominant hand and typing with your dominant index finger, or vice versa? Do you use more than just your index finger?
I hold my phone with my left (non-dominant) hand [which has been stiff lately because of it] and type with my right index finger.
I’m really intrigued by people who use one thumb to type. I thought people use their thumbs because they’re holding the phone with the rest of their hand. If you’re holding the phone with one hand, wouldn’t it be more accurate to use a finger to type because they’re smaller? Do people have smaller thumbs?
ETA: I also use the autosuggestion box on the keyboard for most of everything. For what I’m typing on my phone, the phone has become pretty accurate in predicting what I’m trying to type. Without that, I might have given up trying to blog from my phone.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/13 "2020-10-24T17:57:30Z")
My 20-something friend nags me to switch to thumbs, but like others here, my thumb covers too many keys. Turning the phone to portrait mode makes the keyboard uncomfortably wide and just doesn’t feel right. So I poke at the letters with my index finger.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/14 "2020-10-24T18:01:59Z")
I tried different ways when I first got my phone about a decade ago. Holding it in the hand with the thumb I use was just the easiest.
Tried an index finger and it just seemed awkward.
Mind you, my first phone was a lot smaller so it was easier than on my current phone.
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### Author:  [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/15 "2020-10-24T18:12:58Z")
Typing right now, holding the phone in my dominant (right) hand and typing with both thumbs.
Typing with an index finger is very awkward.
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### Author:  [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/16 "2020-10-24T18:22:18Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> I tried different ways when I first got my phone about a decade ago. Holding it in the hand with the thumb I use was just the easiest.
I’m a noob to this. I’ve only had my phone since February of this year. Perhaps I’ll change my style if my hands and/or fingers get too tired doing it with one finger. Thanks for the explanation of how you’re doing it.
As a general aside, in early voting, if I’m reading it right, there are several people like me who use their index finger to type. [Whew!] I thought I was the only one. In TV shows and movies and even when I’m standing in line to get something, I would often see people typing with their thumbs. I have rarely seen someone typing with their finger except with a swiping motion.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/17 "2020-10-24T18:33:14Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> Off-topic, but my iPhone autocorrects to English and French, without any pattern I can see. That was supposed to be « Precision! » in my reply to **LSLGuy**.
I liked it the way it was. It was Gallic-ly jaunty!
Although this one with English words and French quote marks has a certain _je nais se quoi_ as well.
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### Author:  [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/18 "2020-10-24T18:45:42Z")
My _preferred_ way to text is to set the phone down on a flat surface, or in a pinch, on my knee when seated and use the middle finger of both hands. This method makes for the fastest, and least typo-ey way to text.
Failing that, holding the thing with my left hand, and texting with my right middle or index finger. It’s kinda’ slow. “_I’m good. Thanks. I’ll call you later. Let me know a good time to_” would take about a full minute to type out. Pathetic, yeah.
Tried the thumbs thing. Utter failure. Too big and not agile enough. May as well be wearing boxing gloves.
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### Author:  [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/19 "2020-10-24T20:06:20Z")
Two thumbs, all the time.
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### Author:  [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-type-on-your-smartphone-with-your-thumbs/923770/20 "2020-10-24T20:09:45Z")
> [@BrickBat](#):
>
> Tried the thumbs thing. Utter failure. Too big and not agile enough. May as well be wearing boxing gloves.
Same. I thought there might be some trick to it that I didn’t know. Glad I’m not the only one with this experience.
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