Trying to find out how to click and drag on a MacBook? Looking for a masterful way to drag, drop and select text with a trackpad? Find out here how to enable and use three finger drag on a Mac.
First, a Lost Poem about Salt and Ice
While the original Sanskrit is lost, Syriac and Arabic translations of the Panchatantra do contain one of the earliest (from around 200 BCE) descriptions of a curious effect: pour salt on blocks of ice, and you will lower the surrounding temperature.
This endothermic (heat-absorbing) process is used to make ice cream, for instance.
Now, if you lower three fingers for a moment from the ice cream onto a Mac trackpad, you can get something cool as well:
How to Enable Three Finger Drag on a Mac
Time needed: 2 minutes
To turn on three-finger dragging on a Mac (with a MacBook, for instance, or Magic Trackpad):
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences) on the Mac.
Here’s how: Select System Settings, for instance, from the Apple symbol () menu.
- Go to the Accessibility.
- Open the Pointer Control category.
- Now click Trackpad Options….
Before macOS Ventura: Go to Mouse & Trackpad, then select Trackpad Options….
- Enable Use trackpad for dragging.
Before Ventura: Turn on Enable dragging.
- Now choose Three Finger Drag under Dragging Style (or from the dragging drop-down menu).
- Click OK.
How to Use Three Finger Drag on a Mac
To make the most of three finger drag on your Mac:
- Position the cursor where you want to start dragging.
- With three fingers on the trackpad, move into the direction you want to drag.
Endless dragging: See below for endless dragging. - Let go of the trackpad to end the dragging.
Ending a drag without action: See below for letting go without any action (e.g., moving a file).
How to Enable and Use Three Finger Drag on a Mac: FAQ
I’ve reached the end of my trackpad with the three fingers; how can I continue three finger drag?
To drag without the limits of the physical trackpad on a Mac using three fingers
- Start three finger drag as above.
- Let go of one finger.
Which fingers: You can let go of any finger. I’d suggest you start dragging with index finger, middle finger and ring finger of one hand, though, then let go of the index. - With two fingers on the trackpad (and stationery), scroll with the lifted finger as if you would move the cursor.
What happens: Instead of letting go or moving only the cursor, you will move the selection or selected item.
Again and again: You can lift the third finger and start scroll as many times as you wish or need.
How can I cancel dragging without dropping the file or another action?
To end dragging without taking any action:
- Press Esc with the fingers still on the trackpad.
For what can I use three finger dragging?
Three finger drag on a Mac always replaces clicking and dragging on a mouse.
You can use three-finger dragging to
- move windows (using their title bars),
- drag and drop documents or
- select documents (drawing an outline around them) in Finder, or to
- highlight text,
for instance.
How can I copy (instead of moving) with Mac three finger drag?
To copy a file in Finder:
- Hold down the Option key while you drag and drop it.
Just then: It’s enough to press the key when you release the three finger drag.
(How to use three finger drag on a Mac tested with macOS Sonoma 14.2, Ventura 13.1, Monterey 12.0 and Big Sur 11.5; updated January 2024)