{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/trackpad--family-02","type":"mechanic","id":"trackpad--family-02","lang":"en","title":"Touches and clicks","summary":"A tap or physical press triggers a command. macOS separately enables tap-to-click and configures a two-finger secondary click.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-02/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-02.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-02.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Trackpad interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-0d7ed8efcd920b62","source-7641af4e83c63a96","source-20585e90edc5bdfb","source-80fb36760a664f26","source-27c6b989daeb79c9","source-8303b0f3aad42806","source-c1dd61a434f7ff1a"],"sources":[{"id":"source-0d7ed8efcd920b62","title":"macOS Gestures","url":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102482","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-7641af4e83c63a96","title":"Windows Gestures","url":"https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/input-devices/touch-gestures-for-windows","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-20585e90edc5bdfb","title":"Clicking and dragging Surface","url":"https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/accessories/cover-keyboard/surface-touchpad-use-and-settings","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-80fb36760a664f26","title":"AppKit: contacts and system gestures","url":"https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-27c6b989daeb79c9","title":"libinput: swipe, pinch, hold","url":"https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-8303b0f3aad42806","title":"W3C: Pointer Events","url":"https://www.w3.org/TR/pointerevents/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-c1dd61a434f7ff1a","title":"macOS Trackpad settings","url":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102309","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Short contacts and presses trigger discrete commands based on the number, location and context of touches."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-02-variants\"></a>\n\n- Single tap. Gesture: Briefly touch the panel and remove your finger. In the interface: Select, confirm, place the cursor. In the game: Interact with an object, single action. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Tap-to-click must be enabled. The application often sees a normal click and does not know that it is a tap. <a id=\"variant-11\"></a>\n- Pressing with click. Gesture: Press the surface or press a separate button. In the interface: Activation and start of dragging. In the game: Shoot, confirm the command. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: A mechanical or tactilely simulated click does not mean access to analog force. <a id=\"variant-12\"></a>\n- Secondary click. Gesture: Tap with two fingers, click in the corner or with a separate right button. In the interface: Context menu, additional commands. In the game: Inspect an object, alternative action. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The specific physical gesture is selected by the OS settings; the application usually only needs a secondary click. <a id=\"variant-13\"></a>\n- Double tap or click. Gesture: Two quick clicks in one area. In the interface: Open, select a word, zoom in context. In the game: Fast movement, group command. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Coordinate the time window with the OS settings and do not break a single click. <a id=\"variant-14\"></a>\n- Triple and multiple clicks. Gesture: A series of clicks with counting the number. In the interface: Selecting a line or paragraph according to the editor's rules. In the game: Command by the number of clicks, a simple sequence. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The meaning of a triple click depends on the application. The more clicks, the higher the risk of error. <a id=\"variant-15\"></a>\n- Double tap with two fingers. Gesture: Tap twice synchronously with two fingers. In the interface: Smart zoom: zoom in on content and return to view. In game: Switch between field view and local scene. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: Smart Zoom is available on macOS; There is no universal cross-platform event for this action. <a id=\"variant-16\"></a>\n- Rhythmic pressing. Gesture: Take into account the tempo and intervals of a series of taps or clicks. In the interface: Tap tempo, rhythm input, training. In the game: Rhythm game, musical lock, signal repetition. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Check the real input delay; Don't count a custom double click as a separate gesture for no reason. <a id=\"variant-17\"></a>\n- Tap with three fingers. Gesture: Short simultaneous touch with three fingers. In the interface: Second level command, search or review. In the game: Pause or additional ability in a special mode. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Often assigned to a system function. We need an accessible API and conflict checking. <a id=\"variant-18\"></a>\n- Tap with four or more fingers. Gesture: Simultaneous touching with several fingers. In the interface: Global command or changing the working context. In the game: Rare command, available after training. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. This does not guarantee that a device has multitouch. Conditions: The number of contacts tracked and system assignments vary; do not make mandatory management. <a id=\"variant-19\"></a>\n- Tap in the physical area. Gesture: Touch a certain area of ​​the panel itself. In the interface: Invisible quick command panel with on-screen prompts. In the game: Hit a sector, select an ability or note. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The position of the on-screen cursor does not indicate where the finger touched the physical pad. <a id=\"variant-20\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"trackpad","id":"family-02","title":"Trackpad interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-02","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Touches and clicks","description":"A tap or physical press triggers a command. macOS separately enables tap-to-click and configures a two-finger secondary click.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/control-macos-force-touch.webp","width":1440,"height":1225,"crop":{"x":473,"y":832,"width":936,"height":273},"game":"macOS Trackpad settings","sourceUrl":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102309","originalUrl":"https://cdsassets.apple.com/live/7WUAS350/images/macos/tahoe/macos-tahoe-26-system-settings-trackpad-point-and-click-look-up-and-data-detectors.png","credit":"Apple","rights":"Imagery © Apple. Developer-distributed screenshot or frame; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"macOS: separate settings for tapping and secondary click","alt":"macOS: separate settings for tapping and secondary click","markers":[{"x":77,"y":78,"label":"Secondary click is configured for two fingers"}]},"tips":["Respect OS settings and offer an alternative to multi-finger gestures."],"examples":[{"title":"macOS Trackpad settings","url":"https://support.apple.com/en-us/102309"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/trackpad"}}