Trackpad way too sensitive! Are there settings for sensitivity?

Question

Trackpad way too sensitive! Are there settings for sensitivity?

Hi, I'm really getting frustrated with the cursor jumping all over the place! Most of the time, it happens right when I'm starting to type something and my hand lightly touches the track-pad. Sometimes the wandering cursor will highlight something that it lands on and will replace what I have typed elsewhere once I make the first typing stroke. Arrrgh! I do have "ignore trackpad input when using keyboard" checked and that DOES work most of the time once I have started typing...but until I've started typing, anything seems fair game to the cursor!

Also, when I'm not actively using the trackpad, I keep my hand just above it until the next gesture. Occasionally, my finger will lower ever so slightly and barely touches the trackpad and it will do things I wasn't intending to do. Any suggestions?

MacBookPro late 2007, iMac Intel Aluminum, dead iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.5.5), Intel iMac OS X 10.5.4, dead iMac G5 OS X 10.4.11

Posted on Jan 14, 2009 11:27 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 14, 2009 8:05 PM in response to sig

Thanks, but as I said above, I already have that checked. As far as I know, there aren't any settings that address touch sensitivity in the system preference panel for the trackpad and I was hoping someone might know if there were settings located somewhere else. Oh, well, thanks anyway.

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Answer 2

Apr 14, 2009 9:14 AM in response to Horsey Mac Gal

I have exactly the same problem.. And in Windows Vista (BootCamp) the problem is even worse, because the trackpad is EXTREMELY sensitive there (I mean accidental clicks when you just want to move a mouse). It's definitely MORE sensitive than in Mac OS X, so I think it's software problem.
And there are no updates or settings to solve that... Very frustrating.
Also why I cannot use a right mouse button i

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Answer 3

Apr 14, 2009 9:15 AM in response to Horsey Mac Gal

I have exactly the same problem.. And in Windows Vista (BootCamp) the problem is even worse, because the trackpad is EXTREMELY sensitive there (I mean accidental clicks when you just want to move a mouse). It's definitely MORE sensitive than in Mac OS X, so I think it's software problem.
And there are no updates or settings to solve that... Very frustrating.
Also why I cannot use a right mouse button on my trackpad in windows Vista, like I do in mac os x? Apple just ignores users with both systems.

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Answer 4

Apr 14, 2009 9:24 AM in response to DizzyDown

Not that I'm trying to push you toward buying third-party apps, but shortly after I bought my MBP, I downloaded, installed, tried, and finally bought a substitute driver for the TrackPad called SideTrack, from RagingMenace:

http://ragingmenace.com/software/sidetrack/

It'll cost you 15 bucks (USD), but the developer is a really nice guy who actually answers to your email when you have questions about how to best use his application. Said application will let you completely customize your TrackPad, as it will for example allow you to assign a certain task to each corner of your TrackPad (eg, right-click for the upper-right corner, previous Web browser page for the lower-left corner, forward for the lower-right corner, etc...). Since I started using SideTrack, I rediscovered the simple joy of scrolling with one finger instead of two, and pointer erratic behaviors are a thing of the past.

You can try the app without buying it for a month, I think, but be careful, it's addictive!

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Answer 5

demolasko

Level 2

390 points

Jan 14, 2009 12:16 PM in response to Horsey Mac Gal

you can change the settings under Applications > system preferences > keyboard/trackpad

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Answer 6

sig

Level 8

35,862 points

Jan 14, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Horsey Mac Gal

Also check the box that says, "ignore accidental trackpad input."

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Answer 7

Jan 14, 2009 7:51 PM in response to demolasko

Thanks for your response, but I was wondering if there was another place that had settings that I wasn't aware of.

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Answer 8

Apr 15, 2009 10:25 AM in response to OneCatFamily

thanks, nice link! But really most of my trackpad problems in MBP are in Windows Vista - it is significantly more sensitive there...
I'll recommend your link to my friends with Apple laptops.

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