Gaming Finger Sleeves

Smoother thumbs on the screen

Gaming finger sleeves are thin, stretchy sleeves that slide over the tip of a thumb or finger. They are knitted from a fine fabric with threads that carry the small electrical charge a touch screen needs, so the screen still feels your touch through them. They suit anyone who plays with their thumbs on the screen and does not want anything clipped to the phone, and they go in a pocket with room to spare.

What they fix

• Sweat. Warm thumbs stick to glass after a few minutes of a fast game. A sleeve glides, so aiming and swiping feel the same at the end of a game as at the start.
• Smears. The screen stays cleaner, so you see more of the game.
• Heat. The sleeve sits between a warm phone and your skin.

Pull one on before you start and keep it on the thumb that does the most aiming. Most players wear one on each thumb, and some add one to each index finger as well, for games played with four fingers on the screen. They go well with triggers, which take over firing while the thumbs move and look.

What the sleeves here are like

The sleeves in this range are knitted from conductive fibre, several of them from silver fibre, and are made very thin so they feel close to a bare thumb. The fabric is breathable and soaks up sweat. They come in packs of two sleeves or several pairs, in a choice of colours, and one comes with a small case to keep them in. They are one size that stretches to fit most fingertips.

Sleeves differ mainly in thickness. Thin ones feel closest to a bare thumb; slightly thicker ones last longer and soak up more sweat.

Questions people ask about gaming finger sleeves

Do they work on any phone?

They work on phone and tablet touch screens in general, because the threads carry your touch through to the glass. They do not need pairing or charging, and they make no difference to which games you can play.

How do I wash them?

By hand in cool water, then let them dry flat. A hot wash can loosen the threads that make them work. Keep a spare pair in a pocket or the case, so a long session is not spoilt when one goes missing or wears through.

When do they need replacing?

When a sleeve starts missing touches, it has worn thin. That is the time to put on a fresh one, which is why they come in packs.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Triggers and shoulder buttons
• Telescopic controllers
• Phone game controllers
• Clip-on phone coolers
• For gamers
• Guide: Mobile gaming accessories: controllers, triggers and coolers