📝 Text Editing Mastery

Edit faster across every app. These pro‑level techniques work in most macOS text fields and editors: Notes, Mail, Word, Google Docs, browsers, and code editors.

What You'll Learn

  • Rapid selections: triple‑tap paragraph, smart block select
  • Modifier‑powered precision: ⇧, ⌥, ⌘ with taps, clicks, and swipes
  • Three‑finger drag: select without clicking
  • Scroll‑while‑selecting: extend selection as you scroll
  • Force Click: Look Up, definitions, previews
  • Block/column selections: for code editors

Gesture Details

1. Triple‑Tap = Select Paragraph

Single tap to place cursor, double tap for word, triple tap selects the entire paragraph/block.

2. Two‑Finger Double‑Tap = Smart Select Block

Selects a semantic block (sentence, list item, or code block depending on app).

3. Shift + Trackpad = Extend Selection
  • Click to place the insertion point, hold Shift, then tap/click elsewhere to select the range.
  • While holding Shift, two‑finger swipe: left/right extends horizontally; up/down extends vertically.
4. Option (⌥) + Click = Word‑Jump Selection
  • ⌥ + click → move by word
  • ⇧⌥ + click → select by word
  • ⇧⌥ + swipe → extend by word chunks
5. Command (⌘) + Click = Line Jumps
  • ⌘ + click at start/end of line → jump to beginning/end
  • ⇧⌘ + click → select to beginning or end of line
6. Column/Block Selection (Editors)

In VS Code/JetBrains/etc.: ⌥ + drag creates a rectangular selection for multi‑line edits.

7. Three‑Finger Drag = Select Without Clicking

Enable in Accessibility → Pointer Control → Trackpad Options → “Enable dragging”. Then trace with three fingers to select text—fast and low‑effort.

8. Two‑Finger Swipe While Selecting

While holding the selection click, add two fingers to scroll and keep extending the selection.

9. Pinch to Zoom While Editing

Pinch to zoom the document/editor for precise cursor placement on tiny text.

10. Force Click = Look Up / Preview
  • Force click a word → definition / synonyms
  • Force click dates/addresses/URLs → calendar/maps/Quick Look previews
11. Drag‑and‑Drop Text Blocks
  • Select text → click‑hold → drag to move (across apps too)
  • ⌥ + drag → duplicate instead of move
12. Shift + Two‑Finger Drag = Precise Caret Moves

With the cursor placed, ⇧ + two‑finger drag up/down moves by lines; left/right moves by characters.

13. Two‑Finger Tap on Selection = Context Menu

After selecting, two‑finger tap for cut/copy/paste/look up/transformations.

🔥 Bonus: Hidden Power Combo

⌘⇧⌥ + drag for ultra‑precise selection behaviors in apps like Keynote/Pages/Word (varies by app).

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