Ever miss using your Laptop’s trackpad while working on your Windows desktop? Are you someone who mostly uses creative or office apps and would benefit from gesture support on your PC? Well, the perfect solution already exists—but it comes from an unexpected source: Apple!
Why Windows desktops need the Apple Magic Trackpad
The conventional way to use a Windows desktop is with a keyboard and a mouse—and for most unaware people, that setup works just fine. However, if you’ve ever used a Windows 10 or 11 laptop, you’ll know how powerful those trackpad gestures can be. They unlock a level of multitasking fluidity that keyboard shortcuts and mouse clicks just can’t match!
For example, trackpads make Windows 11’s virtual desktops one of its most useful multitasking features. You can quickly and conveniently switch between desktops with a simple four-finger swipe. With a keyboard, you’d have to press Ctrl + Windows + Arrow keys (left or right), which requires both hands. Alternatively, you could use your mouse to click the Task View button and then select the desktop you want—not exactly the smoothest workflow.
Now, trackpads do unlock more productivity hacks, which I’ve covered in a later section. But first, let’s tackle what’s probably the biggest question on your mind: “Why do I need an Apple Magic Trackpad? Can’t I just use any trackpad and get the same experience?” Here’s the thing—nothing else comes close to the Magic Trackpad!
The Apple Magic Trackpad is the best there is
I’ve been searching for a quality standalone trackpad for quite some time, and I couldn’t find any options from a reputable PC brand. The Logitech T650 seemed like the only decent pick, but it’s been discontinued—I could only find refurbished options, and that, too, at obscene prices (>$300). The market is essentially flooded with some off-brand options, and in my experience, they’re not even worth their cheap price tags. Most of them are wired-only, the ones that support Bluetooth tend to have connection issues, and the touch surface gets easily scratched over time.
So, after trying option after option—three in total over the course of two years—I kept coming back to one trackpad I’d seen from the start but kept avoiding: Apple’s Magic Trackpad. I didn’t want to commit to it initially. It’s designed for Macs, it’s expensive, and I kept hoping I’d find a PC-native alternative that could match it.
However, the fact of the matter is that the Magic Trackpad is the most reliable trackpad on the market! And not just that, but it’s also the best trackpad, with a large and spacious surface area, a premium glass finish that feels incredible, and excellent touch sensitivity! You can use it wired or wirelessly over Bluetooth, and the battery life is insane—easily lasts a month on a single charge.
I’ve asked around and dug through Reddit forums, and everyone agrees that these trackpads can last six or seven years without issues. The only real downside is the price, but if you can snag a discounted (or refurbished) previous-generation Magic Trackpad (which also supported Bluetooth), that’ll work just as well! Yes, it’s expensive, but it can genuinely pay off for creatives, multitaskers, and anyone who values productivity—and here’s why.
9/10
For Mac users, there’s simply no better trackpad choice than Apple’s own Magic Trackpad. It has perfect integration and is just as brilliant as the trackpad built into every MacBook.
How I use the Apple Magic Trackpad to make my work easier
I’ve already mentioned how I use the Magic Trackpad to navigate virtual desktops, but let me get specific about my workflow. Let’s say I am focused on writing a piece in Notion on one desktop but need to reference my research materials quickly. Well, I can seamlessly swipe my hand over my trackpad and jump to the next virtual desktop with all my research documents. Likewise, another swipe brings me back to my writing desktop. No grabbing a device or clicking buttons—just a simple touch gesture.
Speaking of virtual desktops, another powerful trick is dragging files between them. Suppose one desktop has my file manager full of screenshots, and another has my document editor where I need to drop those images. I can tap and hold a file, use a four-finger swipe to jump to the desktop with my document editor, and drop it exactly where I need it. You’d practically need three hands to do that with a keyboard and mouse!
Furthermore, using a trackpad doesn’t mean abandoning your mouse! I still use my mouse for gaming—I’m not playing Call of Duty with a trackpad! That said, you can use both devices together. For example, when annotating screenshots, I use the trackpad to pinch-zoom while using the mouse to highlight or mark up specific areas.
Finally, horizontal scrolling is a game-changer for video editors and anyone working with wide Excel sheets. Instead of holding Shift and using the mouse wheel, I just swipe two fingers horizontally on the trackpad. This means I can easily navigate massive spreadsheets (both vertically and horizontally) with one hand while punching in numbers with the other—a workflow impossible with a mouse and keyboard. The same applies to video editing, where scrubbing through timelines becomes much more intuitive with trackpad gestures.
How to connect Apple’s Magic Trackpad with Windows
The Magic Trackpad isn’t officially supported on Windows, and neither Apple nor Microsoft has developed drivers for it. You can connect it to Windows 11 using Bluetooth or a USB cable, and it will work—but only as a basic point-and-click device with no support for gestures or haptic feedback. Thankfully, there are third-party drivers—both proprietary and open-source—that unlock the full set of functionalities.
Connect using Magic Utilities
I am personally using Magic Utilities because it’s the simplest to set up. Just visit the Magic Utilities website, download and install the EXE file, and your Magic Trackpad now supports the full range of touch gestures.
You’ll get a graphical interface from where you can configure everything. You can also define how much pressure registers as a click. It’s a powerful tool that just works out of the box. However, it’s not free and requires an annual subscription, but if you value simplicity and reliability, it’s worth considering.
Connect using FOSS drivers
From my research, I found a solid free and open-source (FOSS) driver for the Magic Trackpad 2 (community name for the 2015 model) on GitHub: Mac Precision Touchpad. The comments and community feedback suggest it works well for most folks. The README also mentioned support for the Magic Trackpad 3 (the 2021 model), but some people have encountered issues. Unfortunately, since I am running the latest Magic Trackpad (the 2021 model), this driver didn’t work for me.
That said, you should definitely try this if you’re using the Trackpad 2. Even if you’re using the Trackpad 3, it’s worth a shot—it has worked for most people. Here’s a YouTube video you can follow along to install the driver if the GitHub instructions seem too technical and complicated.
Windows desktop users deserve the same gesture-based productivity that laptops have been offering for years. But until PC manufacturers fill this gap, Apple’s Magic Trackpad remains the best—and arguably the only—reliable solution. While it can seem like a hefty investment, it’s worth every penny for creative professionals, traders, and folks who live in Excel.