How to use Windows 10 Touchpad Gestures?

The touchpad is an essential element for every Windows 10 user for navigation purposes. However, the touchpad can do more than just navigation.

Modern Windows 10 Precision touchpad comes with a lot of gestures to complete various tasks quickly and conveniently just using your fingers. Even after being such a useful and cool feature, many Windows 10 user doesn’t use touchpad gesture or are unaware of how to use it. 

To fix various Windows 10/11 problems, we recommend Outbyte PC Repair:
This software will repair common computer errors, protect you from file loss, malware damage, hardware failure, and optimise your computer for peak performance. In three simple steps, you can resolve PC issues and remove virus damage:

  1. Download Outbyte PC Repair Software
  2. Click Start Scan to detect Windows 10/11 issues that may be causing PC issues.
  3. Click Repair All to fix issues with your computer's security and performance.
    This month, Outbyte has been downloaded by 23,167 readers.

Let us discover how to use Windows 10 Touchpad gestures to enhance work efficiency and productivity.

  How to fix Windows 10 Mouse Lag?

Check the Compatibility of your Touchpad

Before learning the touchpad gestures, check whether your device supports the modern Precision Touchpad. Though almost every latest laptop comes with the Precision Touchpad, some people still use the older laptops that do not come with this technology. To check whether your device is compatible with the gestures, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Settings -> Devices
    Devices settings

  2. From the left pane, choose Touchpad.
    Touchpad settings

  3. If you could see the option to configure the touchpad, your device is compatible with it.
    Touchpad options

Windows 10 Touchpad Gestures

After checking the compatibility, it is now time to learn and use the popular finger gestures to utilize your Precision Touchpad. Since it is by default enabled, you don’t need to configure it. However, you can set the Touchpad Sensitivity as per your preference.

Here is the list of top Windows 10 touchpad gestures and how to use them.

Mouse Cursor

With any of your fingers, just roll over the Precision touchpad to control the mouse pointer. Just like the external mouse, you can hover the pointer anywhere on the screen using the touchpad.

Perform Left Click

Like the traditional mouse, you can perform the left click using the touchpad too. Single tap anywhere on the pad, and it will perform every action of the left click. 

Perform Right Click

Like left-click, right-click can also be performed using the touchpad. For that, tap your two fingers together on the touchpad. You can also apply the right-click action by tapping the lower-right part of the touchpad.

Perform Double Click

On the traditional mouse, a double-click is used to launch an application, file, or folder. It is also used for selecting a word while typing. To perform double-click using touchpad, just double-tap anywhere.

Scrolling

Performing the scrolling is easy on the touchpad. Place any of your two fingers on the pad and move them together up & down for vertical scrolling and move left & right for horizontal scrolling. This gesture can also be used on different apps and games.

Launch Windows Timeline and Task View

Task View shows the current apps that are opened on your system, and Windows Timeline shows the recent apps or webpages you have visited in chronological order. To open the interface that displays timeline and task view, place your three fingers together on the touchpad and swipe up. To get back to the last opened app, swipe down with the three fingers.

Switch to Desktop

If you quickly want to switch to desktop, place the three fingers on the touchpad and swipe down. This action would minimize all the opened windows, and you will reach the desktop. To relaunch the last opened window, swipe up using the three fingers.

Toggle between the Opened Apps

Many of you might be using the Alt+Tab keys combination to switch between the opened apps or windows. That same task can also be performed using the touch gesture. Place your three fingers on the touchpad and swipe left or right to toggle between the opened apps and windows.

Zoom in or out

Windows 10 users can also use the touchpad for zooming in or out a screen or picture. Place your two fingers on the touchpad. To zoom in, spread both the fingers apart. While to zoom out, bring both fingers closer. It is quite similar to a smartphone’s touchscreen zoom in and out.

Activate Windows Search

To activate the Windows search bar for performing the search, simply tap on the touchpad with your three fingers together.

Switch between Multiple Desktops

Windows 10 has a fantastic feature of virtual desktops that allow users to use multiple desktops for performing their different tasks. If you are using the multiple desktops feature, then switching between them is easy. Place your four fingers on the touchpad and swipe them left or right.

  Keyboard Shortcuts for App Window Management in Windows 10

Bottom Line

Windows 10 touch gestures are a great way to perform tasks efficiently. They can be of great use when your external mouse is misbehaving or damaged. They are very easy to get used to if you apply them regularly. These gestures would help you enhance your work productivity and utilize the full potential of the Precision touchpad.

  How to Change Mouse Pointer Color and Size in Windows 10

Leave a Comment