select text

To select text, do any of the following while viewing a document in editing view:

  • Select a word: Double-tap it.

  • Select a paragraph: Triple-tap in the paragraph.

  • Select an item in a list: Tap its bullet, number, or letter.

  • Select a range of text: Double-tap a word, then move the grab points to include more or less text. Drag beyond the end of a paragraph to include any formatting marks (called invisibles).

  • Select noncontiguous text: Press and hold the Command key on a connected keyboard while selecting two or more nonadjacent words or ranges of text using a trackpad or mouse.

    To deselect a portion of any noncontiguous selections, press and hold the Command key, then select the text you want to exclude.

You can also drag two fingers across the onscreen keyboard to move the insertion point, then tap once with two fingers on the keyboard to select a word, twice to select a sentence, or three times to select a paragraph.

You can select a range of continuous text or multiple noncontiguous selections only within the same area of your document—for example, within the document body, or within a single text box, shape, or table cell.

To deselect all text selections, tap anywhere on the page outside a selection.