MacBooks Running Windows Gain Improved Trackpad Support With Boot Camp Update

Apple this week released Boot Camp version 6.1.15 for users running Windows on a Mac, as noted in a Reddit post spotted by The Verge.

macbook trackpad
The update adds support for more precise trackpad gestures on MacBooks running Windows, including a single tap to click, tapping the lower-right corner to right-click, swiping down to scroll up, and various multi-touch gestures using three or four fingers.

Support for these precise trackpad gestures while running Windows is available on Macs with Apple's T2 chip, according to an Apple user guide.

Boot Camp allows Windows to boot natively on Intel-based Macs. The utility is not available on Macs with the M1 chip.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
macOS Sequoia Night Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
m4 mac mini hands on

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Wednesday December 11, 2024 7:34 am PST by
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb 3

iPhone SE 4 Said to Feature 48MP Rear Lens, 12MP TrueDepth Camera

Monday December 9, 2024 4:48 am PST by
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report. ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
iphone 17 pro concept render cameras

Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker. iPhone 17 Pro concept render Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...

Top Rated Comments

Xenomorph Avatar
46 months ago

I love these types of posts. Just because you don't see a reason doesn't mean there isn't one technically. The T2 is a SoC and gives Apple more flexibility on how they can run the system.
There are multiple ('https://github.com/imbushuo/mac-precision-touchpad') fancy 3rd-party trackpad drivers ('http://trackpad.forbootcamp.org/') for older MacBook Pro models, and even my Chromebook running Windows has fancy precision touchpad drivers ('https://github.com/coolstar/crostouchpad4-elan') developed by the community.

Apple choosing to make their new drivers only for Macs with T2 is 100% planned obsolescence. They have direct access to the hardware and original source code, yet can't accomplish what some kid in their mom's basement is capable of?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tom.humphrey Avatar
46 months ago

Why is it a screenshot of Parallels when the article is about Boot Camp? ?
Well that disappeared quick!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
46 months ago
This is why I don’t wanna give up my 16” MacBook Pro; I do light windows gaming in bootcamp and unless windows comes to arm I’m staying away from the m1
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
46 months ago
I guess they're throwing Intel Mac users a bone after announcing a ton of Apple Silicon-only features this week...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
46 months ago

I love these types of posts. Just because you don't see a reason doesn't mean there isn't one technically. The T2 is a SoC and gives Apple more flexibility on how they can run the system.
So you really need a T2 chip for better Trackpad support?

Even older Macs which do not have the T2 chip have the same and better Trackpad gestures present in the latest Macs.

The T2 chip is a security chip and does not play any role in Trackpad gestures.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
46 months ago

I am not an Apple engineer, but I'd deduce that what is going on here is they are using spare processing capacity on the T2 chip to handle this. It could be doing the same on macOS, but we wouldn't know since we're not privy to the details. It is also possible they pass built in trackpad and keyboard input data through the T2 chip on T2 equipped Macs for extra security.

There is a reason for it. Even if that reason isn't immediately apparent to us.
If the T2 chips plays a part in trackpad support. What about the older Macbooks which do not have the T2 chip but offers the same trackpad support and gestures as the newer ones with the T2 chip and M1.

Apple could have added the better trackpad support to older Macbooks without the T2 chip if they put their mind to it. They simply chose not to. This is just like how they did not ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/several-macos-monterey-features-unavailable-on-intel-based-macs.2300086/') make some features available on the Intel Macs. Even simple features like 3D map, an interactive globe and etc.

What other reason is there? They are simply lazy and do not care.

Some users even made third party drivers which mimic the normal macOS gestures for their Windows Mac. If they can do it why can't Apple?

This update is actually a long overdue one.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)