The three-finger drag gesture allows you to select text, or move it by dragging a window or any other element with three fingers on the trackpad. It can be used to quickly move or adjust the position of a window, file, or image on the screen.
However, this gesture is disabled by default, so in this tutorial we'll show you how to enable three-finger dragging on your MacBook or Magic Trackpad with just a few clicks.
Apple's default dragging behavior for MacBook trackpads is for you to tap and hold the trackpad and then drag it to where you want it. This can be very inconvenient, especially for people who use Mac computers for a long time. What's more, those with physical disabilities and mobility issues will find this gesture confusing and frustrating to use.
The good news is that you can easily enable three-finger dragging from your Mac's settings to make all this easier. Once enabled, simply place three fingers on the trackpad and move in the direction the element moves. The element will follow the movement of your finger on the trackpad.
1. Open "System Settings" on macOS Ventura or later.
2. Go to Accessibility >> Pointer Control.
3. Click "Touchpad Options".
4. Enable the switch of "Drag with trackpad".
5. Click the drop-down menu next to "Drag Style" and set it to "Three-finger drag".
6. Finally, click OK.
1. Launch "System Preferences" and go to "Accessibility".
2. In macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur, click Pointer Control. On macOS Catalina and earlier, use a mouse and trackpad.
3. Click "Trackpad Options".
4. Select the "Enable dragging" checkbox and set it to "Three-finger dragging".
5. Click OK to save the new changes.
Note: Obviously, if you have never connected your trackpad to your Mac desktop, you won't see the "Trackpad Options".
Important: When three-finger drag is enabled, you must use four fingers instead of three fingers to swipe up to enter Mission Control. You can access this option from System Settings> Trackpad> More Gestures> Mission Control.