The Best Touchscreen Gloves
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The obvious way to keep Jack Frost from nipping at your fingers is to slip on a pair of toasty touchscreen gloves. People have been wearing gloves for centuries, with the shift from mittens to individually wrapped fingers the biggest upgrade in all that time. But traditional gloves don’t play nicely with our smartphones. Sure, you could stab uselessly at the touchscreen before slipping your glove off to use your phone. But wouldn’t you rather snag a good pair of touchscreen gloves?
All these gloves have some material or fingertip technology that works with touchscreens, but some are better than others. I tested each pair in this guide with my phone—I answered calls, browsed the web, and sent text messages—and also considered comfort, grip, and warmth, using them in 30- to 40-degree Fahrenheit weather. These are our favorites.
Updated February 2025: We've added gloves from Graphene-X and Marks and Spencer.
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Adjust Your Phone’s Settings
Before diving in, I strongly recommend you increase the sensitivity of your phone’s touchscreen. Here’s how:
On an Android phone: Go to Settings, System, Keyboard, then Pointer speed, and then slide it to the max. These settings may vary based on your smartphone. Some Android phones also have a Touch sensitivity option or Screen protector mode you can find in the Display settings.
On an iPhone: Go to Settings, Accessibility, Touch, and tap Haptic Touch or 3D & Haptic Touch and select Fast. You may also consider tweaking some of the settings in Settings, Accessibility, Touch, Touch Accommodations.
- Photograph: Simon Hill
Best Overall
Glider GlovesThe Glider Gloves offered the most control and accuracy among the touchscreen gloves I tested. The Canadian manufacturer uses conductive copper in the yarn, so every touch registers. You can tap and swipe with any part of your hand, pinch to zoom, and use your whole fingers, not just the tips.
I found these gloves very comfortable, with a soft brushed interior that feels seamless and textured silicone grip sections on the palm and fingers ensuring your phone won’t slip. The trade-off is that they are not thick, so they won’t be warm enough for extreme cold, and they’re not waterproof, so forget about snowballs. Sizes feel on the small side at first, though they loosen up when you wear them in, and a tight fit allows for maximum typing accuracy.
These are popular gloves, so they do sell out sometimes.
- Photograph: Moshi
Best Knitted Gloves
Moshi Digits Touchscreen GlovesIf you prefer knitted gloves, Moshi’s Digits are great. These are very warm and comfortable, with effective touchscreen capabilities so you can use all your fingers and thumbs—I can type quite accurately with these gloves on.
Moshi includes rubber strips in a wavy pattern to enhance grip, which is crucial because the knitted fabric is slippery. Unfortunately, the inner microfleece lining sometimes separates from the knitted outer layer. The weave is also quite loose, and my pair began to fray after I caught a finger on something during a snowball fight. (They’re not great for snowballs either.) If you want them to last, keep them dry and look after them.
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Colorful Gloves
Verloop Twist Knit Touchscreen GlovesGloves don’t have to be black or gray, Verloop offers vibrant, eye-catching, fun color combinations for its knitted mitts. We tested the Twist Knit Touchscreen Gloves in magenta and cobalt, and they proved an instant hit with my daughter. The tips of the thumb, index finger, and middle finger are touchscreen-friendly. She found it easy to swipe around and even type with some practice, but you need a snug fit to type at speed and use your thumbs. These gloves are cozy, with ribbed cuffs, and they are machine washable but not waterproof.
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Best Leather Gloves
Kent Wang Deerskin Touchscreen GlovesIf you prefer a classic style, these leather gloves from Kent Wang are nice. They come in black, dark brown, and tan, and they look polished enough for the office but can blend in with any outfit. The deerskin leather is wrinkle-resistant, durable, and treated with a touchscreen-friendly layer the manufacturer promises won’t wear off. They work well with touchscreens, but it took me some practice to type because of the seams at the fingertips. You will want a snug fit for best results. These gloves are also comfortable and cozy, with a lovely cashmere lining (that explains the price). They can cope with rain or the odd snowball.
- Photograph: Simon Hill
Fingerless Gloves
The Heat Company Heat 2 Softshell GlovesEven the most responsive touchscreen gloves can leave you feeling like a clumsy illiterate when you try to speed-type a text, and many phones require a fingerprint scan to unlock. Luckily, you have fingerless options, and these clever fold-over mittens from the Heat Company are my favorite.
They are wind- and water-resistant, with goatskin leather palms and long cuffs to keep you cozy. But what I love about these gloves is the two fold-back sections, a mitten top to cover your fingers (with a pocket for a hand warmer), and a separate thumb cover, with sewn-in magnets to keep them out of the way when open. I often use my thumb to unlock my phone and both thumbs to type, so the option to only expose my thumbs is ideal. These gloves are decently warm, but if it’s especially chilly, they can be combined with the Merino Heat Tube Liners ($29), which have long cuffs and another pocket for hand warmers.
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Best Thin Gloves
Black Diamond Lightweight Screentap GlovesYou may prefer a thin pair of gloves to maintain your dexterity but still provide some warmth. Whether you are zipping around the city or out for a run, consider these Black Diamond gloves. They are very thin, but there’s a suede patch on the palm that’s great padding for when you hold an umbrella or steering wheel. It’s easy to use the touchscreen with my thumb, so these are great for one-handed use, and I can type at close to normal speed. These gloves also have an elasticated wrist for a snug fit and a plastic clip for joining them together when they're off so you never lose one. They’re not especially warm, and they feel a little slippery. If you need thicker gloves, Black Diamond also offers midweight and heavyweight Screen Tap gloves.
★ Another Alternative: The North Face Etip Recycled Gloves ($45) are another great pair of thin touchscreen gloves. They're stretchy and water-resistant and made from recycled polyester. You can read more about them in our Best Running Gear guide.
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- Photograph: Canada Goose
Most Comfortable
Canada Goose Mixed Media GlovesSlipping on these gloves feels heavenly because the brushed inner lining is incredibly comfortable. They are warm too, with a soft shell and leather exterior. Sadly, the touchscreen performance is disappointing. You can type with any finger or your thumb, but it takes more determination than with other gloves on our list. I became fairly capable with my thumb after some practice, but using my index finger was hit-and-miss, with touches frequently not registering.
The gloves grip well, and an elasticated section makes them snug at the wrist, but there's no adjustable strap. These gloves are easily the most comfortable pair, but I can recommend them only if you barely use your phone when outside in frigid temperatures.
- Photograph: Simon Hill
Stowable Gloves
Montane Prism GlovesThese lightweight gloves pack easily into the included tiny sack and won’t take up much room in your bag. The brushed microfleece lining is really comfortable, and they’re surprisingly warm. The fingers are curved, and a special patch on your index fingertip and thumb works with touchscreens. I had no trouble tapping to answer calls or read messages, but they are bulky, so it’s tough to type accurately with these gloves on. They are also water-resistant, so light rain is not a problem.
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Other Touchscreen Gloves We Tested
Some of the touchscreen gloves we tried fell short of a recommendation for one reason or another.
Marks and Spencer Knitted Gloves for $18 or £10: A gift from my in-laws, these knitted gloves from reliable UK retailer Marks and Spencer are pretty good. They keep your hands cozy but also have special touchscreen pads on the index finger and thumb tips. I can swipe, tap, and type reasonably well with these gloves on.
Graphene-X All Rounder Bio-X Gloves for $119: With a classy look, high-tech graphene material on the back, and plant-based bio leather on the palm and fingers, these gloves are certainly unique. They're comfy too, but they completely failed to keep my hands warm. The touchscreen material works and I had no trouble tapping and swiping, but the joins and squared-off shape on the fingertips made it almost impossible to type accurately.
Trendoux Winter Gloves for $15: These affordable gloves have tips on the index fingers and thumbs that work with touchscreens, but the seams on the inside make them tricky to type with and a little uncomfortable. They are slim, so not especially warm, but the finish is smooth and water-resistant, with rubbery antislip dots on the palm and other fingers. I like the clip for snapping them together when you take them off.
Sealskinz Waterproof Cold Weather Gloves for $110: These gloves are fairly warm, combining goatskin leather with a middle layer and merino wool on the inside. The touchscreen capability is limited to your index finger and thumb, but I found it tough to type with my index finger because of where the join is, and it’s impossible to type speedily and accurately. The grip is quite good, there’s a Velcro strap to tighten at the wrist for a snug fit, and you can clip the gloves together. But they’re restrictive, too pricey, and not entirely waterproof, despite the name.
Try These Instead
Maybe you already have non-touchscreen gloves you love or you simply don't fancy any of our picks. There are a couple of alternatives worth considering:
A Stylus: It may seem old school, but a stylus allows you to use your phone accurately without taking your gloves off and will work with any smartphone or gloves. The Bargains Depot B&D Universal Capacitive Stylus ($12) worked well in our testing.
A Handwarmer: If you brave the cold gloveless or use one of our thinner picks above, you might want to have a rechargeable handwarmer waiting in your pocket. My favorite is the VQ Rechargeable 10,000-mAh Power Bank Hand Warmer (£20), but it's only available in the UK. Folks in the States can find a ton of similar options on Amazon.
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