BetterTouchTool 6.726 on Mac

You are setting up a custom gesture to open the clipboard manager with a two-finger swipe on the trackpad. BetterTouchTool makes it straightforward: you define the gesture, pick an action from the built-in list — here, open clipboard history — and assign it. The tool extends macOS input handling beyond what System Preferences offers, covering trackpad, mouse, keyboard, Siri Remote, and the Touch Bar. You can build your own Touch Bar widgets too.

Working with gestures and shortcuts

BetterTouchTool supports custom gestures, movements, and drawings as triggers. You might map a three-finger tap to paste the last copied item, or set a corner swipe to trigger a screenshot. The app’s clipboard manager stores multiple copied items, so you can grab older clips without re-copying. Each gesture is configured in a clean panel, with feedback to confirm the action fired.

Touch Bar and additional input devices

If you use a Mac with a Touch Bar, BetterTouchTool lets you create custom widgets that sit alongside the volume and brightness controls. The developer describes it as the main tool for automating macOS and customising input devices. It works on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, provided you are on macOS 10.15 or later. English is the only interface language.

First days with BetterTouchTool

Once the app is installed, resist the temptation to map everything at once. Start with one or two gestures that bother you most — maybe a missing three-finger drag or a shortcut for your clipboard manager.

BetterTouchTool runs as a background process by default. You will see its icon in the menu bar, which gives quick access to presets, preferences, and the clipboard history. It is worth keeping it there while you learn what triggers feel natural. You can always hide it later.

When you create a new gesture, the app shows a small preview window that registers your input. Use this to confirm your finger movement or mouse action is recognised before you assign a function. It saves time later when a gesture does not fire as expected.

App-specific gestures for Safari and Photoshop

BetterTouchTool can target individual applications. This means you can set a trackpad gesture that only works inside Safari, or a keyboard shortcut that only triggers in Photoshop. The app keeps a list of running apps and lets you assign rules per app or globally. This avoids conflicts with existing macOS shortcuts.

The clipboard manager integrates naturally with the system pasteboard. You invoke it with a gesture or shortcut, scroll through recent items, and paste with a click. It works alongside the built-in clipboard without replacing it. If you use multiple apps for text editing, having a shared clipboard history across all of them is useful.

The screenshot tool captures screen regions and offers basic editing right after the capture. You can draw arrows, add text, or highlight areas before saving. This fits well alongside the built-in screenshot tool — BetterTouchTool adds the gesture trigger and editing overlay, while macOS handles the file saving.

For automation, BetterTouchTool supports AppleScript, custom URL schemes, and HTTP requests. You can trigger a script from a gesture, or call a web service with a keyboard shortcut. This ties into macOS Shortcuts if you use those for routine tasks. The app becomes a bridge between physical input and system-level actions.

Sharper gesture previews in the latest release

Version 6.726 is the current release. It refines gesture recognition and adds support for the latest macOS updates. The gesture preview window now responds more consistently to quick movements, which matters when you map fast swipes or multi-finger taps. The clipboard manager also handles larger amounts of copied content without slowing down the interface.

If you use the Touch Bar extensively, version 6.726 improves how custom widgets react to pressure and hold gestures. Widgets that show dynamic content — like CPU usage or a mini calendar — update more reliably. The developer has also fixed edge cases where gestures stopped working after the Mac woke from sleep.

For users who rely on keyboard shortcuts, the app now recognises modifier key combinations more accurately. This is noticeable when you use complex chords like Ctrl+Option+Shift+letter. The previous version sometimes missed a modifier on slower keyboards; version 6.726 handles that better.

Startup launch and trackpad sensitivity sliders

Open the BetterTouchTool preferences and check the General tab first. Enable “Launch on startup” if you plan to use it daily.

In the Gestures settings, adjust the sensitivity slider for trackpad gestures. A lower sensitivity prevents accidental triggers when you are typing or scrolling. For Magic Mouse users, the same slider applies to mouse gestures. Find a value that feels reliable without being too twitchy.

Set a global shortcut to open the clipboard manager. A common choice is Cmd+Shift+V or a three-finger double-tap. This lets you access clipboard history from any app without reaching for the menu bar icon. You can also assign a gesture to paste the last item directly, skipping the manager entirely.

If you use multiple monitors, enable the “Show clipboard manager on active screen” option. It saves you dragging the clipboard window across displays. The same logic applies to Touch Bar widgets — they stay on the screen where you are working.

• Version 6.726 is the current release.

• macOS 10.15 or later
• Apple Silicon or Intel processor

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