System-Level Gestures

Master the Mac. Gestures that macOS interprets globally to control windows, desktops, and apps.

What You'll Learn

  • Navigation: Swiping between pages and desktops
  • Mission Control: Managing windows and spaces
  • System Features: Launchpad, Show Desktop, and Notification Center
  • Force Touch: Look Up and Quick Look

Gesture Details

Two-finger swipe left/right

Navigate pages in browsers and other document-based apps.

Two-finger scroll

Standard system scrolling. Works in almost every window that has scrollable content.

Pinch-in

Open Launchpad to see all your apps.

Spread / Four-finger splay

Show Desktop. Moves all windows aside to reveal your desktop files.

Three/four-finger swipe up

Mission Control. Shows all open windows and desktops (Spaces) at the top.

Three/four-finger swipe down

App Exposé. Shows all open windows for the current app only.

Three/four-finger swipe left/right

Switch between full-screen apps and Desktops (Spaces).

Look Up

Force click (press deep) or three-finger tap on a word to see its definition, or on a link to preview it.

Quick Look

Force click a file icon in Finder (or press Spacebar) to preview the file content without opening it.

Data Detectors

Force click dates to create calendar events, or addresses to see them in Maps.

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