Things You Can Do With an Apple Trackpad That You Cant Do With a Mouse

[@carlam6669]

When using ANY trackpad, if you need more precise control of the pointer (e.g. individual pixels) then instead of sliding your finger, roll it side to side or up and down in place on the trackpad. (This is how a vibrato is done on a violin.)

[@JoeTourist]

I abandoned using mice for computers many years ago. When I moved from Windows to macOS, I continued with Apple's track pads on both MacBooks and desktops. In addition to all the added functionality with a track pad over a mouse, I also find using a track pad causes much less repetitive strain problems with my hand and wrist.

[@BiblicalBasics]

Me too, exactly the same experience!

[@mcknottee]

I first tried a trackpad over a decade ago, and within a few minutes I was completely sold on it, and have never looked back. Superior to the mouse in every way, IMHO.

[@stephenbridges2791]

I have both a trackpad and mouse, too. I bought the trackpad on a whim, really. Wasn't really expecting to like it all that much. I was definitely wrong on that one. I found I much prefer it over the Magic Mouse.

[@jonathanleach3914]

Very helpful, thank you. I have used a Mac for nearly 30 years and I still learnt things from your film.. thanks

[@unclefart5527]

Ditto. Gary IS the manual.

[@meeluanistyn1644]

Used to be a committed mouse user for many years then decided to try a Magic Trackpad. Wouldn’t go back to the mouse - love all the gestures I can use, in particular, three finger drag.

[@cjc363636]

I've been on the white magic one, and it's a game changer. I think for me the related gestures similar to iOS helped, but it's so much better than a mouse for what I need the Mac to do. Thanks for the quick rundown, Gary!

[@2020Tundra]

I have the Apple Magic Trackpad for my iMac, but I stopped using it years ago. I think I stopped it when the Magic Mouse first came out. However, after watching this video, I’m going to charge it back up and start “relearning” how useful it really is. Thanks so much for all the tips!! 👍👍

[@kasperosterbye7883]

Very nice! For me a key happiness for trackpad is that I do not have to move my hand from keyboard to mouse, but can use the trackpad in a way I consider more helpful to my arms.

[@NinerGuy49]

Very helpful, Gary! I’ll be getting a track pad for my MacBook. It is on a riser so I am not screwing up my neck at my desk. I also have arthritis in my hands that acts up when I’m using the mouse. This is a wonderful tutorial! Thank you so much.

[@TrogART]

I have always loved the trackpad having used a Wacom pen and tablet from there inception (Showing my age there). Left hand the Wacom pen and my right hand is the track pad it all works so well and would never change back to a mouse.

[@5JRTs]

New sub here after watching my first video from you. Learned so much from this as I just switched to an iMac from a pc for personal use. Only got the magic mouse but now I see I need to get the trackpad, too!

[@meowfoxxx]

Silent clickt works on Macbook (Pro) trackpad too. For years.

[@GaelyneGasson]

I'm giving the trackpad another go. Thanks for sharing about the 3 finger drag!

[@loisskiathitis8926]

A very useful and informative video tutorial today! Thank you, Gary!👏🏻❤️

[@sydneydileo]

I like to use both. I use the trackpad for gestures mainly or like you said, precision pointing!

[@bobcubsfan]

Wow, Gary, did not know all those gestures that can be done. BTW, I love using the trackpad and keyboard when using the VisionPro. Also, the MacBook screen is enormous! The cursor "jumps" from the MacBook to the VisionPro and vice versa.

[@UncleManuel]

Well, intuitive handling is the secret why iPhones and iPads have gotten so popular in the first place. Transferring that to a desktop scenario requires some learning from an old dog like me who used Windows PCs for 20+ years. 😜 For me using my iPhone and iPad Pro 12,9" (with Magic Keyboard) and then Windows 11 at work (company laptop) isn't a problem for me. The bigger problem for me was switching from my private PC to the new Mac Mini M4 - because MacOS is sooooo different to use, even compared to iPadOS. That's a bigger learning curve than choosing between mouse or trackpad. ✌️ Btw, speaking of intuitive handling: if you do CAD a lot than a 3D mouse (f.e. the SpaceMouse Pro) is a must! It's the same thing as with the trackpad: making cumbersome tasks way easier and more effective. 😎

[@caseygordon3323]

I like the concept of using a three-finger drag to move windows. But it comes with a some shortcomings. If you activate the three-finger drag, then it automatically changes the mission control and app exposé to 4 fingers instead of 3. I think a really good solution would be to make it to where there is an option for a two-finger window drag. It think it would be very intuitive since you are already using two fingers to scroll up and down windows and then to be able to use those two fingers to quickly move windows around. And it doesn't seem like it would conflict with anything. And I think it feels more natural to be able to move a window with a two finger drag rather than a three finger drag.

[@AlanTheBeast100]

Pretty cool that Apple didn't put the lightning connector on the bottom of the trackpad. I love that feature on the Magic Mouse /s

[@richard1113]

When I upgraded to my Blue M3 iMac I got the matching color mouse and trackpad because you can't buy them separately. I started with the mouse, then switched to the trackpad. I haven't switched back since.

[@ibraimpinto7376]

You’re simply the best

[@DirectorWD40]

Hi Gary Would you use Magic Trackpad in tangent with a mouse? So for instance have your mouse to the right of the keyboard and the trackpad to the left of the keyboard to be used with your left hand.

[@macmost]

I don't. I just use the Magic Trackpad. You CAN use both, which I have done while demonstrating things in tutorials.

[@DirectorWD40]

@@macmost I have to use the mouse since I work 3D design. Thank you for clarifying.

[@joseerazevedo]

Since I picked my first trackpad, by 2011, with my iMac, I never returned to mouses

[@tonytfuntek3262]

Great tips...thank you

[@Jayzi20]

Can i connect Magic Trackpad to macbook air separately?

[@SmartCatTalks]

But what about when it comes to editing videos, images etc ? Isn't it better, I mean more convenient and precise to use a mouse ?

[@macmost]

Not in my opinion. The trackpad is much more precise and gestures like two fingers to zoom in and out are used all the time in those situations.

[@zoltanzana]

It is. But you have to have a good mouse, like the Logitech MX Master 3s

[@nuj427]

Just curious, would it be useful to game on the trackpad?

[@macmost]

Depends on the game, and what you prefer.

[@macjeffff]

I've had a magic trackpad for years, but I rarely use it (I don't even know where it is). I'm going to fire it up ... as soon as I find it.

[@Maazzzo]

I had a macbook pro with trackpad and understopod how it worked. I just got a new imac with trackpad. Generally happy with it but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to move things. Say move an item on a dock, or move multiple photos from one file into another file. It's genuinely driving me absolutely mad. I changed it in the accessibility settings to move with 3 fingers. But for specific things like a dozen photos to move into another file, or a specific icon on dock to move, I just cannot figure it out. or Any recommendations on this?!vI'm going spare! thank you!

[@macmost]

So you aren't able to drag? Should work just like on the MacBook Pro. You can tap and hold and drag with one finger. But you can also click with one finger and hold and drag with a second finger, which I prefer.

[@Maazzzo]

@ yeah still struggling with it! Doesn’t work the way it did for my mbp. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong! 😑

[@jwoodman]

Very good content, but I really struggle to keep up with the pace of the delivery.

[@macmost]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/opq9hayfrp6BpLc

[@jwoodman]

@@macmost Did not know that. Just about to start on your Sequoia videos, so very grateful for this. Gura mie mooar ayd - thank you very much, in Manx.

[@Nkaiihvy]

Pls make video on , what AirPods can do but not trackpad

[@macmost]

AirPods vs Trackpad? Not sure why you would compare this two completely different things.

[@Hazzard0]

Three finger drag should be standard, not hidden away in accessability settings

[@macmost]

A lot of people use three-fingers for Mission Control moving between spaces instead. It is a personal preference.

[@karayuschij]

If you get a non Apple mouse you solve a lot of the Apple mouse problems…… :D

[@paulcamalin5236]

I want to add another health reason for getting rid of your mouse as soon as possible. Frequent mouse use significantly increases your risk of developing early arthritis in your fingers. Many people experience finger pain after extended hours of using a mouse. Switch to a trackpad and save yourself from future discomfort.

[@Pappysan]

The trackpad irritates my arthritis much more than a mouse does.

[@paulcamalin5236]

@@Pappysan use tap to click. It is not possible that track pad irritates more because there is a lot less moving and bending of fingers.

[@zoltanzana]

Not true if you have an ergonomic mouse.

[@paulcamalin5236]

@@zoltanzana I have used them all. nothing better than trackpad worked for me. No more pain.

[@Slave-Of-Christ]

Trackpad is FAR superior to a mouse. There are a couple ways in certain apps that the mouse is advantageous. Three finger drag blissful. A well set up trackpad is pretty close to Tom Cruise manipulating the machine in Minority Report. So, so good.

[@MichaelGoulding]

I’m forced to use Windows at work, does anyone know if you can use the Magic Trackpad with Windows?

[@macmost]

Not really. It may work as a normal trackpad, not sure. But the things I am talking about here are part of macOS, and wouldn't be present in Windows.

[@maiba02]

One problem with the Magic Mouse despite having a touch surface is that you can’t zoom in on documents.

[@zoltanzana]

Plus it’s not ergonomic, so it’s very uncomfortable.

[@zoltanzana]

You cannot rotate in Preview using Cmd + the edge of the shape, but you can do it in other apps. Apple is very inconsistent. Shame.

[@tomlewis4748]

The thing I've decided to stop holding my breath for is sensitivity on tap to click. I like tap to click. I use it all the time. What I don't like is if I accidentally brush a fingertip onto the trackpad, Apple interpret this as a click, regardless, how light that tap might have been. So there's all kinds of errant clicks unless you're extremely careful 100% of the time. And this is with the click sensitivity slider set all the way to firm. There doesn't seem to be any difference between light, medium, and firm. It could be that based on how Apple designed this there is no way to add a feature that reduces the sensitivity. If so, that was a terrible design in the first place. But honestly, all they have to do is make the tap have to last more than one millionth of a second. If all they did is extend that to 1/10 of a second, lighter errant taps would not be interpreted as something that you do not wish them to be. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

[@macmost]

Could vary depending on the model, especially with MacBooks. The trackpads get better over time.

[@tomlewis4748]

@@macmost This one hasn't. M3 MBP 16" bought in January.

[@macmost]

@@tomlewis4748 No, sorry, I mean the hardware has. Like a 2024 MacBook Trackpad is better than a 2018 MacBook Trackpad.

[@tomlewis4748]

@@macmost Sure. Thanks. They have. But I've had a December 2020 M1MBP, a 2016 MB, and a 2011 MBA, and they all had that same sensitivity issue just like today's trackpad. I don't recall that issue with my 2015 iMac and trackpad, but I may have just forgotten whether it had that or not (don't use it anymore). They've had at least 13 years to fix it. Your video was very comprehensive. Great job. Best on YT for sure.

[@pablosolano4983]

Public Service Announcement: I recommend NOT purchasing a mouse or trackpad until after the Oct 2024 Apple event, as there are rumors that Apple will finally update them from lightning to USB-C.

[@martinausterfield8597]

Been holding off for a year now. USBC it or get to fuck.

[@zoltanzana]

It doesn’t matter at all; you only need to charge it once a month.

[@martinausterfield8597]

@@zoltanzana a single use cable is an extra headache no one needs.

[@zoltanzana]

​@@martinausterfield8597 There are tons of them in every household

[@pablosolano4983]

@@martinausterfield8597 sounds like somebody didn’t wait and got stuck with a lightning model. I waited and ended up being right. Got USB-C Magic Trackpad and Keyboard! Hope you did too.

[@mywwwow]

❤😊

[@ReR7474]

One is gonna need a new hand at one point after using track pad too often. Not ergonomic friendly :(

[@macmost]

It is subjective. Same can be said for a mouse, and different specific models of mice and trackpads. It also depends on the use, like certain games with highly repetitive actions may be more suited for one or the other.

[@stevefitzpatrick4131]

I like the trackpad, though the only thing I constantly struggle with is drag and drop.

[@bugged1212]

I haven't used a mouse in over 15 years. Trackpad all the way. I doubt I can even use a mouse any more.