To perform the equivalent of Control-F (find/search) on an iPhone, you can use built-in features in web browsers and apps since the traditional keyboard shortcut doesn't exist on iOS. Here are the main ways to do it:
How to Control-F on iPhone in Safari
- Open the webpage in Safari.
- Tap the address bar at the top and type the word or phrase you want to find.
- Scroll down in the search suggestions to the section labeled "On This Page".
- Tap Find "[your word]".
- Use the up and down arrows at the bottom of the screen to navigate through all instances of the word, which will be highlighted.
- Tap Done when finished
Alternatively, you can:
- Tap the Share button (a box with an arrow pointing up).
- Scroll down and select Find on Page.
- Enter your search term and navigate through matches
How to Control-F on iPhone in Google Chrome
- Open the webpage in Chrome.
- Tap the three dots icon (...) at the bottom right.
- Select Find in Page.
- Type your search word or phrase.
- Use the arrows to jump between matches.
- Tap Done when finished
How to Control-F in Messages and Other Apps
- In Messages, use the search bar at the top to search for words or phrases within your conversations.
- You can also use the iOS Spotlight search to find text across apps
Summary
While you cannot use a physical Control + F shortcut on an iPhone, you can easily search for specific words or phrases on webpages or in apps by using the browser's built-in "Find on Page" feature accessed via the address bar or share menu in Safari and Chrome, or the search bar in apps like Messages
. This method works similarly to Control-F on a computer, highlighting all instances of the searched term and letting you jump between them.
