Mac tips: Preview links in Safari with a three-finger tap
The three-finger tap is one of OS X's most overlooked multitouch features, but it can also be among the most useful. Here's a great way to use it to avoid tab overload in Safari.
In OS X Yosemite version 10.10.3, Quick Look's functionality -- and its three-finger tap shortcut -- has been extended to Safari. Now, using the three-finger tap on a link will open the page or video in a Quick Look popover, letting you see its contents before committing to a new tab.
Gone are the days of mindlessly opening dozens of new tabs in the background so you won't lose your place in your current page!
To use this feature, make sure you have "Look up" enabled in your trackpad preferences. You can check by opening System Preferences, the navigating to Trackpad -> Point & Click.
Once it's enabled, just open Safari and three-finger tap any link. You can also add that page to Reading List directly from the popover, and clicking anywhere inside the popover will automatically open the page in a new Safari tab.
Here's a video of the three-finger tap in action:
Looks like you can't view HTML5 video here - try loading up the original article at AppleInsider.com.
Note: This feature doesn't work with the Magic Mouse, though it does work with the Magic Trackpad.
In OS X Yosemite version 10.10.3, Quick Look's functionality -- and its three-finger tap shortcut -- has been extended to Safari. Now, using the three-finger tap on a link will open the page or video in a Quick Look popover, letting you see its contents before committing to a new tab.
Gone are the days of mindlessly opening dozens of new tabs in the background so you won't lose your place in your current page!
To use this feature, make sure you have "Look up" enabled in your trackpad preferences. You can check by opening System Preferences, the navigating to Trackpad -> Point & Click.
Once it's enabled, just open Safari and three-finger tap any link. You can also add that page to Reading List directly from the popover, and clicking anywhere inside the popover will automatically open the page in a new Safari tab.
Here's a video of the three-finger tap in action:
Looks like you can't view HTML5 video here - try loading up the original article at AppleInsider.com.
Note: This feature doesn't work with the Magic Mouse, though it does work with the Magic Trackpad.
Comments
The three-finger tap is one of OS X's most overlooked multitouch features, but it can also be among the most useful. Here's a great way to use it to avoid tab overload in Safari.
In OS X Yosemite version 10.10.3, Quick Look's functionality -- and its three-finger tap shortcut -- has been extended to Safari. Now, using the three-finger tap on a link will open the page or video in a Quick Look popover, letting you see its contents before committing to a new tab.
Gone are the days of mindlessly opening dozens of new tabs in the background so you won't lose your place in your current page!
To use this feature, make sure you have "Look up" enabled in your trackpad preferences. You can check by opening System Preferences, the navigating to Trackpad ? Point & Click.
Once it's enabled, just open Safari and three-finger tap any link. You can also add that page to Reading List directly from the popover, and clicking anywhere inside the popover will automatically open the page in a new Safari tab.
Here's a video of the three-finger tap in action:
Looks like you can't view HTML5 video here - try loading up the original article at AppleInsider.com.
Note: This feature doesn't work with the Magic Mouse, though it does work with the Magic Trackpad.
This does not watch unles you have the one finger tap enabled above (which I usually don't cause I like the feedback 'click' and get spurious 'clicks' if I leave it checked). So it only seem to work on the Magic Track Pad and (I assume any laptop) and then only if you select both one-finger and 3-finger tap lookup.
The Video does not show up in Safari.
This does not watch unles you have the one finger tap enabled above (which I usually don't cause I like the feedback 'click' and get spurious 'clicks' if I leave it checked). So it only seem to work on the Magic Track Pad and (I assume any laptop) and then only if you select both one-finger and 3-finger tap lookup.
The Video does not show up in Safari.
It works perfectly for me without tap-to-click enabled; maybe your system isn't up to date?
The video works if you load the original article, like it says. I guess Huddler doesn't do HTML5.
For me, this brings up a dictionary definition of the word I tapped on, even if it's an active link. How do I get the preview functionality instead?
/mike
For me, this brings up a dictionary definition of the word I tapped on, even if it's an active link. How do I get the preview functionality instead?
/mike
Is your system updated? You need OS X 10.10.3 for this to work.
Oho, I missed the version specificity--been waiting for corporate to approve the upgrade, so guess will try again once done. Thx.
/mike
Is your system updated? You need OS X 10.10.3 for this to work.
My system's updated - and like the other times I've tried three finger tapping for whatever it's supposed to do, it doesn't work... ...rather just opens the link in Safari.
I tried lightly, crisply, right handed, left-handed. Nupe.
And not the only gesture that's either "not as advertised" or unreliable. E.g., commands to bring up the in-context dictionary. And more. As a "re-switcher" color me disappointed that basic plumbing things simply don't function. Or dysfunction.
So long as I'm venting (and of course hoping for rescue answers).....
I set up notifications for Mail and some news sites - and the latest updates for Mail are 59 days old and for the news sites about 96 days old, same with facebook. What's up with that?? And when I had fb notifications pop up, they started iTunes each and every time. The NBA is quite current by contrast... ...a mere 4 days old (during the playoffs!)...
Also, this isn't quite a malfunction, but while I have the NTFS for Mac OS X set up to read one of my external drives I also use on my older Win machine, Spotlight and Finder can't find any files on it - even in folders I'm looking at IN Finder. Or rather serve up totally useless unrelated answers.
Don't get me wrong - I'm back and sticking and the pluses def outweigh the minuses. But damn.... ....I was just reading Rene Richie's opus on Apple's legendary attention to design detail... ...so feel we deserve more in terms of basic features just working.
[2013 MBA, i7, 8GB, Apple refurb, 10.10.3, purchased five months ago]
Huh! Preview links even works in MS Outlook.
Great tip thanks - I had no idea this functionality was here at all!
This does not watch unles you have the one finger tap enabled above (which I usually don't cause I like the feedback 'click' and get spurious 'clicks' if I leave it checked). So it only seem to work on the Magic Track Pad and (I assume any laptop) and then only if you select both one-finger and 3-finger tap lookup.
The Video does not show up in Safari.
It works perfectly for me without tap-to-click enabled; maybe your system isn't up to date?
The video works if you load the original article, like it says. I guess Huddler doesn't do HTML5.
My system is up to date and I am running Safari and I loaded the article from the home page of AI (original). No joy!