Advanced touchscreen controls
Advanced touchscreen controls
What's coming up?
In this activity, you’ll learn some more advanced gestures that you can use with your tablet. You’ll find out how to zoom in and out, and how to rotate things.
You’ll also find out about the long tap gesture which is used for certain special tablet functions.
Start activityHow to zoom
You can temporarily enlarge content on the screen of your tablet, to make it easier to see. This is known as zooming in and is done using a pinching out gesture called the reverse pinch.
You can also zoom out to restore content to its original size, or make it even smaller, by using a pinching in gesture called the pinch.
Together, these gestures are sometimes called pinch-to-zoom. Let's take a look at them in more detail.
Zooming in
To make objects on the screen bigger, you use the reverse pinch gesture. To perform a reverse-pinch:
- Put the tips of your thumb and finger together and place them gently on the area of the screen that you want to enlarge
- Slowly spread your finger and thumb apart while keeping your fingertips touching the screen
- As you spread your fingers, the content will become enlarged and more detailed. When you are happy with the size, take your fingers off the screen
- Depending on the app you are using, the content might stay zoomed-in, or it might snap back to its original size
- Repeat this gesture to zoom in again, or to keep zooming in.
Zooming out
To make content on the screen appear smaller, or to return it to its original size after zooming in, you can use the pinch gesture. To do this:
- Place the tips of your thumb and finger wide apart on the touchscreen
- Gently bring your finger and thumb together keeping your fingertips on the screen, until the object is the size you want.
On the next panel is a short video demonstration on how to zoom on a touchscreen.
How to zoom on a touchscreen - demonstration
You can use your fingers to zoom in and out of lots of things on your device, including maps. This is often called pinching, or pinch to zoom.
To zoom in for a closer look, place the tips of your index finger and thumb on the screen at the same time. If you touch the screen with just a finger or thumb first, the zoom will not work. Carefully place your finger and thumb quite close together onto the screen. Keeping them in contact with the screen, slowly slide them apart and release.
This works in reverse too. Starting with your finger and thumb placed further apart on the screen, slowly slide them together and the screen will zoom out.
Double tap to zoom
Another way to zoom in or out quickly on a touchscreen is to use a double tap gesture. This doesn’t always work, as it depends on the app you are using, and what you are tapping. However, photos are a good example of when this works well. To zoom using double tap:
- Lightly tap a photo on the screen twice, quickly. The photo will zoom in
- Double tap once again, and the photo will zoom back to the original size.
If the double tap gesture doesn’t work, you can always use the reverse-pinch gesture instead. On the next panel is a short video demonstration on how to double tap to zoom.
How to double tap to zoom on a touchscreen - demonstration
A double tap is when you tap the screen twice, quickly.
Sometimes you can use double tap to zoom in and out, like on this image. Double tap the content you want to enlarge, and the screen will zoom in.
Double tap once more, and the screen will zoom back out.
A double tap can be easier to zoom in and out than using two fingers in a pinch-to-zoom gesture, but it doesn't work on all websites and apps. If you try it and it doesn't work, or you want to zoom in even further, you will be able to zoom in and out using a pinch-to-zoom gesture instead.
Content rotation
There may be times when you want to move something that you see on screen, such as a map, to look at it from a different angle. To rotate what you see on screen:
- Lightly place your thumb and finger onto the screen at the same time
- Rotate your finger and thumb in a circular motion, while keeping your fingertips touching the screen
- The content will move and when the angle is just right, take your finger and thumb off the screen.
On the next panel is a short video demonstration on how to rotate content on touchscreen.
How to rotate content on a touchscreen - demonstration
You can use your fingers to rotate some types of content on your device, such as a map.
Touch the screen with the tips of your index finger and thumb at the same time, and keep them in contact with the screen. Now twist your hand, so your finger and thumb start to slide over the screen, and release. The content on the screen will rotate at the same time as your fingers.
Repeat this gesture until the content is displaying how you want it. Be sure to place your index finger and thumb on the screen, at the same time, though. If you touch the screen with just a finger or thumb first, it will not work.
Device rotation
You can change how you see things on a screen by rotating the tablet itself. Having the long edge of the screen at the top is called being in landscape mode. When the short edge is at the top, it's called portrait mode. To move between landscape and portrait, simply rotate the device in your hands 90 degrees clockwise or anti-clockwise. You’ll notice the content on screen will adapt as you change the orientation of your device.
If the content doesn’t rotate, you might need to unlock device rotation in your tablet’s settings first.
On the next panel is a short video demonstration on how to rotate a device.
How to rotate a device - demonstration
Your device can let you view content in landscape mode, which is when your screen is wider, or portrait mode, when the screen is narrower but taller.
Some content, like a video, is more suited to watch in landscape mode because it displays better on a wider screen. Some games or apps are best viewed in portrait mode.
However, you can flip between the two views simply by rotating your device 90 degrees clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Sometimes you may need to tilt the top of your device towards you to remind it which way is up.
How to long tap
The long tap gesture is also known as tap and hold and can be used to open additional menus for content on your device.
For example, you can long tap on an app icon to display the app's menu, or on a news article to see options for saving or sharing it with a friend via email.
To perform a long tap, press and hold your finger on an item until a menu appears, then release your finger and tap on an option from the list.
To close the menu, tap anywhere else on the screen. On the next panel is a short video demonstration on how to long tap on a touchscreen.
How to long tap on a touchscreen - demonstration
A long tap is similar to a tap gesture, but slower. A long tap can be used for lots of things on your device.
One example is to open an app's menu on the home screen. Just press and hold your finger down on an app icon until a menu appears.
It might take a bit of practise to learn the difference between a tap and a long tap. The actions are similar, but they make different things happen on your device.
Well done!
This is the end of the Advanced touchscreen controls activity. You’ve learned different touchscreen control gestures and we recommend you practise them in our Practice area.
If you’re a registered user, you can now complete a short quiz to test your learning. If you’re not registered, this is now the end of the What is a tablet? course.
