11 MacOS apps to increase productivity with trackpad
Tags: macos, trackpad, productivity
Published: 2023-01-10 14:45:25

## MacOS built-in gestures
If you aren't new to Mac trackpad you can skip this part. MacOS has various built-in trackpad [gestures](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204895):

- Two fingers horizontal swipe to switch between pages.
- Three fingers horizontal swipe to switch between fullscreen apps.
- Two fingers left swipe from the right edge to show Notification Center.
- Three fingers up swipe to open Mission Control.
- Three fingers down swipe to open App Exposé.
- Four fongers spread to show your desktop.
- Four fingers pinch to display Launchpad.

You can change them or turn them of in `System Settings > Trackpad > More Gestures`.

## BetterTouchTool
Superior app that can do everything and even more.  It allows you to customize trackpad, mouse, touchbar, keyboard and even MIDI. The possibilities don't stop there: BTT, for example, has a built-in window manager. With BetterTouchTool, you can customize actions for various gestures, taps and swipes. You can even create your own gestures with BTT.  In short, if you want to do something with the trackpad, chances are BetterTouchTool can help you with it.
{% embed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge-4BZ4yN6Y %}
Site: https://folivora.ai/
Price: $10 for a standard license with 2 years support or $22 for a lifetime license
Source code: not available

## Multitouch
A simpler alternative to BetterTouchTool. It allows you to customize actions for various gestures, touches and swipes. Like BTT, it has a built-in window manager.
![Multitouch trackpad settings](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/85bmsxxzqtgor7z61xca.png)
Site: https://multitouch.app/
Price: $16
Source code: not available

## Middle
An app from the developer of Multitouch to emulate a middle click.
![Middle's settings window](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/hmoa20k1v5puxvbkr8k0.png)
Site: https://middleclick.app/ 
Price: $8
Source code: not available

## MiddleClick
If you want a middle click but free and open source, then MiddleClick is the way to go. A simple and incredibly useful application that adds a middle click on a three-finger touch/tap. The application is free, the source code is open.
You can install it via homebrew:

```
brew install --cask --no-quarantine middleclick
```
![An image from MiddleClick's README](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/acz4j32qa0wmp65i8i2a.png)
Site: https://github.com/artginzburg/MiddleClick-Ventura
Price: free
Source code: https://github.com/artginzburg/MiddleClick-Ventura

## Gestr
Launch apps and bookmarks on your Mac with multitouch trackpad drawings.
{% embed https://vimeo.com/85040520?embedded=true %}
Site: https://github.com/mhuusko5/Gestr
Price: free
Source code: https://github.com/mhuusko5/Gestr

## Touch-Tab
Emulate Command-Tab with Trackpad on macOS. Use 3-fingers swipe right (emulates Command-Tab) or 3-fingers swipe left (emulates Command-Shift-Tab) to switch between apps. Hold after the swipe or swipe slowly to show the App Switcher UI.
_Disclaimer: I'm the developer_
![AppSwitcher opened using Touch-Tab](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/7o7qne8o7f7it73hpkil.png)
Site: https://github.com/ris58h/Touch-Tab
Price: free
Source code: https://github.com/ris58h/Touch-Tab

## Swish
Trackpad-oriented window manager. Swish features 30 easy-to-use titlebar, dock and menubar gestures that will supercharge your workflow and make you a trackpad power user.
![Swish demo video](https://highlyopinionated.co/swish/media/trailer.mp4)
Site: https://highlyopinionated.co/swish/
Price: $16
Source code: not available

## Grid
Another trackpad-oriented window manager. Swipe on title bar to snap windows.
![Grid's settings window](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/wk139wqgg8uz0z57wnfj.png)
Site: https://macgrid.app/
Price: $4
Source code: not available

## Penc
Yet another window manager designed for trackpad usage. Double press and hold command key to activate Penc. Perform two-finger gestures to move or resize any window. Then release command key to take effect.
![Penc demo video](https://deniz.co/penc/move.b3dac9fb.mp4)
Site: https://deniz.co/penc/
Price: free
Source code: https://github.com/dgurkaynak/Penc

## Jitouch
Mac application that expands the set of multi-touch gestures for MacBook, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad. These thoughtfully designed gestures enable users to perform frequent tasks more easily such as changing tabs in web browsers, closing windows, minimizing windows, changing spaces, and a lot more.
![Jitouch's preference pane](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/001d050yfsxmlcplynfr.png)
Site: https://www.jitouch.com/
Price: free
Source code: https://github.com/JitouchApp/Jitouch

## Noo
Noo allows you to map mouse buttons and multi-touch gestures to any combination of keys.
Available in [AppStore](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/noo-mouse/id1514904040).
![Noo's settings window](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/fa0ya1pk94ndps2svv5q.png)
Site: https://github.com/tanin47/noo
Price: free
Source code: https://github.com/tanin47/noo