Mac touchpad how does it work

The Force Touch trackpad, however, features four sensors that let the trackpad be clicked anywhere, including along its top edge. When editing photos, for example, I sometimes lose track of where I am on the trackpad and have a click denied when attempting to click a spot too close to the top edge. With Force Touch, no longer will I feel the frustration of a denied click. But, remember: a "click" on a Force Touch keyboard isn't a true click.

What feels like a click is actually haptic feedback based on the amount of pressure you've applied to the trackpad. When the first Macbooks with Force Touch were announced in , it seemed like, maybe, the right-click was being phased out.

It's clear now, however, that's just not the case. Not all clicks are created equal with the Force Touch trackpad. On the keyboard, press the Control key and click the trackpad. Pinch to zoom: Pinch your thumb and finger open or closed to zoom in or out of photos and webpages. Swipe to navigate: Swipe left or right with two fingers to flip through webpages, documents, and more—like turning a page in a book. Open Launchpad: Quickly open apps in Launchpad. Pinch closed with four or five fingers, then click an app to open it.

Swipe between apps: To switch from one full-screen app to another, swipe left or right with three or four fingers. It often indicates a user profile. Log out. Smart Home. Social Media. More Button Icon Circle with three vertical dots. It indicates a way to see more nav menu items inside the site menu by triggering the side menu to open and close. Sophie Putka.

The Force Touch trackpad allows you to Force click, a tool that unlocks new functions for your MacBook depending on what you click. You can look up words, fast forward and rewind, see previews, and more with Force Touch. You can customize your Force Touch trackpad in System Preferences. Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories. Sophie Putka is a freelance writer and reporter for Insider's Tech Reference team.

Her work frequently focuses on the health and wellness, science, tech, and food beats. She writes how-tos, lists, and reported features, including pieces on how to use tech to dine safely during the pandemic and the impacts of blue light on your sleep. Additional comments. Email optional.