iOS 11 introduced handy new drag and drop features on the iPad, that let you drag photos, files, links, and more between apps. What you might not know, though, is that drag and drop also works for blocks of text.

Instead of copying and pasting text on the iPad, you can select a block of text and then drag it right into another app using the drag and drop features.


Here's how:

  1. Select a line or paragraph of text, making sure it's highlighted.
  2. Hold a finger on the highlighted text until it pops off the page.
  3. Drag the resulting text bubble into a new app.

In apps like Messages, where you can't highlight text, all you need to do is hold down and drag, skipping the selection step.

In addition to moving text between apps, drag and drop is also useful for copying and rearranging blocks of texts within a single app, like Notes or Pages.

You can also use this drag and drop feature with text on the iPhone, but only within the same app, rather than between two apps. The procedure on the iPhone is the same: simply select text and then hold down until it pops up into a little bubble that can be moved elsewhere within the app.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Top Rated Comments

justperry Avatar
80 months ago
Just a suggestion/feedback.

Wouldn't it be wiser/better to have these How to..... articles in a separate tab/section at the top of the main page.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mariusignorello Avatar
80 months ago
Just a suggestion/feedback.

Wouldn't it be wiser/better to have these How to..... articles in a separate tab/section at the top of the main page.
Yes, like a separate tab just for tutorials. Definitely would be great.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
80 months ago
Just a suggestion/feedback.

Wouldn't it be wiser/better to have these How to..... articles in a separate tab/section at the top of the main page.
I was JUST going to suggest something like this after seeing sooo many how to videos about the HomePod.

These HowTo’s are not Apple news as news and business actions and related info should be on the front page articles. These informative step by step instructional videos should be on sidebar.

Corrected typo: JUDT to JUST.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
80 months ago
man...thats pretty bold to suggest some improvement..
My similar comment about this in their previous ‘How To’ post got my comment deleted and a warning come my way. Marked as Frivalous.
That should not happen, it's an opinion and as long as we stay within the boundaries of what we can say it should not be deleted, mine was just feedback, MR can do with it what they want.
I don't mind a few How to ... articles but last week MR went over the top, this is my opinion though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mike MA Avatar
80 months ago
Just a suggestion/feedback.

Wouldn't it be wiser/better to have these How to..... articles in a separate tab/section at the top of the main page.
Yes, like a separate tab just for tutorials. Definitely would be great.
Yes, I second that. They still can be released on the front page though, but a dedicated directory afterwards for crawling this information would be the ideal solution from my point of view.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
80 months ago
I was JUDT going to suggest something like this after seeing sooo many how to videos about the HomePod.

These HowTo’s are not Apple news as news and business actions and related info should be on the front page articles. These informative step by step instructional videos should be on sidebar.
They should be in a tab on the main page, but that's just my opinion.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...