How macOS is changing for touchscreens

Apple has announced its first touchscreen MacBook, but macOS is not getting a broad redesign for touch, according to The Verge’s Allison Johnson. Most of the changes appear to be happening in individual apps, with touch serving mainly as an additional way to use the system.

The new MacBook Pro will bring iOS’s Dynamic Island to the Mac. Apple says its added touch controls can help people accept AirDrops and pause music. Users will also be able to pinch to zoom in on photos, move slides between presentations, and swipe through web pages.

Apple’s own apps will be optimized for touch, and macOS will automatically translate touches into clicks. The Verge reports that third-party apps including Notion, Canva, Zoom, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Lightroom, and DaVinci Resolve will use the new controls. Some creator apps may support multitouch, though the report suggests touch will remain a secondary input method.

Other examples include double-tapping to make a window full screen and dragging a window corner to resize it. The changes offer touch interactions in macOS and selected apps, while leaving the system’s overall approach largely intact.