Windows 10 virtual desktops and trackpads

Devrij · 20 Mar 2019 at 12:47

The one thing I miss from my work mac when I get home is being able to swipe between virtual desktops with a track pad. So I was thinking of getting one for my desktop at home.

Question: is that functionality actually available on w10? Do I require a specific type of trackpad? I couldn't find much on the Web about this.

Thanks in advance!

yashiro · 21 Mar 2019 at 11:49

Depends on the software. If you can assign keypresses to actions it will work. Ctrl+Win+Left/Right is the normal action for swiping between desktops.

Of course, they could just support it natively too.

Devrij · 21 Mar 2019 at 21:52

So it turns out w10 DOES support it, 4 finger swipe is change desktops.

Finding a bloody compatible touch pad? Impossible.

Bluecube · 21 Mar 2019 at 21:56

Dell XPS laptops support that swipe. I know could I used to use it. Godawful trackpads though.

Devrij · 21 Mar 2019 at 22:00

Bluecube said:
Dell XPS laptops support that swipe. I know could I used to use it. Godawful trackpads though.

Precisely, plenty of laptops, no desktop trackpad.

Bluecube · 21 Mar 2019 at 22:07

Ah sorry. Missed the bit about desktop. Have you tried a Mac trackpad? It’s multi touch so surely (I laugh) Windows will support multi touch swipes on it?

Devrij · 22 Mar 2019 at 06:28

Nah it's all a bit janky. Apparently ms introduced a standard driver for touch pads and if the touch pad doesn't support that you are stuck with no multi touch support. Finding one and impossible

h4rm0ny · 29 Mar 2019 at 23:54

Devrij said:
So it turns out w10 DOES support it, 4 finger swipe is change desktops.

Finding a bloody compatible touch pad? Impossible.

I had (and still have somewhere) a Logitech track pad. About 10cm square which I had to the right of my keyboard. You could program it with various gestures like the above and it had defaults pre-set. I expect Logitech still makes them.