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To swipe between full-screen apps on your Mac, place four fingers on your trackpad or two on your Magic Mouse. Swipe them left or right to move between full-screen apps. Apps will need to be in full-screen view for the gesture to work.

Things You Should Know

  • To swipe between apps on a Mac, use four fingers on the trackpad and swipe left or right.
  • If needed, enable the gesture in Trackpad or Mouse settings.
  • If you're using a mouse, place two fingers on the mouse and drag left or right.
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Enabling the Gesture

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  1. Click Show All at the top of the window if you don't see the main System Preferences options.
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  2. Choose Trackpad if you're using a MacBook or a Magic Trackpad. Click Mouse if you're using a Magic Mouse.
  3. The number of fingers the gesture uses will be displayed below.
  4. If you're using a trackpad, you can change the number of fingers the gesture uses.
  5. You can switch between three fingers or four fingers for the gesture. [1]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Swiping Between Apps

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  1. If you set your trackpad to use the three finger gesture instead, just use three fingers.
  2. This gesture only works if you have two or more apps open in full-screen view. You can switch apps to full-screen view from their View menus or by pressing Ctrl + ⌘ Command + F .
  3. Swipe all of your fingers at once to switch between your open full-screen apps.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What are some different ways to switch between apps on a Mac computer?
    Mitch Harris
    Consumer Technology Expert
    Mitch Harris is a Consumer Technology Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mitch runs his own IT Consulting company called Mitch the Geek, helping individuals and businesses with home office technology, data security, remote support, and cybersecurity compliance. Mitch earned a BS in Psychology, English, and Physics and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University.
    Consumer Technology Expert
    Expert Answer
    A first way is to hold down Command and press tab. Otherwise, you can go to the dock at the bottom and look for any app that has a little dot located underneath it. Those are your running apps. Simply click on one of those and it will open up.
  • Question
    How do I clear browsing history on iPhone 8 Plus?
    Community Answer
    Tap the book icon at the bottom hotbar, then on the option labeled "History." There you'll be able to surf through your past websites and delete any of your choosing.
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