Don’t Choose Between a Mouse or Trackpad With Your Mac, Use Both

Apple’s peripherals are sleek and compact, so it’s easy to fit more than one on your desk. Find out how much better your Mac experience can be with a trackpad in one hand and a mouse in the other.

Why Use Both a Mouse and a Trackpad?

Each of these pointing devices has advantages, and you probably have a preference, but combining the two can give you the best of both worlds.

A Pleasant, Balanced Aesthetic

If you’re a fan of Wes Anderson films or Da Vinci artwork, you might appreciate symmetry and balance. Apple’s marketing often features shots of a central keyboard with a trackpad on one side and a mouse on the other. If you’ve already bought into Apple’s minimalist design ethos, why not go all the way with a desk setup that is bound to turn heads?

My setup isn’t quite right in this regard: I’m rocking a black Magic Mouse alongside a space gray keyboard and Magic Trackpad. But the overall layout is still nicely balanced and it encourages me to keep my keyboard flush center.

An Always-Available Backup

A dual setup can help mitigate one of the biggest flaws of Apple’s Magic Mouse: the charging port. Since it’s located on the bottom, charging Apple’s mouse temporarily puts it out of action. Being able to use your computer in such circumstances could be a metaphorical life-saver.

Of course, this doesn’t just apply to Apple’s mouse, and it’s not just a charging issue. Any mouse may suffer from temporary unavailability due to a defect, a change of location, or simply because someone else needs to borrow it. Having a secondary pointing device to act as a stand-in can be very useful, and you’ll have no problem adapting to one if you use it regularly.

Both Devices Have Unique Strengths and Weaknesses

Although they are superficially similar, there are quite a few differences between using a trackpad and a mouse on Apple devices. Apple’s trackpads support pinch-to-zoom which pairs nicely with a mouse for pointer movement. They also support a much wider range of gestures, including support for three- and four-finger motions that the Magic mouse simply lacks.

Simply put, macOS feels like it was designed to work best with a trackpad.

How useful you find two simultaneous inputs will depend on what you’re doing. If you’re working with images, 3D modeling, or game development, you’ll probably do a lot of panning and zooming, often more or less at the same time. This is a particular task that can strongly benefit from a two-device setup, since these actions are usually easier on a mouse.

Easier Multitasking With the Outside World

Ever found yourself answering your phone or drinking a cup of coffee, but wanting to keep using your computer at the same time? Whether you’re ambidextrous or not, a second input device can make it much easier to juggle another physical task.

Closely related is the state of your desk. If you’re anything like me, your workspace cycles between clean & minimalist and overcrowded with junk. I occasionally run out of space to move my mouse, but a trackpad needs no extra room, so it’s an excellent backup when space runs low.

How to Set Up a Mouse and Trackpad

macOS supports multiple input devices so flawlessly that it can be surprising when they just work. Simply connect the two, and use them however you want.

Start by pairing both devices via System Settings. Once both are connected, you should see them under System Settings > Bluetooth > My Devices. You should also see an option for both Mouse and Trackpad in the list on the left.

Select either Mouse or Trackpad to set up that specific device. Notice that your Trackpad has an extra Scroll & Zoom section, along with many additional options under More Gestures. You can assign the same action—like Mission Control—to both the mouse and trackpad, then use either to activate it.

The Magic Trackpad is arguably the best peripheral of its kind, but Apple’s Magic Mouse isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a more practical mouse, check out our favorite Magic Mouse alternatives.