wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time.
This article has been viewed 46,190 times.
Learn more...
Most Samsung Galaxy units, especially the smartphone versions, do not have a stylus included in the package. For most people who find navigating touch screens difficult, this could be an issue or even a deal breaker when it comes to choosing which phones to buy. But don’t let this stop you from enjoying your Android. Here’s a quick and simple life hack that will show you how you can use anything as a stylus on a galaxy.
Steps
-
Find something long and thin. When trying to find a substitute for a stylus, you’d probably need to look for something that can give the same feel as a real stylus can. For this, you’ll need to get something long and thin. The best item for this would be an empty pen case, but you can use absolutely any item you have in mind—yes, even a stick can do the trick.
-
Grab some cotton. Take a small piece of cotton and attach it to the tip of the item you’re going to use as a stylus. If you don’t have any cotton, you can use a tissue or a piece of cloth—any item that can hold or absorb water.Advertisement
-
Measure about a teaspoon of water.
-
Dip your stylus in the water. You don’t need to submerge the entire stylus, just have the end with a cotton touch the water, enough for the cotton to be moist.
-
Test your stylus. Drag the tip of your new stylus (the one with a cotton attached) across the screen of the Samsung Galaxy, and you’ll notice it reacting to your gestures.
- Android touchscreen devices react to electro-conductive materials like organic stuff such as our fingers or water. So, the device will react to a tip of a pencil only when it’s wet.
- The cotton at the tip helps to hold water and allows your stylus to be used for longer periods. It also prevents the item you’re using as a stylus from scratching the screen of your Samsung Galaxy.
-
Re-moisten your stylus. When the improvised stylus starts to dry and lose its traction, simply dip the cotton tip in water again to keep it conductive.
Community Q&A
-
QuestionI tried this and it messed up my screen.Smellywolf88Community AnswerClean your screen. Maybe try using the end of an eraser on a pencil. That may help you.
-
QuestionI tried just using a wet Q-tip, seeing as I can deal with short utensils, but it doesn’t work. Am I doing something wrong?Smellywolf88Community AnswerYes, may the Q-tip was too wet. So it couldn't have gotten a good grip on the screen. It would be best to not use a Q-tip. Maybe try using the eraser part of a wooden or mechanical pencil instead.
-
QuestionDoes the chopstick work with phones?Smellywolf88Community AnswerNot likely, seeing as they are really skinny. Maybe try using something else. For instance, the end of a pencil's eraser.
Tips
-
If you’re using an organic item, like vegetables (carrot, celery, etc.), you no longer need to put a piece of cotton on it. The Galaxy’s screen will react immediately upon contact even when dry.Thanks
-
After using your improvised stylus, wipe the screen of your Samsung Galaxy dry.Thanks
-
This method works not just on Android devices, but on majority of touchscreen devices.Thanks