Force Touch 'spring-loading' not working in Finder after macOS 26.0.1 update on MacBook Air M2

Question

Level 1

4 points

Force Touch 'spring-loading' not working in Finder after macOS 26.0.1 update on MacBook Air M2

I'm experiencing an issue with Force Touch on my MacBook Air M2 after updating to macOS 26.0.1.

When I drag a file over a folder in Finder, I can no longer use Force Touch to "spring-load" (open) the folder. The folder doesn't respond to the firm press.

However, Force Touch works fine everywhere else – for file previews, word definitions, etc. The problem only happens when dragging a file.

I've already checked my trackpad settings and restarted my Mac, but the problem remains. This seems like a bug from the latest update.

Is there a known fix for this?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Issue with Force Touch

MacBook Air, macOS 26.0

Posted on Oct 8, 2025 2:51 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

neuroanatomist

Level 9

53,877 points

Oct 8, 2025 5:17 PM in response to Xaper

In System Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control, is Spring-loading turned ON? If so, no Force-click is required, just drag the file over a folder, wait a bit (you can adjust the delay in that same settings pane) and the folder will spring open. However, if you do Force-click then the folder will NOT spring open. That's the same behavior I see in Sequoia (on my other Mac) – force click = no spring loading, just drag the file over the folder = spring loading.

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 10, 2025 5:50 AM in response to Xaper

Not sure abut your recollection, but Force Click does not activate a spring loading folder opening in Tahoe or in Sequoia (I have two Macs side by side running those versions of macOS).

How to use the Force Touch trackpad - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 3

AlWeir

Level 5

4,235 points

Oct 8, 2025 3:26 PM in response to Xaper

If you drag the file over the folder holding down the Command key what happens?

Reply

Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

121,646 points

Oct 10, 2025 3:45 AM in response to Xaper

Xaper wrote:

Yes, it's all enabled, if you just drag and wait, the folder will open, but before, I could press and immediately open the folder or press the back button, to the previous directory. For example, force touch doesn't work exactly like a second click, when I first pressed the file, and with the second I have to press and open the folder or go along the path.

I don’t think Force Click ever worked like that, but I don’t suppose I would have ever tried. The documented way to immediately spring open the folder is to tap the spacebar while hovering.

Reply

Answer 5

Oct 11, 2025 4:09 AM in response to Xaper

Like others, I was never aware of force touch for spring loading, but pressing SPACE does immediately open the folder. This has been around for a long time, maybe the very beginnings of Mac OS X, and is ingrained in my muscle memory :-)

Reply

Answer 6

Xaper Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 10, 2025 3:39 AM in response to Xaper

Yes, it's all enabled, if you just drag and wait, the folder will open, but before, I could press and immediately open the folder or press the back button, to the previous directory. For example, force touch doesn't work exactly like a second click, when I first pressed the file, and with the second I have to press and open the folder or go along the path.

Reply

Answer 7

dialabrain

Level 10

134,285 points

Oct 11, 2025 4:36 AM in response to Xaper

I will join the other long time Mac users in never hearing of a "Force Touch 'spring-loading'" function for macOS. Selecting a folder and pressing the Space Bar works, as others have mentioned.

Reply