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Tricks for the Mac trackpad

Here are two tricks for using the Mac trackpad that can save a lot of frustration.

1 - Yes, there is only a single button on the Mac trackpad. But it is possible to do a right-click on the trackpad. To do so, place two fingers side-by-side on the trackpad while you click the button. Ta-da, your click is now a right-click.

2 - It is also possible to use the trackpad to scroll through documents. Again, place to fingers side-by-side on the trackpad. Now as you move both of your fingers up and down on the trackpad, the document/page will scroll up and down accordingly.
Rating: 88% positive, 9 total Votes
Categories: mac notebook
Added: on Apr 20, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Added By: an anonymous user
Searches: trackpad mac notebook trick finger

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There are actually prefences in System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Trackpad that control this behavior. I think the scrolling is turned on by default. But to do the right-click one, you need to turn on the preference that this be allowed.
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 20, 2007 at 9:35 pm
The first tip only works on Intel Macs (i.e. Macbook, Macbook Pro). Won't work on older machines.
– Added by an anonymous user on May 04, 2007 at 12:19 am
False. I have a Powerbook and the first tip works perfectly!!!
Great tip. I used to use the Command key until now.
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 14, 2007 at 12:57 pm
The first tip works here, on a 12" Powerbook 1.67 .
– Added by an anonymous user on Aug 15, 2007 at 7:28 pm
If your Mac has an older trackpad, look for the software "Iscroll2", which retrofits this functionality. Whether it works depends on your hardware. I think some trackpads themselves are not capable of understanding multi-touch gestures.
– Added by an anonymous user on Apr 28, 2008 at 1:20 am
To the author of the tip. Don't make things harder than the have to be. The two fingers do NOT have to be side by side. They just have to be two fingers.
– Added by an anonymous user on Oct 29, 2009 at 4:19 pm
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