Mac users looking to run Windows applications within macOS can take advantage of a deal on Parallels Desktop 15, with the virtualization software available as part of the 11-app 2020 Limited. Mac: If you’re fancy enough to have a MacBook with a Touch Bar, and you don’t hate that Apple replaced your physical keys with virtual ones (perhaps a blessing, given the former’s quality.
The Touch Bar is an OLED panel across the top of the keyboard on the latest model MacBook Pro. With it, you can control a wide variety of settings and tools within the Mac system, as well as built-in and third-party apps. Many Touch Bar settings are customizable, including the Control Strip, so you can add or remove tools to create a better workflow for your daily usage. Here's how.
How to customize the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro
- May 23, 2017 To add a custom button to your Touch Bar, open the BetterTouchTool preferences window, then head to the “Touch Bar” section. Click the “+ TouchBar Button” tab at the bottom to reveal options for a custom button. You can select an icon and name at the left. Click “Advanced Configuration” and you can pick a color for the button.
- AppleCare+ for Mac Every Mac comes with a one-year limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary technical support.AppleCare+ for Mac extends your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other damage, plus.
- Jan 30, 2017 What happens when you install and only use Windows 10 on a late-2016 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar? Here are my thoughts as an avid fan of Microsoft. My results may surprise you.
I want to point out that, not every app will offer customization of the Touch Bar. Developers have the option to include it with their apps. All of the Mac's built-in apps offer Touch Bar customizations, but you'll have to check to see if your third-party apps have customized Touch Bar tools.
- Choose an app or program. If you want to change the Control Strip. Click your desktop screen.
- Click View in the app menu bar at the top of your Mac's screen.
- Select Customize Touch Bar from the drop down menu.
- Select and drag a tool from the customization panel down toward the bottom of the screen.
The tool will appear on the Touch Bar, where you can further organize it by moving it to any location within the app section.
How to reorganize tools in the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro
You can add and remove tools in the Touch Bar with many apps, and you can also move them around in the app region to line them up according to the way you use them.
- Choose an app or program. If you want to change the Control Strip. Click your desktop screen.
- Click View in the app menu bar at the top of your Mac's screen.
- Select Customize Touch Bar from the drop down menu.
- Touch and hold a tool in the Touch bar when the customization panel appears. It will enter 'jiggly mode' just like on iOS.
- Drag the tool to its new location within the app region.
- Tap Done when finished.
How to remove tools from the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro
Whether you want to get rid of the default tools or have changed your mind about what you want to store in the Touch Bar, you can remove them.
- Choose an app or program. If you want to change the Control Strip. Click your desktop screen.
- Click View in the app menu bar at the top of your Mac's screen.
- Select Customize Touch Bar from the drop down menu.
- Touch and hold a tool in the Touch bar when the customization panel appears. It will enter 'jiggly mode' just like on iOS.
- Drag the tool to the trash can icon on the far left of the Touch Bar.
- Tap Done when finished.
Any questions?
Is there anything about customizing the Touch Bar you'd like to know more about? Drop them into the comments and I'll help you out.
MacBook Pro
Main
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
exposure notificationNational COVID-19 server to use Apple and Google's API, hosted by Microsoft
The Association of Public Health Laboratories has announced it is working with Apple, Google, and Microsoft to launch a national server that will securely store COVID-19 exposure notification data.
The new MacBook Pro Touch Bar is here, so it's time to say goodbye to productivity.
From composing catchy tunes to playing games or making fart noises, Apple's latest MacBook Pro feature has inspired a slew of quirky apps and hacks that you'll want to try out.
We're not saying they're all useful, but there's no denying they're entertaining AF.
SEE ALSO: Apple's MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is simply superb
Here are some of our personal favorites:
TouchSwitcher and Rocket
These apps are extremely helpful and make great use of the Touch Bar. After launching TouchSwitcher you'll be able to easily access and switch between all open applications on your MacBook without having to individually cycle through them.
Long gone are the days of wasting time looking for apps on your dock.
Similarly, Rocket allows you to switch between apps quickly, but lets you launch any app on your MacBook Pro’s dock, not just the ones in use. You can also use Rocket anytime, anywhere on your Mac, since it's a standalone menu bar app. This means you're not just confined to your touch bar.
Doom
Side note, as ridiculous (ly amazing) as Doom is running on the Touch Bar is… the HUD is equally great pic.twitter.com/RFwq7nJ7ae
Touchbar Windows
— Adam Bell (@b3ll) November 20, 2016
Yes, the new Touch Bar runs Doom! Facebook iOS engineer Adam Bell brought the game that's been played everywhere from an early 2000s digital camera to an old Nokia phone, to the Touch Bar to prove you can play yet another squished little version of the classic game.
Bell configured the Touch Bar so it would display his health, ammo, weapons and other stats while the game itself appeared on the laptop's main screen.
I mean, it's obviously not an ideal setup, but hey, it works.
Nyan Cat
If nothing else, at least buy a new MacBook Pro to watch that adorable, rainbow-loving Nyan Cat fly across your Touch Bar. Using code posted to GitHub by Vatsaev Aslan, you can have one of the internet's favorite memes by your side to lighten the mood while you work.
KnightTouchBar 2000
Who wouldn't want to turn their MacBook Pro into Kitt from Knight Rider? With the KnightTouchBar 2000 from GitHub, you can zone out to the repeating Knight Rider theme song (this could get super irritating) while watching your Touch Bar mimic the illuminated front of everyone's favorite Pontiac Trans Am.
Mac Touchbar Linux
Touch Bar Piano
Thanks to app developer, Graham Parks, your fingers can easily take a break from typing on laptop keys to tickle some virtual ivory keys.
With 128 different instruments, such as drums, strings and even choir 'aahs' at your fingertips, Touch Bar Piano allows you to master the art of playing music on your Mac.
Pac-Man PacBar
Celebrate your love for 80s arcade games by bringing the beloved Pac-Man to your MacBook Pro Touch Bar. 'PacBar,' as it's called, lets you use your laptop's arrow keys to move a little tiny Pac-Man left, right, up and down to escape ghosts. It's available for free download on GitHub and the joy and nostalgia it will bring you is also priceless.
Lemmings
This may be the best app I've ever built pic.twitter.com/Z9WJi7e74G
— Erik Olsson (@valross2) December 11, 2016
Macbook Pro Touchbar Mods
iOS engineer and app designer, Erik Olsson, is throwing it back to the 90s by allowing you to transform your Touch Bar into a stage for some cute little green-haired lemmings to walk across.
With this perfect merger of 90s simplicity and modern day tech you can let the lemmings strut their stuff across the length of your laptop or stop them in their tracks with a simple tap.
Be sure you have some bumpin' Lemmings music playing in the background.
TouchBarDino
Pac-Man and Lemmings might be old-school but if you truly want to travel back to rudimentary graphics and utility, we suggest TouchBarDino. Guide your tiny little dino to safety by tapping on the screen by tapping on the screen to hop over cacti, but be warned, it's quite addictive.
TouchBar Santa
'Tis the season for Santa to grace your Touch Bar, falalalala la la la la. Perfect for the holidays, TouchBar Santa, available on GitHub, will have jolly old Saint Nick scampering across your laptop in his classic red suit.
Mac Touchbar Dark
What better way to get in the Christmas spirit while you're doing your last minute online shopping?
TouchFart
You've heard of 'touch to start' and now there's 'touch to fart.'
After you drop thousands on a new laptop, you deserve to act a little immature. TouchFart is here to help. The downright dumb app, available on GitHub, serves as a modern day whoopee cushion for Apple lovers. Thanks to two fart-related emoji (💩 and 💨 ) that will appear on your Touch Bar, you can prank friends with mortifying sounds at the push of a button.
Happy hacking and don't forget to use your Touch Bar to the fullest.