Microsoft Begins Beta Testing Trackpad Support in Word and Excel Apps for iPad

Microsoft this week began testing mouse and trackpad support in the latest beta versions of its Word and Excel apps for iPad. The functionality was introduced in version 2.42 of each app, available through Apple's beta testing service TestFlight.

ipadpromagickeyboardtrackpad
Mouse and trackpad support provides rich visual feedback when editing documents or spreadsheets. When using a trackpad, the cursor displays as a circle on the screen, popping up only when you have a finger on the trackpad. The circle then morphs into various other shapes when hovering over app icons, text fields, or other on-screen elements.

iPadOS 13.4 introduced trackpad and mouse support on all iPad Pro models, the iPad Air 2 and later, the fifth-generation iPad and later, and the iPad mini 4 and later. Keyboards with built-in trackpads include Apple's Magic Keyboard, Brydge's Pro+ for the iPad Pro, Logitech's Combo for the 10.2-inch iPad and the 10.5-inch iPad Air, and more.

Microsoft previously said that mouse and trackpad support in the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps will be made available to all users at some point this fall.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
ios 19 messages app

Here's What Apple's iOS 19 Messages App Might Look Like

Tuesday March 25, 2025 11:52 am PDT by
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a mockup of what he says the Messages app will look like in iOS 19, demoing an interface with rounded, translucent bubble-shaped navigation buttons at the top and softer, rounder corners for the keyboard and word suggestions. Jon Prosser's Messages app mockup The return button, a button for going back to the Messages list, and the FaceTime button have a deeper...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3 and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), which...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

Gurman: Jon Prosser's iOS 19 Mockups 'Aren't Representative' of Redesign

Tuesday March 25, 2025 4:47 pm PDT by
The iOS 19 mockup images that leaker Jon Prosser shared today are not representative of the actual iOS 19 design, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on social media. According to Gurman, the images that are "floating around" are based on "very old builds" or "vague descriptions," and are lacking key features. Gurman says that we can "expect more from Apple in June." Gurman made the same comment ...

Top Rated Comments

Powermax Avatar
59 months ago
I am still waiting for Pause/Play with the Spacebar in the YouTube App.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeoStructural Avatar
59 months ago

Better late than never?
What? Trackpad for iOS/iPad OS was released just recently.


I'm still waiting for the day when I can advance slides in Powerpoint on iOS with a keyboard like on a Mac or PC.
This is already possible with the current app and it has been possible for a long time.

I am actually waiting for full-fledged versions of the Apps, iPad Pro is particularly powerful enough to run the entire suite smoothly, Excel for iPad is pretty much a file viewer, no where near the desktop app I use daily and rely so much on. PowerPoint is better featured but it is still missing so much. Word can get the job done, but still not ideal.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aluminum213 Avatar
59 months ago
Please take your time Microsoft, I know you’re a small company with limited resources. Don’t stress yourself too much
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justiny Avatar
59 months ago
I am actually waiting for full-fledged versions of the Apps, iPad Pro is particularly powerful enough to run the entire suite smoothly, Excel for iPad is pretty much a file viewer, no where near the desktop app I use daily and rely so much on. PowerPoint is better featured but it is still missing so much. Word can get the job done, but still not ideal.
This x1000

I travel for work and carry both my iPad Pro and MBP with me. I would love to leave my MBP at home but the fact is, I need it because the iPadOS Office apps only get me 80% to completing my work. Even on Word, I can't get the job done without needing 3 other apps and switching back and forth, it's just not worth it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
59 months ago

Can we just make a touch screen MacBook already. All of this just seems to be beating around the bush.
Adding touchpad support to the iPad somehow equals beating around the bush for a touchscreen MacBook? If anything it shows that Apple shouldn’t use a touchscreen in the MacBook..
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G5isAlive Avatar
59 months ago

Adding touchpad support to the iPad somehow equals beating around the bush for a touchscreen MacBook? If anything it shows that Apple shouldn’t use a touchscreen in the MacBook..
Why? I don't follow your logic here. Why does an iPad with touchpad support have anything to do with whether a MacBook would or would not benefit from a touch screen? Serious question. I get that iOS has been designed from ground up to be a touch screen, and a MacBook would not be as good of one, but that doesn't mean it would be bad with one.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)