When you buy a laptop, it does not come with a computer mouse that usually goes with a desktop computer. That is because it has its built-in mouse called the trackpad or touchpad. It takes a lot of getting used to as it may be new to some people.
A trackpad is a device that can either be a touchpad that is a flat surface located beneath the keyboard, or a pointing stick located among the laptop keys. Either of the two types lets the user move the cursor in any direction on the screen and interact with websites and applications when they are touched.
Most likely, your laptop has the touchpad version that is the flat version of the mouse. It has right and left buttons that the user clicks to choose the command they wish the laptop to perform just as how they would use a computer mouse. But the trackpad is more than that.
Here are the things that you should know about the trackpad today.
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Laptop Trackpad Features and Tools
Laptops like the MacBooks, Chromebooks, and other brands have their trackpads. But users can choose whether to use a computer mouse or a separate trackpad that is compatible with the laptop.
Trackpads today can be used in zooming in or out the screen. In MacBooks, trackpad gestures can be customized in System Preferences, including the zooming options and "tap to click" settings. Also, it can be changed to more advanced settings for swiping between pages, displaying the Notification Center, or showing the Desktop.
If you are a Windows user, their laptops also allow its users to grant quick access to Cortana, Windows' virtual assistant, to access Action Center and view recent activity through Windows Timeline, according to Business Insider.
Main Functions of the Touchpad
Clicking is the same as using the computer mouse. When people say click, that means to press and release the left mouse button to move the insertion point in a document or choose an icon.
For example in a Word document, click in front of the typed word and type another letter or word before it. Clicking is the main function of the mouse, as is with the laptop trackpad or touchpad.
Another form of clicking is using the mouse's right button. Right-clicking will display a shortcut menu that is specific to the clicked item. An example of that would be when you are working with an image, right click the picture to see options for the image. Likewise, it also lets you choose commands that display a different view or change properties on the Windows desktop.
Moreover, the touchpad can also click and drag the specific photo or text being selected. Press and hold on the left touchpad button and then keep it held down then drag the finger on the touchpad in any direction: up, down, left, it right. The highlighted text will allow the user to choose options of actions to perform, such as pressing the Delete button on the keyboard.
Lastly, the touchpad can also be used in scrolling to view the contents of the document or the page you are reading. On the right corner of the screen, press and hold the left button of the touchpad and bring up or down the bar to scroll. The action is similar when the scrollbar is located below, but the direction would be either left to right, or right to left to scroll.
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