Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Enable and Use Cursor Control in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

If you often use keyboard in laptop or PC to write down something, you may have used the arrow keys when you wanted to navigate around the texts you're writing. The arrows keys typically consist of 4 keys: the left arrow (back arrow), the up arrow, the down arrow, and the right arrow (forward arrow). Each of the arrow key can be used to move the text cursor to the specified direction. In the stock keyboard in Samsung Galaxy S5, you can find a feature named cursor control that has the similar function with the arrow keys. When cursor control is enabled, you can control the text cursor simply by sliding your finger to the desired direction across the keyboard so that you can navigate around the texts you're writing without having to take away your finger from the keyboard.


How to enable the cursor control feature in the Samsung keyboard?
You can do so by using the following steps:
  1. Swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notification panel and then tap to go to the settings menu.
  2. With the settings menu is displayed in grid view, scroll down to the System section and then select Language and input .
  3. If necessary, tap Default and then select Samsung keyboard.
  4. Tap next to Samsung keyboard to view more detailed settings.
  5. Scroll the screen to the very bottom.
  6. Tap Keyboard swipe and then select Cursor control to enable it.

How to use the cursor control feature?
If you have enabled cursor control in the Samsung keyboard settings, now you can use it to control the text cursor movement when entering texts in an app or screen where you can enter texts. As the example, we'll use cursor control when composing a new text message in Messaging app:
  1. Open Messaging app and then tap to create a new text message.
  2. Tap the Enter message field to display the keyboard.
  3. Now, write down your message.
  4. Controlling the text cursor:
    • To move the text cursor to the top, slide your finger upwards across the keyboard. It'll do the similar function as the up arrow key.
    • To move the text cursor to the bottom, slide your finger downwards across the keyboard. It'll do the similar function as the down arrow key.
    • To move the text cursor to the right, slide your finger to the right across the keyboard. It'll do the similar function as the forward arrow key.
    • To move the text cursor to the left, slide your finger to the left across the keyboard. It'll do the similar function as the back arrow key.

Given the function, this feature will be able to provide you an alternative way to control or navigate the text cursor with the similar way as you used to do when using keyboard in laptop or PC. So, how about you? Which method do you like best to control the text cursor, tapping a part of the texts on the screen or sliding your finger across the keyboard?

4 comments:

  1. I was using a Razr before. It had navigation arrows to move around your text. I prefer that because I was able to use swipe with it. In the S5, I have to choose either swipe or navigation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Chimene,
      Thanks for coming.
      Yes, you're right. The stock Samsung keyboard doesn't let you to use the swipe/continuous input and the cursor control at the same time. However, if you don't mind, you can use a third-party keyboard app that will let you to use both these features at the same time. I personally have tried using SwiftKey keyboard app. This keyboard app has the navigation arrows at the bottom of the keyboard which will let you to move around the text as well as the in-build swipe feature so that you can use both these features together.

      Delete
  2. when you do this you lose the ability to swipe, so no thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mike Grossman,
      Thanks for coming.
      Yes, you're right. As I said in the Chimene's comment that this feature can't be used together with the swipe feature. So, if you want to use these two features together, you can use another third-party keyboard app.

      Delete

Hi the insiders,
Thanks for coming and I hope you can get something useful here.
Before submitting your comment to ask about an issue, please make sure to provide information as much as possible (at least write your model number and Android version) and describe the problem clearly.
Also, since all comments will be moderated, all comments with irrelevant links(if any) or contain with offensive/harsh word will be deleted.
The last, if you have a question and can't find the relevant article, please feel free to reach me through the Contact us page. I'll be more than happy to reply the email and answer the question :)