If the Mac has a touch bar, familiar gestures (for example, tapping, swiping or swiping) can be used directly on the bar to adjust Settings, use Siri, access function keys and perform tasks in different apps.

The function bar

The function bar on the right side of the touch bar lets you ask Siri or easily adjust common Settings by tapping the button or quickly swiping left and right on the button to adjust Settings like brightness and volume. You can also expand the function bar to access more buttons.

  • Expand the function bar: Tap

    You can also hold down the Fn key or the Globe key on your keyboardDepending on your Mac and how you customize the touch bar.
  • Use the function bar button: Tap the button to adjust Settings or control video or music playback. For some Settings, such as monitor brightness, you can change its Settings by holding down the button.

  • Fold function bar: Tap

App button

The other buttons in the touch bar vary depending on the App you’re using or the task you’re performing. Each App’s buttons are different, so try using the touch bar to see what you can do.

For example, here are the tap buttons in the touch bar to select a file in access:

Here are the buttons available to view photos in the Photos App:

In some apps, you can quickly add emojis to text using the touch bar. clickingSwipe to scroll through emojis (sorted by category, such as “most used” or “Emojis and people”), then tap on the emoji to use.

** [Tip] ** In some apps, you can customize the touch bar to add the button that performs the task most often.

Type the advice

When typing text on a Mac, the touch bar can help you save time by showing words or phrases you might want to use next (called typing suggestions).

  • Display input suggestion: Tap

Use typing suggestions: tap on words, phrases, or emojis. Spelling correction is shown in blue.

  • Hide typing suggestions: Tap in the touch bar

If you don’t see it in the touch bar, select “Display” > “Custom Touch Bar”, and then select “Show input suggestions”. Or go to The Apple Menu > System Preferences, tap Keyboard, tap Text, and choose Touch Bar Type Suggestions.

As you type, you can bring up a list of suggested words on the screen by pressing F5 (or, depending on your Mac, the Fn key).

color

In apps that allow you to change the color of text or objects, you can use the touch bar to select a color, shadow, or mode (such as RGB or HSB).

Select A color: Hold down A, then slide your finger to A color.

  • Select Shadows: Tap A, hold down A color, and then slide your finger to A shadow.
  • To select A mode or custom color: Tap A, tap the list of colors to the left, and then tap A color mode, such as RGB. To use your stored custom colors, tap sample.

Use the slider of the mode to change values such as hue or saturation. To store your changes to the sample, tap the color (” + “appears), then tap it again (the tick appears).

  • Hide color or color value: Tap in the touch bar

The function keys

Many macOS keyboard shortcuts use the function keys (F1 through F12), such as pressing F11 to display the desktop. On a Mac with a touch bar, the function keys are displayed in the touch bar.

  • To display the function keys in the touch bar, hold down the Fn key or the Globe key on the keyboard(Depends on the Mac). Be sure to customize the touch bar in keyboard Preferences to display the function keys when you hold them down.

  • Tap a function key. If keyboard shortcuts include modifier keys (such as Option or Command), hold down the Fn or Globe key and modifier keys at the same time. For example, to use control-F3 to move to the dock, hold down the Fn or globe key together with the Control key, then tap the F3 key in the touch bar.