Touchpad Gestures Cheat Sheet

Published: (February 6, 2026 at 12:15 AM EST)
1 min read
Source: Dev.to

Source: Dev.to

Cover image for Touchpad Gestures Cheat Sheet

Gestures

Single Tap

Action: Left Click / Select
Why: The fastest way to place your cursor for editing code.

Single tap gesture on touchpad

Two-Finger Tap

Action: Right Click / Context Menu
Developer Utility: Instantly access Inspect Element or file properties without hunting for a button.

Two-finger tap gesture on touchpad

Two-Finger Slide

Action: Scroll Vertical / Horizontal
Developer Utility: Fly through long code files and terminal logs smoothly.

Two-finger slide gesture for scrolling on touchpad

Pinch / Stretch

Action: Zoom In / Out
Developer Utility: Critical for checking responsive web layouts and pixel‑perfect details.

Pinch and stretch gesture for zooming on touchpad

Three-Finger Swipe Up

Action: Task View
Developer Utility: Switch between multiple desktops (e.g., Code Editor vs. Localhost Browser) in seconds.

Three-finger swipe up gesture for task view on touchpad

Gestures Summary

GestureActionDeveloper Utility
Single TapLeft Click / SelectPrecision cursor navigation for editing code.
Two-Finger TapRight Click / Context MenuQuick access to Inspect Element and file properties.
Two-Finger SlideScroll Vertical / HorizontalFast navigation through long code files and logs.
Pinch / StretchZoom In / OutEssential for checking responsive web layouts details.
Three-Finger Swipe UpTask ViewManaging multiple desktop environments efficiently.
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