Apple tries to add all kinds of useful options and possibilities to iOS and iPadOS to make navigation easier. A nice example of this is the trick to select multiple items in lists.
Using two fingers, you can easily select items in lists, including in the Mail, Reminders, and Notes apps. Using a smart drag gesture, you can then select messages directly without first activating the edit option.
Easily select items in lists on iPhone or iPad
As an example we will use the Mail application, thanks to the trick below it is possible to select e-mail messages at once and then mark them as read or delete them.
- Open the Mail app
- Tap a message with two fingers
- Rest your fingers on the screen and swipe up or down
- The parts are selected
- Lift your finger to ‘release’
- You can then manage or delete the components
Not very spectacular, you might think, but it is a useful way to quickly select and manage parts.
You can do this not only in the Mail application, but actually in all apps where lists are active. Think of Reminders, Notes, Messages, Voice Memos, etc. Unfortunately, you can’t quickly select multiple photos this way, luckily you have another trick for that.