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Two must know usability tips for Mac Laptop users

February 20th, 2007 - Mac OS X, Tips & Tricks

Here are two general usability tips that every Mac laptop owner must know about. How to simulate a right click with your trackpad, and scrolling through documents much like a scrollwheel. I have long assumed these were common knowledge, but I’ve heard enough complaints and wishes and had to demonstrate them to enough people to prove otherwise. So if you don’t know about these two trackpad features, then you do now, and once you start using them, it’s impossible to go without.

  • Right Click with Trackpad - Hold two fingers on the trackpad while you use the click button
  • Scroll through pages a la Scroll Wheel with trackpad - Place two fingers on the trackpad and move them up to scroll up, and down to scroll down. Works horizontally as well.

If these features aren’t working for you, they are probably disabled. Here is how to activate them:


Note: Several of our readers have pointed out that these tips are not compatible with some older PowerBook and iBook models. However, a program called iScroll2 enables the scrolling ability on these models. Get iScroll2 here. Thanks to all who pointed this out!

To activate these options (assuming they are turned off), go to Apple menu -> System Preferences. Navigate to the ‘Keyboard & Mouse’ preference pane under Hardware. Click the Trackpad tab. Under Trackpad gestures, be sure that “Use two fingers to scroll” and ‘Place two fingers on trackpad and click button for secondary click’ are checked, as shown in the screenshot below. Enjoy!

Posted by: Editor

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Comments:

Comments: 25

Comment from bob
Time: February 20, 2007, 7:29 pm

it should probably be known that this is not an option in a g4 powerbook, even the last models.

Comment from Stranger
Time: February 20, 2007, 7:43 pm

Older powerbook users can try iScroll2 to add similar functionality. http://iscroll2.sourceforge.net/

Comment from Jay
Time: February 20, 2007, 8:20 pm

It sounds minor but this is one of the most natural feeling interface tricks I’ve used in years. I find myself trying to use it by mistake on Windows and Linux devices all the time.

Comment from Dimitri
Time: February 20, 2007, 8:35 pm

Great tip! Thx.

Comment from TrafReffins
Time: February 20, 2007, 8:42 pm

You can also control click to mimic a right click and function key UP or DOWN arrows to scroll up or down. Both of these tips work on PowerBook’s as well as new Mac’s

Comment from deck2
Time: February 21, 2007, 1:32 am

stranger, thanks for link for older models, im gonnaown one very soon so its very usefuul for me!

Comment from Salawi
Time: February 21, 2007, 6:34 am

I have PPC G4 labtop OSX 10.4.8 however I don’t have the “Place two fingers on trackpad and click button for secondary click” option to check it.
Is this normal?

Comment from Harold
Time: February 21, 2007, 7:16 am

I also have a PPC G4 ibook with 10.4.8 and I don’t have the “place two fingers to click” option so I’m guessing it’s only available for newer models and those using iScroll2 (thanks Stranger!)

Comment from Harold
Time: February 21, 2007, 7:17 am

I take that back – iScroll2 says:

“Note: Models that have two-finger scrolling already built-in are not supported! These use a completely different, USB-based trackpad, the driver or which is not available as open source.”

I guess we get the stinky end of the stick.

Comment from regis
Time: February 21, 2007, 9:55 am

I tryed iScroll2, It works perfectly on my iBook G4 (2004), after some tunning on the controls of the driver. Great program (also it´s great that it´s free…..)

Comment from jason
Time: February 21, 2007, 10:15 am

the Two Fingers on Trackpad for Right-Click is one of my favorite features.

NOTE, if you have your laptop set to hibernate, using either the Deep Sleep widget or setting it from the command line, it doesn’t recall that setting. Thus, you have to go into Sys Pref and deselect it and then select it again in order for it wo work.

Comment from Ed
Time: February 23, 2007, 1:45 pm

The two finger scroll is a must have.

Comment from Vladimir
Time: February 27, 2007, 3:38 pm

I can’t live without either of these features

Pingback from On Switching from Windows to Mac « Prone to Laughter
Time: March 1, 2007, 12:15 pm

[...] Getting right-click (and scrolling!) on a laptop. [...]

Comment from Someone
Time: March 11, 2007, 5:24 am

I have a iBook G4 also, and I don’t have the right-clicking option by using two fingers! :( Is there another trackpad driver that includes this?

Comment from Leigh
Time: January 2, 2008, 10:47 pm

I have a G4 also, which has the same problems noted on previous comments. Can you address this issue please? It’s driven me crazy for the past two years.

Comment from FudgePirate
Time: January 7, 2008, 8:54 pm

Unfortuantely the older G4’s have to use the iScroll plugin to make these tip work

but it’s a great tip for Intel Macs and even with iScroll for G4’s

Comment from zac
Time: January 10, 2008, 3:04 pm

if you enable the trackpad for clicking you can secondary-click by tapping two fingers. also, aren’t newer macs coming from the factory with two finger scroll on? i’m pretty sure mine did…

Comment from hgh
Time: March 17, 2008, 9:41 am

I have a G4 also me too

Comment from hgh spray
Time: April 7, 2008, 9:07 am

I agree The two finger scroll is a must have.

Comment from hgh hormone
Time: September 17, 2008, 7:56 am

I like all the comments here

Comment from hgh
Time: September 17, 2008, 8:10 am

Two must know usability tips for Mac Laptop users
Agree

Comment from Jaka
Time: September 25, 2008, 3:27 pm

Because of this, I luv my Mac :)

Comment from psevdolokulop
Time: July 15, 2009, 9:17 am

How many times you eat during a normal … every day life?
are you the type of person who eats a bit and often?
or rarely and too much?

i usually have 3 and i’m the 2nd type of person (though it’s not that healthy)

8 am breakfast

3pm lunch

9pm a snack.

Comment from alkazaider
Time: July 15, 2009, 8:06 pm

What would you do if the internet crashed for good? Would you get used to life with less communication and less “being connected” or would you be pretty bummed for the rest of your life?

This is assuming it was not fixed. Perhaps some largescale EMP attack or something that crippled it for the next 50+ years or so.

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February 20th, 2007