Follow these tips if your MacBook’s built-in trackpad or Mac’s external Magic Trackpad works but doesn’t track accurately, making the pointer difficult to control.
I use Apple’s Magic Trackpad with my Mac mini, and my MacBook Pro and MacBook Air already have a working trackpad. Sometimes, especially after a new software update or after a few weeks of continuous use, I notice that the trackpad doesn’t work as it usually does.
For example, the pointer will start to miss or move in the wrong direction. Other times, it will go very fast, and I can’t get it to click on the little dots on the screen.
In almost all cases (at least for me), this happens due to software problems, and it’s easy to fix. Here’s what works for me, and I’m sure it will work for you too.
Clear the trackpad
Small drops of water, oil, grease, etc., may be on your trackpad, causing abnormal fingerprint tracking. Use dry tissue paper or a soft cloth and gently clean the surface.
Lock and unlock your Mac
Press the power button to lock your computer. Then, wait 10 seconds and turn it on again. Now try using the trackpad; it should work fine.
Adjust trackpad speed settings
Go to System Settings > Trackpad and set i Speed Tracking somewhere near the middle. Now run your finger over the trackpad, and the cursor should move fine.
Close Magic Keyboard and turn it back on
This tip has worked for me a few times in the past. I like it because it doesn’t require me to completely stop what I’m doing and restart the computer. Of course, this doesn’t work if you’re on a MacBook.
Just use the power button on the external Magic Trackpad to turn it off. Then go to macOS System Settings > Bluetooth and be sure to say “It is not connected” under the name of the trackpad. Then, turn on the Magic Trackpad and wait for it to connect automatically. If it doesn’t connect automatically, go to your Mac’s Bluetooth settings to connect it manually.
Use the same Mac to charge your Magic Trackpad
Even if the external Magic Trackpad is sufficiently charged, connect it to the same Mac using a USB-C or Lightning cable. Leave it on the charger for about 5 minutes, then try to use it again.
Restart your computer
If the basic solutions above didn’t work for you, go ahead and restart your Mac (Apple icon > Restart). This tip also worked for me in the past to fix trackpad issues. If you can’t use the pointer at all, force shut down your Mac by holding down the power button for a few seconds.
Try the remaining advanced (and read as time-consuming) tips if the above did not work for you.
Forget your Magic Trackpad and plug it in again
First, make sure you have another wired or wireless mouse or trackpad connected to your Mac. Then, follow these steps:
- Go to macOS System Settings > Bluetooth and click on information button next to the Magic Trackpad name. Click Forget This Device and verify.
- Restart your Mac and trackpad.
- Go back to the Mac’s Bluetooth settings and pair it again.
The trackpad should work flawlessly now.
Update your Mac
If your Mac is running an older version of macOS, update it to the latest version available for it.
Repeat the process of forgetting and reconnecting
Before you go any further, repeat the trackpad forget and reconnect process a few times.
Add a new user account and try to use the trackpad there
Create a new user account on your Mac and check if the trackpad works properly there. If it does, the problem could be a new app you installed. Delete that and restart your Mac. If the problem persists, delete the Bluetooth inventory files related to the trackpad, as indicated in the linked article.
Reinstall macOS
You can reinstall macOS without losing data to fix software problems. Try it.
Factory reset your Mac and then set it up again
Finally, if nothing helps and you think the problem is hardware related, consider wiping your Mac and restarting it. This is a great solution to fix all software problems. If the trackpad continues to malfunction, it may be a hardware problem. Get your MacBook or Magic Trackpad tested at an Apple Store.
Also, check out: Fix Magic Keyboard, Trackpad, or Mouse not connecting to Mac