iOS 7 has changed the keyboard you can use when typing on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. One of the changes is the removal of the .com button; the button that let you type “.com” with a single keypress when entering web addresses.
While this button won’t be coming back soon, there’s a way to type .com with one-and-a-half keypresses. When you’re in a web browser, and want to type .com, just tap and hold the . button to the right of the space bar, and you’ll see a popup menu which lets you choose from a number of top-level domains: as you can see below, I can choose from .us, .org, .edu, .net and .com.
If your region settings are not set to United States, you’ll have some different options: for example, if you’re in the United Kingdom, you’ll see .co.uk; if you’re in France, you’ll see .fr; and so on.
(By the way, this isn’t new; it’s been part of iOS for a long time. But since the .com button has disappeared, many people who didn’t know about this tip will benefit.)
There are other typing shortcuts you can use with this same technique. See iOS 7 Quick Typing Tips: Quickly Type Capital Letters and Punctuation
Also, iOS 7 keyboards are contextual; they change according to which app you use. See this article for more.
Thanks, these little tips are actually quite helpful as they are every day issues.
Thanks, these little tips are actually quite helpful as they are every day issues.
That’s really cool. I actually hadn’t missed it; but the pop up trick is a great improvement.
That’s really cool. I actually hadn’t missed it; but the pop up trick is a great improvement.
pretty cool, but bizarrely in Australia the local option is simply “.au” rather than “.com.au”
pretty cool, but bizarrely in Australia the local option is simply “.au” rather than “.com.au”
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
If you’re typing “.com” it’s just one long press – the “.com” is selected so you can just let go once you see it!
If you’re typing “.com” it’s just one long press – the “.com” is selected so you can just let go once you see it!
Presumably it was removed because of the unified address/search bar.
Presumably it was removed because of the unified address/search bar.
Even better, hold the comma button and you get an apostrophe. Despite the fact that the spell-check frequently gets it right, I was ecstatic to discover this.
Even better, hold the comma button and you get an apostrophe. Despite the fact that the spell-check frequently gets it right, I was ecstatic to discover this.
.com is even easier: just hold down the period key until the menu pops up and then let go. .com is selected automatically.
.com is even easier: just hold down the period key until the menu pops up and then let go. .com is selected automatically.
.com is automatically chosen for you if you hold down the “.” key until the menu appears. You don’t have to select it. Anything other than .com, though — .net, .org, whatever — you do have to then select.
.com is automatically chosen for you if you hold down the “.” key until the menu appears. You don’t have to select it. Anything other than .com, though — .net, .org, whatever — you do have to then select.
Slight impracticality. As you point out it puts the country code on depending on your location, but what you actually want it do for the UK for example is <> not just <>. Similarly in Australia it should be <> rather than just <>. Suspect there is no way to edit??
Slight impracticality. As you point out it puts the country code on depending on your location, but what you actually want it do for the UK for example is <> not just <>. Similarly in Australia it should be <> rather than just <>. Suspect there is no way to edit??
for some reason what I put in <> quote marks disappeared. the missing bits are .co.uk not just .uk and in Australia .com.au not just .au
for some reason what I put in <> quote marks disappeared. the missing bits are .co.uk not just .uk and in Australia .com.au not just .au
I have long used the .com button and was disappointed when it was no longer present in iOS7. I should have thought to press and hold the . button, but alas, iOS7 shouldn’t require so much experimentation to reveal its features. Discoverability of a feature is a feature in and of itself, and one for which iOS7 fails miserably.
I have long used the .com button and was disappointed when it was no longer present in iOS7. I should have thought to press and hold the . button, but alas, iOS7 shouldn’t require so much experimentation to reveal its features. Discoverability of a feature is a feature in and of itself, and one for which iOS7 fails miserably.
thanks!, good tip
thanks!, good tip
I set up a keyboard shortcut that turns ‘..’ into ‘.com’. I think a double-tap is quicker than a tap-hold.
I set up a keyboard shortcut that turns ‘..’ into ‘.com’. I think a double-tap is quicker than a tap-hold.
You don’t even have to select .com from the list. Just hold the . and when the menu pops up let go. Instant .com
You don’t even have to select .com from the list. Just hold the . and when the menu pops up let go. Instant .com
When you hold the period down in iOS 7 the pop-up has “.com” highlighted by default. So you don’t need to slide up to it if “.com” is what you want. In iOS 6 (maybe earlier) it did not automatically highlight “.com”, meaning you had to slide no matter what. So this already-great feature is even handier in iOS 7.
When you hold the period down in iOS 7 the pop-up has “.com” highlighted by default. So you don’t need to slide up to it if “.com” is what you want. In iOS 6 (maybe earlier) it did not automatically highlight “.com”, meaning you had to slide no matter what. So this already-great feature is even handier in iOS 7.
Whoopsy, looks like I remembered incorrectly. iOS 6 did it similarly (“.com” was highlighted automatically). I guess I just now figured out that I could take my finger off the period without sliding up and the “.com” would be inserted. All this time I was sliding up and selecting it anyway. I wonder how many seconds I wasted.
Whoopsy, looks like I remembered incorrectly. iOS 6 did it similarly (“.com” was highlighted automatically). I guess I just now figured out that I could take my finger off the period without sliding up and the “.com” would be inserted. All this time I was sliding up and selecting it anyway. I wonder how many seconds I wasted.
And why noone sees that this is copied from Android? And like most of new iOS7 UI features?
I can’t remember if this was in iPhone OS 1.0, but it’s certainly been there for a long time.
What’s the point of “keeping score” of every OS features and pointing out that it was supposedly “copied” or “stolen” from someone else? I think everyone has borrowed from someone else at some point or another.
And why noone sees that this is copied from Android? And like most of new iOS7 UI features?
I can’t remember if this was in iPhone OS 1.0, but it’s certainly been there for a long time.
What’s the point of “keeping score” of every OS features and pointing out that it was supposedly “copied” or “stolen” from someone else? I think everyone has borrowed from someone else at some point or another.
You can also just type / instead of .com. For example, to go to Google.com, type google/
It may not be as quick, just because you need to use the 123 button to get the /
What we need is a shortcut for typing a slash (/). That’s what I miss.
See this article: iOS 7 Quick Typing Tips: Quickly Type Capital Letters and Punctuation . It’s not as short a shortcut, but it’s still a time-saver.
You can also just type / instead of .com. For example, to go to Google.com, type google/
It may not be as quick, just because you need to use the 123 button to get the /
What we need is a shortcut for typing a slash (/). That’s what I miss.
See this article: iOS 7 Quick Typing Tips: Quickly Type Capital Letters and Punctuation . It’s not as short a shortcut, but it’s still a time-saver.
nice tip!
nice tip!
The idea of holding a button down (and a key, physical or virtual) for an extended period, somehow-defined, in order to invoke a variation on what that button would normally effect goes back to the 80s. On the Mac. If you dig into the workings of HyperCard (met it rest in eternal peace in software heaven), you’ll almost immediately stumble upon the notions onMouseDown, onMouseUp, etc.. These should tell you that the click, tap, or press of a button (or key) was recognized even then, chez Apple, as being divisible, and that time (i.e. duration) was (at least potentially a meaningful, and useful, attribute of the action being taken by the user via their finger. For later systems that the original Apple system versions, you might want to look at, say, the workings of OneFingerSnap (which works even in recent versions of OS X); it converts a long-press of the primary mouse button (or trackpad button, if so equipped) into a secondary button press (right-click/control-click), which typically results in the display of the contextual menu. There are other examples in software, too—some older, and at least one of which was Windows-specific. Upshot: the button-down-and-hold enhancement business predates even the idea of Android. Untwist your knickers
The idea of holding a button down (and a key, physical or virtual) for an extended period, somehow-defined, in order to invoke a variation on what that button would normally effect goes back to the 80s. On the Mac. If you dig into the workings of HyperCard (met it rest in eternal peace in software heaven), you’ll almost immediately stumble upon the notions onMouseDown, onMouseUp, etc.. These should tell you that the click, tap, or press of a button (or key) was recognized even then, chez Apple, as being divisible, and that time (i.e. duration) was (at least potentially a meaningful, and useful, attribute of the action being taken by the user via their finger. For later systems that the original Apple system versions, you might want to look at, say, the workings of OneFingerSnap (which works even in recent versions of OS X); it converts a long-press of the primary mouse button (or trackpad button, if so equipped) into a secondary button press (right-click/control-click), which typically results in the display of the contextual menu. There are other examples in software, too—some older, and at least one of which was Windows-specific. Upshot: the button-down-and-hold enhancement business predates even the idea of Android. Untwist your knickers
Cool! I get a little grid of 14 different choices (in addition to .com).
Yes, if you have other keyboards installed, you’ll get even more choices.
Cool! I get a little grid of 14 different choices (in addition to .com).
Yes, if you have other keyboards installed, you’ll get even more choices.
Interesting tip. I’m stuck on iOS 6 but I checked it out and indeed .ca is there if I select Canada as my region format. I need that more than .com. Unfortunately, in order to get the .ca I also have to get what Apple thinks is the standard date format in Canada (Thursday, 3 October, 2013) and they’re wrong (http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&DocId=5993468).
Interesting tip. I’m stuck on iOS 6 but I checked it out and indeed .ca is there if I select Canada as my region format. I need that more than .com. Unfortunately, in order to get the .ca I also have to get what Apple thinks is the standard date format in Canada (Thursday, 3 October, 2013) and they’re wrong (http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&DocId=5993468).
What’s pretty funny is my son has 31 keyboards enabled (just because he can) so when he holds down . he gets a full screen grid of 23 different choices.
What’s pretty funny is my son has 31 keyboards enabled (just because he can) so when he holds down . he gets a full screen grid of 23 different choices.
Who can I talk to to add the .gov .mil in addition to those already listed.
State and federal agencies have approved iOS yet we still need to hand jam this information…
Who can I talk to to add the .gov .mil in addition to those already listed.
State and federal agencies have approved iOS yet we still need to hand jam this information…