I cannot count the times I have accidentally backspaced something I wrote while replying to a text or jotting something down on an iPhone. Since I am a fairly new iPhone user too, I didn't know back then that there was a way to undo deleted text on an iPhone with a simple shake gesture. However, upon looking into the topic, there is more than one way to undo on iPhone, and in this guide, I will show you all of them.
How to Undo on iPhone
I only learnt about the shake-to-undo gesture just a few months back while trying to note down my iPhone model number. But after a couple of Google searches and reading some subreddits, I learned there are other iPhone gestures to undo your accidentally deleted text in any app. Here are a few examples.
Using Shake to Undo
This is the original undo method to bring back any removed text and works across all Apple iPhones.
- While typing, give your iPhone a firm shake.
- When the pop-up appears, tap on Undo to confirm.
It is a well-known method, but the only downside is that shaking my iPhone Air in public would look awkward.
Using the Three-Finger Swipe Left Gesture
This is a simple alternative to the shake-to-undo gesture, which automatically adds the deleted letters in the text.
- Place three fingers on the centre of the screen.
- Swipe a little to the left in one motion.
- A small "Undo Typing" banner will appear at the top of the screen. Here, tap on Undo to proceed.
This is the fastest and most discreet method available.
Note: It is important to place all three fingers in the centre of the screen for the gesture to register reliably.
Using a Three-Finger Double Tap
Another quick gesture to bring up the undo option on an iPhone is the three-finger double tap. Here is how it works:
- Double-tap on the screen with three fingers simultaneously.
- A toolbar will appear at the top. Tap on the undo icon with a rounded left arrow sign.
- It will restore the deleted text.
How to Redo on iPhone
Like the undo gesture, iOS also features similar ways to redo a text that you have added again. Let's take a look at them as well:
- Three-finger swipe right: Place three fingers in the centre of the screen and swipe right. The same banner that confirms undo at the top of the screen will confirm the redo.
- Three-finger double tap: Double-tap with three fingers and tap the Redo arrow on the right side of the pop-up toolbar that appears.
Those are all the ways to undo and redo on an iPhone. My favourite one is the three-finger swipe left, which I have turned into my habit, and I don't use the shake-to-undo gesture anymore. The three-finger double-tap is also useful but has an extra step, which is why I don't use it often. I hope you found this guide useful and the information that I provided to be insightful.
