How to customize the TouchBar of our MacBook Pro

The TouchBar, the small bar / display on the top of most MacBook Pro keyboards , offers far more options than meets the eye. We can change the buttons that appear, their distribution, the way to access the different functions, etc.

Before entering the subject, let’s clarify some concepts. The Touch Bar has three sections : The main part where the controls of the app we are using appear (1), the Control Strip (2), that always visible section of four buttons, and the rest of the Control Strip when we expand it ( 3).

There are several TouchBar configuration options that are very useful and, although it is a personal matter , in this article we propose the ones that we consider most useful.

What we see on the TouchBar and the fn button

Of those three sections that we just introduced, by default we will see two: the app controls and the summarized Control Strip . In addition, we can configure the TouchBar so that, when pressing the fn key , it expands the Control Strip to show us the rest of the options. The steps are the following:

  1. In the Apple menu () we choose System Preferences.
  2. We enter Keyboard.
  3. We enter the Keyboardtab .
  4. In the section The Touch Bar showswe choose the controls of the app .
  5. Next to this section we activate Show Control Strip.
  6. Below, in Press the fn key to, we choose to expand Control Strip .

The fn key can play an important role in using the Touch Bar. Certain functions that require us to expand the Control Strip to access them become almost a ” fn + […]” keyboard shortcut .

Customization of sections

We can configure the three sections of our Touch Bar to show the buttons and options that best suit us. In the case of app controls, the way to customize them is in the app itself. Normally in the View menu the option Customize the Touch Bar appears , each app can offer different customization options or none.

As for the Control Strip , either expanded or in its reduced version, the options are offered by Apple and we can customize them by following these steps:

  1. In the Apple menu () we choose System Preferences.
  2. We enter Keyboard.
  3. We enter the Keyboardtab .
  4. We touch Customize Control Strip.

We will see all the button options that we can place on our Control Strip appear on the screen when it is folded, remember that the limit is four elements.

To add an element, we simply click and drag it to the area of the Touch Bar that interests us. We will do it as if the mouse had to “jump” to the Touch Bar from the main screen. If we have already chosen four buttons, we will see that the new one we want to drag will replace one of the existing ones. To rearrange the buttons we have, although we can do it with the mouse, the easiest way is to do it with the finger directly in the Touch Bar.

Within this customization mode, if we want to customize the rest of the Control Strip, we simply have to expand it . We will see more options appear on the screen that we can add and place with the same system that we have just seen.

IN APPLESFERA

Two interesting Finder functions that you will find useful: opening folder and sidebar

Easy right? Having the functions we use the most on our Mac just one touch away (sometimes with a fn in between) is, without a doubt, a great help for efficiency and comfort. Actions such as taking a screenshot, activating Do Not Disturb mode, or connecting to an Air Play screen are just a touch away.

 

by Abdullah Sam
I’m a teacher, researcher and writer. I write about study subjects to improve the learning of college and university students. I write top Quality study notes Mostly, Tech, Games, Education, And Solutions/Tips and Tricks. I am a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

Leave a Comment