6 Comments

Enable Four Finger Multitouch for Older Macbook Pros and Airs

February 13, 2009 by in Random with 6 Comments

Envious of the new multitouch MacBooks? Here is how you enable four finger gestures on your older MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Please note this is only for the MacBook Pro’s and MacBook Airs which already had the three finger swipe. The older one’s have different hardware and it won’t work.

To be able to use the four finger swipe, you need 10.5.6, the latest version of Leopard. You can get it from software update. When you have installed it, repair your disk permissions, using Disk Utility(/applications/utilities). Then, go to /system/library/extensions/ and find the file named AppleUSBMultitouch.kext

Delete it, it will probably ask for your administrator password. If you have a MBA. Put the unzipped file in your system/library/extensions/ folder. Click the Authenticate button, and enter your administrator password. Then, this is KEY, go to Disk Utility(/applications/utilities) and repair permissions on your system volume. Once that is done, restart, and enjoy! You can change the options in System Preferences, Trackpad.

Download this file is you have a MacBook Pro or this file if you have a MacBook Air.


  • SMASH

    might be a stupid question… why does it only work on the macbook pros/air?

  • HeWhoWas

    Hey Dan,

    Nice blog, and I’m sorry to resurrect something as ancient as 07 (!) but seeing as it’s still a top google hit when searching for leopard clean installs from upgrade discs, I thought I’d share this with you.

    In regards to http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/12/12791/ there is a much simpler way. All you need to do is open the option to do a restore from time machine backup under the Utilities menu, go as far as you can without actually backing up (2 Screens) and then go back to the main screen where continue was previously greyed out. Now it’s not, and continue.

    And SMASH, I would assume it’s because the macbook pro’s/air are the only ones with touchapds capable of tracking more than 1 contact point.

  • http://www.uneasysilence.com Dan

    Hey HeWhoWas…. Want to write an updated post and I’ll publish it?

    email me at dan@

  • Steverae

    Hi

    Just a quick response to the last post. All intel based macbooks have multi touch trackpads which can use two fingers to scroll up down, left and right…

    might give this a try and see what happens

  • martin

    :( I did as told…… the only thing that changed is icon in system preferences of my macbook pro 17″ 2.33 :(

  • Magus

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! the link this file is you have a MacBook Pro worked perfectly !!! thank you again ! amazing !! :)

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