How to scroll on the iPod touch

Three techniques for scrolling on an iPod touch or iPhone.

How to scroll on the iPod touch
Mac Tip #353, 27 August 2008

I've scrolled most of the way down a blog page.

The iPod touch, unlike the other models of iPod, is essentially a small computer. It does email, surfs the web, checks the weather, connects with YouTube and Google Maps, and does a whole lot of other things, courtesy of its Internet capabilities.

This means that you often want to scroll through pages of text. Usually you touch the screen and ‘flick’ your finger up, down or across. Flick, flick, flick, and you’ve scrolled down several pages. My screenshot shows I’ve scrolled most of the way down a blog page.

To scoot quickly back to the top the easiest way is to tap once on the menu bar at the top of the screen. In my screenshot that’s the part at the top that shows the wireless signal strength at left, the time in the middle, and the battery status on the right.

I'm typing a reply to an email. Most of what my friend wrote to me is out of view.

Text fields seem a problem at first. For example you may write a comment on a blog. The text box is only a few lines high, so after you’ve written a couple of sentences you can no longer see the start of what you wrote.

The first screenshot in this sequence shows me typing a reply to an email. Most of what my friend wrote to me is out of view.

The second screenshot shows what happens if I scroll with the one-finger ‘flick’. The whole page scrolls and I still can’t see the rest of the email I’m replying to.

If you try the usual ‘flicking’ the whole page scrolls, not just the comment you’ve written.

To scroll inside a text field use two fingers.

If I scroll with the one-finger 'flick' the whole page scrolls

In the third screenshot I’ve dismissed the on-screen keyboard (I was having trouble with scrolling with it showing) and have used two fingers to scroll within the email reply text field.

I use two fingers to scroll within the email reply text field.

As always, click on the thumbnails to see larger versions of the pictures.

Notes

The iPhone should work the same way as the iPod touch, but unfortunately I don’t have one and can’t check exactly how it works.

If you can add useful information for other readers about using an iPod touch or iPhone, please leave comments below.

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Tagged as: iPhone, iPod, scroll

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Duoyi Sun 21 June 2009 at 20:58:09: hey thanks!
you know in Youtube, there’s a related videos box that needs that kinda scrolling, and it’s giving me hell not being able to browse all of them (i dont use youtube’s mobile format)
bb

2 Moogy Sat 31 October 2009 at 13:59:44: Wow, that would never have crossed my mind. Just what I needed, thanks. =D

3 Izakiller Tue 29 December 2009 at 01:44:52: I have a problem, i have this voice thing on. When i tap something i always have to double tap to open it and i want it turned off, only one problem, its on the general settings and i cant scroll down to it, it just wont let me scroll down, its getting annoying and i want it removed. Plz help

4 Miraz Jordan Sat 02 January 2010 at 11:27:42: Izakiller: you should be able to scroll the Settings pages with a simple ‘flick’ as described above.

If it won’t let you scroll then perhaps try resetting your iPhone: hold down the on/off button and the Home button at the same time. Keep them both down even past the ‘turn off’ message until you see the Apple logo start up screen.

Practical tips to help you use Macs, iPhones and iPods

How to scroll on the iPod touch