MacBook Pro Touch Bar: 12 Useful Tips

The Touch Bar on MacBook Pro models from 2016 to 2020 replaces the function key row with a dynamic OLED strip. These tips will help you customize it, speed up everyday tasks, and fix common annoyances so it actually saves you time.

What the Touch Bar Is and How It Works

The Touch Bar is a thin Retina-quality display that sits above the keyboard. It changes its controls based on the active app—showing media scrubbing in Music, formatting tools in Pages, or a row of suggested words while typing. The right side always includes the Touch ID sensor (on models that have it), and the left end shows the Control Strip with brightness, volume, and Siri buttons. You can tap, swipe, or press-and-hold items, and the bar uses the same force-touch engine as the trackpad.

It runs a separate version of macOS called bridgeOS, which is why it sometimes needs its own update or restart. The Touch Bar is not available on MacBook Pro models from 2021 or later—Apple returned to physical function keys on the 14-inch and 16-inch redesigns.

Customize the Control Strip

The Control Strip is the set of buttons you always see on the right side of the Touch Bar. You can add, remove, or rearrange these buttons to match how you work.

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS) and click Keyboard.
2. Click the Customize Control Strip… button at the bottom.
3. Drag buttons from the screen onto the Touch Bar, or drag them off to remove them.
4. Click Done when you’re finished.

Useful buttons to add include Screen Lock, Do Not Disturb, Calculator, and Sleep. You can also change the default set: choose “Expanded Control Strip� in Keyboard settings to always show the full set of controls instead of hiding them behind a small arrow.

Show the Function Keys (F1–F12) Instantly

Many apps still rely on function keys—for example, F5 to refresh in Safari or F11 to show the desktop. To see the traditional keys:

• Hold the Fn key (bottom-left corner) to temporarily display F1–F12.
• Press and hold the Fn key and tap a function key to use it.
• To make F1–F12 the default for all apps, go to System Settings > Keyboard and set “Touch Bar showsâ€� to F1, F2, F3… Keys.

If you only need function keys in specific apps, you can add that app to the “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys� list in Keyboard settings. The Touch Bar will then show the function row only when that app is frontmost.

Use the Touch Bar for Typing Shortcuts and Text Expansion

When typing in any text field, the Touch Bar shows typing suggestions (if you have predictive text enabled). This is handy for quickly inserting emoji, but it can also be used for text shortcuts.

• In System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements, create shortcuts like “brbâ€� → “be right back.â€� When you type “brb,â€� the Touch Bar will suggest the full phrase.
• Tap the suggestion to insert it without moving your hands to the trackpad.
• You can also add emoji to the Control Strip for one-tap access to your most-used symbols.

This works in nearly every app, including Safari, Mail, and Notes, because it’s handled at the system level.

Control Media and Volume with Gestures

The Touch Bar is more than a row of buttons—it supports gestures that speed up media control.

• Swipe across the volume or brightness slider to adjust it in one motion.
• Tap the media scrubber to jump to a specific point in a video or song.
• Slide your finger back and forth on the scrubber to fast-forward or rewind with a preview.
• Two-finger tap on some controls (like the volume icon) can open a menu or reset to default.

When watching a video full-screen, the Touch Bar automatically shows playback controls even if the app doesn’t have a visible interface.

Make the Touch Bar Brightness and Volume Work Better

If the Touch Bar is too dim or too bright, you can adjust it independently from the main display.

1. Go to System Settings > Displays.
2. Look for the Touch Bar brightness slider (it appears only on Macs with a Touch Bar).
3. Drag it to set the level. You can also turn on “Adjust brightness automatically� if you want it to match ambient light.

For volume, the Touch Bar slider gives finer control than the physical keys—you can nudge it in 1/16 increments by sliding slowly. If the volume buttons disappear, check that your audio output device is set correctly in Sound settings.

Fix Common Touch Bar Problems

The Touch Bar can occasionally freeze, become unresponsive, or show incorrect controls. Here are the most common fixes:

• Restart the Touch Bar: Go to Activity Monitor, search for “TouchBarServer,â€� select it, and click the X to quit. It will restart automatically.
• Reset the NVRAM (Intel Macs): Shut down, then press and hold Option+Command+P+R for about 20 seconds during startup.
• Check for macOS updates: The Touch Bar’s bridgeOS is updated alongside macOS, so a pending update can cause glitches.
• Clean the bar: Use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Water or cleaning solutions can damage the OLED layer.

If the bar is completely unresponsive even after a restart, it may be a hardware issue—contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off the Touch Bar completely?

You can’t turn it off entirely, but you can set it to show only the expanded Control Strip or the function keys. In System Settings > Keyboard, choose “Expanded Control Strip� or “F1, F2, F3… Keys� from the “Touch Bar shows� dropdown. The bar will still light up, but it won’t show app-specific controls.

Why is my Touch Bar not showing the app controls?

This usually happens when the app is not optimized for the Touch Bar, or when the Control Strip is set to “Expanded� which hides app controls. Check your Keyboard settings and make sure the app is active. If it’s still not working, restart the TouchBarServer process as described above.

Does the Touch Bar work with Windows via Boot Camp?

Yes, but with limited functionality. In Boot Camp, the Touch Bar shows the function keys and a few system controls (like brightness and volume) but not app-specific buttons. Apple provides a driver for this, but it’s not as feature-rich as in macOS.

Can I add my own custom buttons or scripts to the Touch Bar?

Yes, using third-party apps like BetterTouchTool. These apps let you create custom buttons, sliders, and even run AppleScript or shell scripts from the Touch Bar. This is the most powerful way to personalize it, but it requires installing a third-party utility.

Is the Touch Bar worth it in 2024?

If you already have a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, it can still be useful for quick controls and media scrubbing. However, since Apple has discontinued it on new models, it’s not a reason to buy an older machine. Many users prefer the physical function keys, but the Touch Bar is not a dealbreaker for most.

Why did Apple remove the Touch Bar?

Apple removed the Touch Bar in 2021 when it introduced the redesigned MacBook Pro models. The company likely found that most users preferred physical function keys, and the Touch Bar added cost and complexity without enough benefit. The new models also have a full-size keyboard with a dedicated Escape key, which was a common complaint with the Touch Bar.

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