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Those who don't want the touchscreen on the new MacBook Pro don't have to use it – the function can be completely disabled. At the same time, Apple makes it clear that the current touch operation is just the beginning. Apple is already providing videos and online labs for developers.
The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display, the first Mac with a touchscreen, has been officially released since Wednesday. The first hands-on reports from the media event in Los Angeles showed how macOS 27 responds to finger input: individual controls are larger, but the interface remains familiar.
More detailed impressions are now available, including a review by Federico Viticci at MacStories and a hands-on by Chris Welch at Bloomberg. Together with Apple's developer materials, this provides a clearer picture of how touch functionality on the MacBook Pro will be developed.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Touch input can be completely disabled in the accessibility settings.
- Also in the accessibility settings is a zoom option that allows you to enlarge any area of macOS using a pinch gesture; it is enabled by default.
- An Apple employee told reporters that Apple is only at the beginning of adapting macOS for touch.
- For developers there are three videos, online labs on November 18th and 19th, and the beta of Xcode 27.3 coming soon.
Touch can be completely turned off
According to Viticci, touch input can be completely disabled in the accessibility settings of macOS.
A second accessibility option works in the opposite direction: Display zoom magnifies any area of the screen using a pinch gesture, i.e., by spreading two fingers apart. It is disabled by default.
Further details from Viticci's report: When macOS detects a touch, the entries in context menus move further apart. In Finder, a long press lifts a file, which can then be moved by dragging. However, the Mac still does not support the Apple Pencil.
Apple speaks of a beginning
Welch describes Apple's approach as cautious: no oversized buttons, no sweeping changes to macOS. Menu items are spaced further apart when touched, but appear normal again when using a trackpad or mouse. According to Welch, the three small window buttons in the top left corner remain difficult to tap, and their enlargement also seems somewhat sluggish.
Apple itself suggests that this is just the beginning. According to Bloomberg, an Apple employee told reporters that the company is only at the start of adapting macOS for touch.
Videos, Labs and Xcode 27.3 for developers
Apple's developer page for Touch on the Mac shows what's next. It features three videos: one on designing for Touch, one on touch support in custom Mac apps, and one on live activities on the Mac. On November 18th and 19th, Apple is offering two one-hour online labs for which registered developers can sign up.
Apple lists the Xcode 27.3 beta, along with documentation and design resources, as "coming soon." Developers don't need a new MacBook Pro to test it: According to Apple's video, it works with the current macOS beta, the developer tools, and an iPad connected via Sidecar.
A switch that makes buying easier
I consider the option to disable touch controls more important than it might initially seem. Touch functionality is only available with the PROLED display and the lighter chassis, and those buying the device primarily for the screen or the lighter weight don't need to bother with touch operation. Those who don't need touch functionality at all can get the same chips for less with the Mini-LED models – the differences are illustrated in the comparison between PROLED XDR and Mini-LED.
The fact that Apple is offering developers its own Labs at the end of November and releasing Xcode 27.3 suggests that the real benefit will only come with adapted apps. I expect Apple to gradually expand touch controls in the next macOS 27 updates, rather than completely overhauling them all at once.
Would you leave touch input enabled on your MacBook Pro or disable it in the Accessibility settings immediately after setup? Tell us in the comments what you would choose.
