A MacBook trackpad can do much more than pointing and clicking. With two, three or four fingers you scroll, zoom, switch between apps and open Mission Control. Many of these gestures are on by default, but you can adjust them. This article covers the trackpad settings on your Mac, which gestures are handy and what to do when the trackpad does not respond properly.
Blue Apple repairs MacBook trackpads in Amsterdam. If the trackpad really no longer responds, it is not a setting; more about that at the end.
Opening the settings
Go to System Settings, Trackpad. There are three tabs: Point and Click, Scroll and Zoom, and More Gestures. Hover over an option to see a short video of the gesture.
Point and Click
- Tap to click: tap lightly instead of pressing. Many people find it nicer and quieter.
- Secondary click: right-click with two fingers, or in the corner. See right-clicking on your MacBook.
- Click: how hard you need to press (light, medium, firm).
- Tracking speed: how fast the pointer moves.
- Force Click and haptic feedback: press deeper for a preview or definition.
Scroll and Zoom
- Natural scrolling: content moves with your fingers, as on a phone. Turn it off if you want it reversed.
- Zoom in or out: pinch with two fingers.
- Smart zoom: double-tap with two fingers.
- Rotate: twist with two fingers, for example in Photos.
More Gestures
- Swipe between pages: two fingers left or right, for example back in Safari.
- Swipe between full-screen apps: three or four fingers left or right.
- Mission Control: three or four fingers up. See Mission Control and Spaces.
- App Exposé: three or four fingers down, for all windows of one app.
- Show desktop: spread thumb and three fingers.
- Notification Centre: two fingers from the right edge to the left.
Three-finger drag
A popular but hidden setting: drag windows and files by moving three fingers, without clicking. Turn it on in System Settings, Accessibility, Pointer Control, Trackpad Options, and choose the three-finger drag style there.
Handy everyday gestures
- Swipe two fingers left in Safari to go back to the previous page.
- Force Click on a word for its meaning, or on an address for a map.
- Force Click on a file in the Finder for a quick preview.
- Pinch with thumb and three fingers to open Launchpad.
If you have a Magic Mouse, some of these gestures work with one or two fingers on the mouse. You set those in System Settings, Mouse.
Palm or accidental taps
Does the pointer click by itself while you type? Try turning off tap to click, or set click to "firm". External mouse connected? In Accessibility you can set the trackpad to be ignored when a mouse is present.
The trackpad does not respond properly
- Clean the trackpad with a slightly damp cloth; grease and moisture disturb the sensor.
- Restart the MacBook and test in safe mode.
- Does the trackpad no longer click or feel stiff? Check that the battery is not swollen, because it sits right below the trackpad.
Also read trackpad not working or not clicking.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test the trackpad and its cable, check whether the battery is pressing on it and replace what is needed. You hear beforehand what it costs. More on our page about MacBook trackpad repair.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my trackpad scroll the wrong way?
That is natural scrolling. Turn it off under Scroll and Zoom.
Can I create my own gestures?
Not in macOS itself. With extra apps you can link gestures to your own actions.
Do gestures also work on a Magic Trackpad?
Yes, the same settings apply to a separate Magic Trackpad.
