Finder trackpad gestures.
Finder uses the trackpad for navigation and dragging. A scene adds the file actions that still live on the keyboard, without making delete dangerous.
Finder is where the trackpad earns its place: selecting files, dragging them between folders, and moving back through a deep folder tree. Most of that is built in. The actions that still need the keyboard are the ones a scene can carry: new folder, Quick Look, and a deliberate route to the Trash.
What Finder does out of the box
| Gesture | Action in Finder | Keep it? |
|---|---|---|
| Two-finger swipe left | Back to the previous folder | Yes |
| Two-finger swipe right | Forward | Yes |
| Two-finger scroll | Scroll the file list | Yes |
| Three-finger drag | Move a file or window (if enabled) | Optional |
| Right-click (two-finger tap) | Context menu | Yes |
| Tap to click | Select | Yes |
Three-finger drag is an Accessibility setting, not a Finder feature. See the three-finger drag guide for the exact path and conflicts.
The three actions Finder still hides on the keyboard
New folder is Shift-Command-N. Quick Look is Space. Move to Trash is Command-Delete. None has a trackpad gesture, and all three are used constantly while sorting files.
A scene can put them on the corners, but delete needs care. A single edge tap that trashes a file will eventually trash the wrong file. Put Trash behind a corner plus a modifier, or behind a two-step gesture, and keep an undo habit.
A Finder scene that is hard to trigger by accident
- Top-left corner: New folder.
- Top-right corner: Quick Look. One corner, one preview, no menu.
- Bottom-right corner: Move to Trash, but only with the Fn or Control modifier required. TrackStudio can require a modifier for the whole surface.
- Two-finger tap: Open the selected item in a new tab.
- Left and right edges: Brightness and volume, as everywhere else.
- Bottom edge: Leave it off in Finder. Media scrub in a file list is a misfire waiting to happen.
Build it without breaking the built-in gestures
Keep two-finger swipe for Back and Forward. Keep two-finger click for the context menu. Add only the corners and the tap. Apply the Minimal recipe first if you want the edges on and everything else off, then add the three Finder actions one at a time.
If you use column view, the back gesture is the one you will use most; it is already there. The scene is for the file actions around it, not for navigation.
Make the trackpad do more than point.
TrackStudio maps edges, corners, areas, gestures, and haptics to the app in front of you. $5 once. No subscription, no account.
Start 3-day trialBuy — $5Questions
Does Finder have trackpad gestures?
Yes: two-finger swipe moves back and forward, two-finger tap opens the context menu, and three-finger drag can move files if it is enabled in Accessibility.
Can I make a new folder with the trackpad?
Finder has no built-in gesture for it. A trackpad utility can map a corner to Shift-Command-N.
Is it safe to put Trash on a trackpad gesture?
Only with a modifier or a two-step trigger. A bare edge tap that deletes files will eventually delete the wrong one.
Does a Finder scene change other apps?
No. Scenes are bound to the app. Finder gets its layout; everything else falls back to the default scene.
Sources
Behaviour checked November 2026 on macOS 26. Apple changes gestures between releases; confirm on your own Mac.