Magic Trackpad Right Side Not Working Right

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Level 1

15 points

Magic Trackpad Right Side Not Working Right

I have a new Magic Trackpad connected to my 2021 MacBook Pro.

When I touch and move a single finger on the right 1" of the trackpad it doesn't hardly move.

If I touch and move a single finger anywhere left of the right 1" of the trackpad it moves normal.

I am wondering if there is some special feature set up on the right side of the trackpad that I can turn off or if the trackpad is defective.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.6

Posted on Sep 17, 2024 7:24 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tesserax

Level 10

160,106 points

Sep 17, 2024 9:46 AM in response to DevGuru

AFAIK, there isn't a feature that specifically limits movement on the right side of the trackpad by default, so this behavior isn't typical.

Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot:

Go to System Settings > Trackpad, and ensure no custom gestures are set for the right side of the trackpad. You might want to turn off or adjust settings like "Tap to Click" or "Secondary Click" to see if there's an impact.
Boot your Mac in safe mode to rule out any third-party software that might be interfering. If the trackpad works fine in safe mode, it could point to a software-related issue. Ref: Use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support
If available, test the Magic Trackpad with another device, like another Mac or iPad, to determine whether the issue persists. This can help you determine if it's a hardware fault with the trackpad itself.
Make sure the surface of the trackpad is clean and free of any debris that might be affecting touch sensitivity.

If the issue persists across multiple devices, it might indicate that the trackpad is defective (as you suspected.) As such you may want to contact Apple Support for the next steps. To do so, simply select the "Support" link on the lower left-hand side of this forum's web page. In addition, if you purchased this trackpad within the last 14 days, you have the opportunity to either have it replaced or be refunded.

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Answer 2

DevGuru Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 17, 2024 12:35 PM in response to Tesserax

I have more information.

I went to the apple store and another magic trackpad did the same thing.

I rebooted in the recovery options (which I assume is even more basic than booting into safe mode) and it still does the same thing.

I also happened to have my gmail web page open and noticed that if I am at the top of an email and swipe from right to left in the first inch of the trackpad it will open / close that email if there are other emails as part of the chain.

This seems to be some kind of swipe gesture detection, but that means it is really basic because it also works in the recovery mode.

This does NOT happen from the LEFT side of the trackpad.

I also notice that the same thing seems to happen in the built in trackpad of the macbook pro it is connected to, but instead of being the whole right 1 inch it is about the first quarter inch of the built in trackpad.

I couldn't find any settings anywhere that relate to this type of functionality.

Can someone tell me how to turn this off?

I don't like it because I use the trackpad on my lap and my fingers are mostly on the right side and I am constantly not able to move the mouse without moving my fingers closer to the middle which is not comfortable.

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