I just learned something about the Touch Bar!

[Falcon9]

I'll preface this by saying that I actually like the Touch Bar. My one big annoyance with it up until this point was using it to adjust the volume, as I thought it was a two-tap process. First a tap on volume icon to reveal the volume slider, and then a tap and drag to adjust the slider.

Turns out that I was wrong. This may be common knowledge (and I am just late to discovering this), but you can actually just tap the volume icon and immediately drag your finger to adjust the volume. Works great, and just as easy as having physical buttons IMO.

Anyway, thought I'd share my discovery in case someone else has yet to discover this for themselves.

 

[Blowback]

I'll preface this by saying that I actually like the Touch Bar. My one big annoyance with it up until this point was using it to adjust the volume, as I thought it was a two-tap process. First a tap on volume icon to reveal the volume slider, and then a tap and drag to adjust the slider.

Turns out that I was wrong. This may be common knowledge (and I am just late to discovering this), but you can actually just tap the volume icon and immediately drag your finger to adjust the volume. Works great, and just as easy as having physical buttons IMO.

Anyway, thought I'd share my discovery in case someone else has yet to discover this for themselves.

Yes...I was surprised when I figured that out also; though it was some time ago. And I also appreciate the TB and hope it stays....

 

[Macbookprodude]

touch bar is garbage. Why I didn't get a 2016 or higher MBP.

 

[bluespark]

I remember shortly after the Touch Bar came out that several reviewers described it as a two-tap process and were corrected by some in the comments threads. The problem, of course, is that far more people would read the erroneous articles than would read the threads.

I also like the Touch Bar, although I'm surprised by how little Apple did with it after its initial introduction. There are some amazing customization options with programs like Better Touch Tool, and I would have expected Apple to have created their own customization framework. Maybe they got spooked by all of the negative reaction (even though some of that was based on misconceptions such as the two-tap thing).

Anyway, glad to hear that you found this feature, which certainly adds to the Touch Bar's convenience.

 

[bdbeelde]

By the way, you can also "swipe" on the volume icon to change the volume settings (similarly to key presses on the function key)

 

[Mimiron]

Yeah, can't wait for Apple to ditch the stupid gimmicky touch bar.

 

[baypharm]

I like the touch bar

 

[Mimiron]

I like the touch bar

Said no one ever.

 

[deeddawg]

Said no one ever.

Except some people do.

There's a lot of ignorance surrounding the Touchbar, usually from folks who never made the time to look into the available settings under System-Prefs->Keyboard.

Such as being able to replicate the original hotkey functionality if that's your preference.

Want to customize which hotkeys show? Easy peasy.

Or maybe you prefer the F1 row to be primary.

Lots of options to adjust to one's individual preference.

Sure, it's still not ideal for everyone - particularly those who let themselves develop the habit of resting their fingers on the Fn key row instead of the home-row, or the (uncommon) folks who touch-type the Fn row and require tactile feedback.

 

[poorcody]

I love the Touch Bar too.

Another thing you can do with Better Touch Tool is make the volume adjust by pressing two fingers anywhere in the bar and dragging. Even quicker than the press and drag.

 

[coachingguy]

Said no one ever.

Quite obviously, you're wrong.

 

[kitt9000]

I also like the Touch Bar, customizable and much better and more dynamic than staring at the static F function keys I have never used in the past. Will keep my M1 MacBook Pro for a few years with this Touch Bar functionality, hopefully they keep it as an option for future designs.

 

[jerryk]

I'll preface this by saying that I actually like the Touch Bar. My one big annoyance with it up until this point was using it to adjust the volume, as I thought it was a two-tap process. First a tap on volume icon to reveal the volume slider, and then a tap and drag to adjust the slider.

Turns out that I was wrong. This may be common knowledge (and I am just late to discovering this), but you can actually just tap the volume icon and immediately drag your finger to adjust the volume. Works great, and just as easy as having physical buttons IMO.

Anyway, thought I'd share my discovery in case someone else has yet to discover this for themselves.

Yep. You can treat it like a slider on a mixing board. I love the infinite volume levels, rather than the preset levels of the old up/down volume keys.

 

[deeddawg]

Yep. You can treat it like a slider on a mixing board. I love the infinite volume levels, rather than the preset levels of the old up/down volume keys.

Nice, didn't know you could just keep your finger down and slide it.

I typically leave my setup as above, showing App Controls and Control Strip, with the full hotkey available with the press of Fn - so the discrete up/down for volume and screen are readily available.

I used to be ignorant of the configurability of the touchbar setup and thus didn't like it, but a little learning ended up changing my mind. (that said, I'd still hate lack of physical ESC key but that issue was solved with the newer version TB)

 

[Blowback]

Except some people do.

There's a lot of ignorance surrounding the Touchbar, usually from folks who never made the time to look into the available settings under System-Prefs->Keyboard.

Such as being able to replicate the original hotkey functionality if that's your preference.

View attachment 1740621

Want to customize which hotkeys show? Easy peasy.

View attachment 1740623

Or maybe you prefer the F1 row to be primary.

View attachment 1740622

Lots of options to adjust to one's individual preference.

View attachment 1740626

Sure, it's still not ideal for everyone - particularly those who let themselves develop the habit of resting their fingers on the Fn key row instead of the home-row, or the (uncommon) folks who touch-type the Fn row and require tactile feedback.Ha

Have always like the TB....missed the 'options' you listed above ('press...to show..)...thanks! Now have an easier way to show all of the emojis and Symbols !!! Was editing 'watched threads' and decided to re-visit this one...glad I did!

 

[nquinn]

By the way, you can also "swipe" on the volume icon to change the volume settings (similarly to key presses on the function key)

Kinda cool, but the biggest issue is that you can't touch-type it without looking very easily. I'll take physical keys back thank you.

 

[grahamwright1]

touch bar is garbage. Why I didn't get a 2016 or higher MBP.

So what qualifies you to declare it's garbage? I've come to really appreciate the TB and feel sorry that it's lifespan might be shortened by people who don't have it making negative comments. Feel free to let us all know that you don't see the benefit of it, but many of us do.

 

[richinaus]

So what qualifies you to declare it's garbage? I've come to really appreciate the TB and feel sorry that it's lifespan might be shortened by people who don't have it making negative comments. Feel free to let us all know that you don't see the benefit of it, but many of us do.

Since they made the physical escape key, I have no problems with the Touch Bar. I dont really see the benefit of restricted function keys over digital, as its not exactly an area of the keyboard that gets a lot of use [by most people, as I can guearantee someone will reply saying they use the F keys all the time.......]

 

[Macbookprodude]

touch bar is garbage. Why I didn't get a 2016 or higher MBP.

Why angry - it’s the truth

 

[Feek]

People who hate the Touch Bar are those who have gone into an Apple Store and looked at one for thirty seconds.

 

[deeddawg]

People who hate the Touch Bar are those who have gone into an Apple Store and looked at one for thirty seconds.

The prior version of the touchbar really did suck in that the ESC key was virtual.

Fortunately that was fixed beginning in late 2019.

There's also that small handful of folks who actually touch-type the function row, and those who've let themselves develop the habit of resting their fingers on the function row.

... but generally, I think a lot of the dislike is based far more in perception than experience.

 

[creativesmith]

The TB is lovely and elegant. Give yourself time to learn how to use and benefit from it, and you may feel likewise.

 

[willybk3]

+ 1 really like the touch bar!

 

[bluespark]

Most people I've spoken with quite like the Touch Bar. FWIW, they are people who typically used that role to control things like volume, brightness, etc., and like the added customizability. I'm not sure what percentage of users primarily use that row of keys for F1 (etc.) purposes, but I could see why they might not like the Touch Bar as much.

Personally, I would love to see Apple keep the Touch Bar, make it even more customizable, and provide a straightforward ability for developers to extent its functionality within their apps. In the meantime, it's still a huge benefit for me compared to the physical keys.

 

[Fowl]

One-touch sliding works, except: I keep the volume "button" is near the right side of the touch bar (so it's always available). If the volume is set very low, and I want to slide it to very high, my finger goes off the edge of the touch bar. In that case I need the two-touch method. That happens frequently: I set the volume low for videos/music (which are recorded professionally), high for Skype/Zoom (usually recorded with inadequate built-in microphones).