Using a Touchscreen or Trackpad

Not every device uses a mouse. Tablets and many laptops let you control the screen with your fingers instead — either directly on a touchscreen or on a trackpad. The gestures you use are different from mouse clicks, but they do the same kinds of jobs!

What is a touchscreen?

• A touchscreen is a screen you can control by touching it directly with your finger or a stylus.
• Tablets (like iPads) and some laptops and phones have touchscreens.
• Instead of moving a mouse, you use gestures — specific finger movements on the glass.

The five key touchscreen gestures

• Tap — touch the screen once and lift your finger. Same as a left-click. Opens or selects.
• Double-tap — touch the screen twice quickly. Same as a double-click. Zooms in or opens.
• Swipe — slide your finger across the screen without lifting it. Scrolls pages or switches screens.
• Pinch — place two fingers on the screen and move them apart (zoom in) or together (zoom out).
• Press and hold — touch the screen and keep your finger down for a moment. Same as a right-click. Opens options menu.

What is a trackpad?

• A trackpad (also called a touchpad) is a flat, smooth surface found below the keyboard on most laptops.
• You slide one finger across it to move the pointer — just like moving a mouse.
• Tap once = click. Tap twice quickly = double-click. Two fingers slide = scroll.

Touchscreen vs. Mouse — the same jobs, different tools

• Tap = click · Double-tap = double-click · Press and hold = right-click · Swipe = scroll · Pinch = zoom.
• Both tools let you select, open, move, and scroll — they just use different body movements to do it.