Which mouse or trackpad works best with a hand tremor on a Mac?
Shopping for a mouse for someone whose hands shake brings up trackballs, vertical mice, weighted mice and big trackpads, each sold as the answer.
The short answer: no one device is best for every tremor. A trackball lets the hand rest and keeps the buttons apart from the movement, which many people with a tremor find easier. A trackpad works well once Tap to Click is off. Whatever you choose, the pointer still copies the shake that reaches it: the Mac's settings and a tremor filter matter as much as the device.
Is a trackball better than a mouse for a tremor?
Often, but try one first. The trackball stays still on the desk: the hand rests on it and a thumb or finger rolls the ball, so the arm and wrist don't have to hold the pointer in place. The buttons are pressed separately from the ball, so a click is less likely to move the pointer. Trackballs cost about $50 to $100, and any one that works on a Mac works the same way with the settings here.
Is a trackpad good with a tremor?
It can be. A large trackpad gives room for a resting hand, but a light touch clicks unless you turn off System Settings › Trackpad › Point & Click › Tap to Click, and a shaking finger can scroll or swipe. Setting Click to Firm and turning off Force Click help too: see accidental clicks.
What about Apple's Magic Mouse?
The Magic Mouse's top is a touch surface: it scrolls and swipes when a finger moves on it, and a shaking finger moves on it all the time. If it scrolls by itself, turn off the gestures in System Settings › Mouse, or choose a mouse with a wheel and separate buttons.
Does a heavier or vertical mouse help?
Some people find a heavier mouse, or resting the forearm and wrist on the desk, steadier; it differs from hand to hand, so try before buying. A vertical mouse is made for wrist posture, not for tremor. Big buttons that need a firm press are a better sign than any label on the box.
What if no pointing device works well?
The Mac can be used without one. Mouse Keys moves and clicks with the keyboard, and Voice Control clicks items by name or number: both are in System Settings › Accessibility, and Mac accessibility settings for tremor explains them.