New touchscreen MacBook Pro tips: gestures, right-click, turn off touch

You just unboxed the new touchscreen MacBook Pro, or you're about to. You poke the screen and aren't sure what it's supposed to do. Maybe you can't figure out how to right-click with a finger.

By the end of this guide you'll know the gestures that matter, how to turn touch off when you don't want it, and how to keep the screen clean without damaging it.

The short answer

Swipe up from the bottom edge for the Dock and swipe down from the top for Spotlight or Siri. Long-press to right-click, and double-tap a window to make it fill the screen. If touch gets in your way, Apple includes a setting to switch it off. Search for "touch" in System Settings to find it.

Before you start

• Confirm you have the touch model. Only the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display (M5 Pro or M5 Max) has a touchscreen.
• No update adds touch to an older Mac. That includes the new M6 14-inch MacBook Pro and the Liquid Retina XDR models.
• Time: about 10 minutes to learn the gestures.
• Moving from an old Mac? Back up the old one before you transfer anything. Our post on why iCloud isn't a backup explains how to do it properly.

Step 1: Check that your Mac actually has touch

1. Look at the top center of the screen. The touch models have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch.
2. Check the box or your receipt for the words PROLED XDR Display.
3. Click the Apple menu → About This Mac to see the chip. The touch models use M5 Pro or M5 Max.

Some non-touch MacBook Pros also use M5 chips, so the Dynamic Island and the "PROLED XDR" name are the most reliable signs. If you have a notch, the screen won't respond to touch, and that's expected.

Step 2: Learn the six gestures you'll use daily

These come from Apple's announcement and from reporters at Apple's hands-on event.

1. Show the Dock: swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
2. Open Spotlight or Siri: swipe down from the top edge.
3. Right-click: press and hold on an item until the menu appears.
4. Zoom: pinch two fingers together or apart on a photo, map or page.
5. Fill the screen: double-tap a window to expand it.
6. Split View: hold a window and quickly move it left or right. You can also flick windows into tiled positions.

Scrolling, drag and drop, and drawing also work with your finger. The screen tracks up to 10 fingers at once.

If it's working, the Dock should slide up and Spotlight should drop down without you touching the keyboard.

Step 3: Let macOS help your aim

Mac buttons were designed for a pointer, not a fingertip, so Apple made some of them adapt.

1. Press the red, yellow or green window buttons at the top-left. They grow when your finger touches them, which makes it harder to hit the wrong one.
2. Touch a list, such as a menu or sidebar. The items spread out so you can tap the right one.
3. Try tapping in an older app. In many existing apps macOS turns a tap into a click, so the basics work before developers update anything.

Step 4: Turn off touch (and the glowing logo) when you need to

Apple says there are settings to turn off touch input and to turn off the lit-up Apple logo on the lid. We haven't confirmed Apple's exact menu names for this model yet, so search for them instead of hunting through menus.

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
2. Click the search field at the top of the sidebar and type touch.
3. Select the touch input result and switch it off.
4. Search for logo (or look under the display and appearance settings) to turn off the lid light.

Here's when it makes sense:

• Client presentations: an accidental tap can close your slides in the middle of a pitch.
• Shared office machines: some coworkers will lean on the screen without thinking.
• Kids or pets nearby: a cat on the keyboard is trouble enough.

You can also turn the logo off for a client meeting, or if you're on a late subway ride and would rather not advertise a laptop that costs nearly $3,000.

Step 5: Clean the screen the safe way

The display has an oil-repelling coating that cuts down on fingerprints, but it won't stay perfect.

1. Shut down the Mac with Apple menu → Shut Down.
2. Lightly dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water. It should be damp, not wet.
3. Wipe the screen gently.
4. Never spray liquid directly on the display.
5. If you have the nano-texture glass option, use only the polishing cloth that came in the box.

Turning the Mac off first matters more on a touchscreen, because a powered-on screen will treat your wiping as taps.

Still not working? Try these

• Screen ignores your finger right after you close or open the lid: this is on purpose. If a finger is on the display when the lid closes, touch switches off for a moment so nothing gets pressed by accident. Wait a second and try again.
• Tapping doesn't wake the Mac: also by design. Press a key or use the trackpad.
• Touch stopped completely: check that you didn't switch off touch input in System Settings. Then restart with Apple menu → Restart.
• An app ignores some gestures: Apple says touch-optimized updates are coming for Microsoft 365, Notion, Canva, Zoom, Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Blender and others. Keep apps updated through the App Store → Updates or each app's own update menu.
• The gesture list doesn't match what you see: Apple may adjust gestures after launch. Check support.apple.com for the current list.

Keep it from happening again

• Keep using the keyboard and trackpad for most work. Apple designed touch as an extra option, not a replacement.
• Turn on automatic updates in System Settings → General → Software Update so touch fixes arrive without you having to remember.
• Keep the polishing cloth or a microfiber cloth in your bag, and always power off before you wipe.
• On shared or presentation Macs, turn touch off by default and switch it on only when you need it.

Quick answers

Does Apple Pencil work with the touchscreen MacBook Pro? Apple hasn't announced Pencil support. For now, use your finger for drawing.

Should my small business buy this or the M6 MacBook Pro? The touch models start at $2,899 (14-inch) and $3,399 (16-inch), about $400 more than the matching non-touch M5 models. If your team lives in Office, email and Zoom, touch is a nice extra, not a must. Our fix-or-replace cost guide can help you decide whether to replace old laptops at all.

Will touching the screen shake my video on Zoom calls? Apple added camera stabilization so the picture stays steady when you touch the display.

Sources

• Touchscreen MacBook Pro Guide: Release date, price and new features - Macworld
• MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed - MacRumors
• Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display - MacRumors

Want it set up right the first time?

An ITGoNYC tech can move your files from the old Mac, set touch and logo preferences for how you actually work, and make sure your backups run before day one. One Mac takes a quick remote session. For an office rollout, we'll come on-site anywhere in the five boroughs or on Long Island. Call or text 347-549-9059 today for same-day help, or open a ticket.