Customize Your MacBook Touch Bar This Way

Yes, that’s something you can customize as well.

Photo by Sumudu Mohottige on Unsplash

In this article, I’ll show you how you can customize your MacBook Touch Bar the right way. Spoiler alert: It’s easier than you think.

This is How You Customize Your MacBook Touch Bar

Apple created the Control touch bar to stay the same no matter what app you are using, but the area on the left changes depending on what you are doing.

macOS allows you to change what is shown in the Touch Bar for all your applications by following these steps:

Screenshot Taken By The Author

1. Go to your Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen.
2. Click on System Preference.
3. Go to your Keyboard.
4. Next to Touch Bar Shows, click on the dropdown.

Screenshot Taken By The Author

Now you get a couple of options to be able to change the functionalities of the Touch Bar, simply click on the drop-down and the following options will be visible:

App Controls

Click on this button to display app-specific shortcuts in the Touch Bar when they’re available.

Expanded Control Strips

This always expands the Control Strip and doesn’t show app-specific controls.

F1, F2, etc. Keys

If you want the Touch Bar to act like a standard keyboard with function keys over the number keys, select this.

Quick Actions

When you use your own custom automation via Quick Actions, this feature can help you get to them more quickly. All you have to do is switch between your devices with a single touch.

Spaces

Once you click the option you want, the System Preferences window will close.

How to Customize your MacBook Touch Bar Control Strip

You might not know what a control strip is, so here is a brief explanation. The Control Strip is located on the Touch Bar. On the right side of this bar to be more specific. It contains icons such as your Volume, Display Brightness, and Siri. Luckily, you can change these functionalities to make them the way you want them to work. Here is what you should do

1. Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen.
2. Go to System Preferences and then on Keyboard.
3. Hit the Customize Control Strip button (right at the bottom).
4. On your screen, other Touch Bar icons will reveal themselves. You can now drag a new icon into the Touch Bar. You do this by simply moving your mouse onto the Touch Bar.
5. Removing icons is as simple as dragging them from your MacBook’s touch bar to the screen.
6. Once you’re satisfied with your new arrangement, click on Done.

Screenshot Taken By The Author

And that’s basically it. Customizing your MacBook’s touch bar is the easiest way to explore more functionalities you can perform right away.

Thanks for reading until the end : )

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