How To Use the Apple Magic Trackpad on a Windows PC

Windows has a bunch of trackpads you can use that get the job done nicely. If you have an Apple Magic Trackpad or use both Mac and Windows, it is possible to use the Apple Magic Trackpad on your PC.

How To Use the Apple Magic Trackpad on a Windows PC

It takes a little configuration to get the trackpad working, but where there is a will, there is a way.

In fact, there are three ways that I know of because a graphic designer friend of mine has gotten the Apple Magic Trackpad to work on her PC  and tried out different methods.

I checked how she got her Apple Magic Trackpad working on her Windows 10 desktop and she walked me through it. She used Boot Camp but said the other two methods work too.

Use the Apple Magic Trackpad on your PC

You will need an Apple Magic Trackpad or Apple Magic Trackpad 2, a Bluetooth dongle or enabled PC and a piece of software.

Exactly what software depends on how you want to do this so I’ll include links to all of them. The first method uses an app that’s available through GitHub, the second method uses Boot Camp and the third uses a third-party utility called Magic Utilities.

The Mac Precision Touchpad method

You can use the Apple Magic Trackpad on your PC using software that’s up on GitHub called Mac Precision Touchpad.

The process of getting your Trackpad working on your PC is very straightforward. Here are the instructions for installing Mac Precision Touchpad on your PC:

  1. Navigate to this page and download the latest version of the file.
  2. Extract the file somewhere on your PC.
  3. Right-click AmtPtpDevice.cer and select Install.
  4. Open the AmtPtpDevice folder in the download.
  5. Right-click AmtPtpDevice.inf and select Install.

Once you have installed the software, follow the instructions here in the README for Precision Touchpad. Following this process should get your Touchpad working on your PC.

The Apple Boot Camp method for getting an Apple Magic TouchPad to work on a Windows PC

Apple Boot Camp is a software package that allows you to use Windows 10 within the macOS.

Apparently, you can also use it to enable some Apple hardware to work on your Windows PC. This is how my friend got her Apple Magic Trackpad working on her Windows 10 desktop.

You will need a copy of the Apple Boot Camp software from Apple. If you use 32-bit Windows, use this file. If you use 64-bit Windows, use this one. Support for Boot Camp is here and includes a section on getting Mac hardware to run within Windows.

Here’s are the instructions for implementing the Apple Bootcamp method:

  1. Download the correct version of Boot Camp for your PC.
  2. Download the Apple Magic Trackpad Control Panel from here.
  3. Install both onto your PC and connect the Trackpad if you haven’t already.
  4. Your Apple Magic Trackpad should now work.

Apparently, without the control panel, the trackpad doesn’t include all gestures which many Mac users are so used to. Adding this last piece of software increases compatibility and allows you to use many more gestures and have more control over how the Apple Magic Trackpad works.

It is a little backward though. As mentioned, Boot Camp is predominantly for using Windows 10 within Mac OS but it does work this way.

The Magic Utilities method

Magic Utilities is a third party software vendor that develops apps that help Windows and Mac play nicely together. It includes Bluetooth support for Apple devices and Boot Camp compatibility so works fine with the Apple Magic Trackpad. It does cost money, currently $5.99 a year for a single user but has a free trial.

Here’s the process of using  the Magic Utilities application to get your Apple Trackpad working on your Windows PC:

  1. Download the Magic Utilities app from here.
  2. Install it onto your PC and allow it access to devices and anything else it requires.
  3. Use your Apple Magic Trackpad.

While this is a premium product, the software does make it easy to use the Apple Magic Trackpad on your PC. Install the software, allow it access to Bluetooth and anything else it asks for and it finds the trackpad and works right away. I only got to see this in action already installed but the configuration options are generous alone and I was assured installation and configuration was as easy as described.

There are apparently compromises if you use the Apple Magic Trackpad on your PC. Not all gestures are supported, sometimes the driver freezes or hesitates and sometimes the driver stops altogether. While my friend loves her Apple Magic Trackpad, she also has a different touchpad that is native to Windows and works just as well as her Apple version. It was less than half the price too!

If you found this article useful you might want to check out these TechJunkie how-to articles: Windows PC Keeps Lagging – What To Do and How To Encrypt a USB Drive on a Windows PC or Mac.

So while you can use the Apple Magic Trackpad on your PC if you want to, there are other options as well. Do you know of any other ways to use the Apple Magic Trackpad on a WindowsPC? Do you know of any Windows trackpads equal to or even better than the Apple Magic Trackpad? If you do, please leave us a comment below!

11 thoughts on “How To Use the Apple Magic Trackpad on a Windows PC”

Quin says:
Has anyone got either of the first two to work successfully? I’m not paying a subscription for a driver but neither the github or the bootcamp drivers have worked.
Joe says:
How do I reverse the scrolling
Fletch says:
I went to Github and followed your instructions. Downloaded the zip, but there is no file called “AmtPtpDevice.cer” inside the zip?
Marcel Zgirdea says:
I buy a magic mouse 2 and a magic keyboard, only… but only… because exist Magic Utility. nothing magic until now. the Magic come now… I try Magic Utility for trial period and when this period… expire… I buy for 2 years magic utility for keyboard and for magic mouse, high price but is the only one solution to go with that.

After a week… I receive a mail “magic utility successfully refund your money”. I contact, magic utilities… the only explication was… they have a payment gateway , do not contact anymore… and banned my email address. I try to buy one more time… from my computer, no way, from my daughter computer… no way… seems that it banned the serial number of mouse and keyboard. I mail at… the payment gateway… Paddle… Paddle don’t know, can’t, etc.

For those that want to buy Magic Mouse, Magic Track-pad, Magic Keyboard… the Magic utility ABUSE for the situation that Magic Utility IS THE ONLY ONE THAT GIVE A SOLUTION at this problem, if you will buy apple products to use it in windows… it is possible to loose $200 as I loose.

With this we start an information campaign for peoples that is tented to make same mistake.

Sorry for my English, is not my native language.

Dave says:
The Magic Utilities prices are absurdly high compared to the value they offer. I bought this Apple Trackpad off Craigslist for $40. $20/year per device per user account is a ridiculous price for simple drivers
Magic Utilities says:
Magic Utilities here. We just want to make clear that with an USB connection the Magic Utilities drivers always work fine. On Bluetooth connections there were a few issues which had been fixed in recent releases.

Still there might be Bluetooth dropouts here and there but this is a common issue with any Bluetooth device in busy wireless environments and not in our control, see: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201542.

However, we offer a free fully functional 28 day trial version so you can always verify if the Magic Utilities suit your needs.

Stephen says:
Your software is way too expensive so many of us will look for free or lower-cost alternatives. AUD20 per year is WAY too high. I would be willing to pay AUD10 once off cost.
Philip says:
There seems to be a discrepancy between the price stated in the article (5.99 USD which is only 8.61 AUD) vs the price on the Magic Utilities website which is higher.
Joe says:
So, the Boot Camp installer links provided here are for updates only; opening the installers just gives a prompt that says Boot Camp must already be installed. Are there links available for the full installers?
Stephen says:
Did you find the full installer?
MD says:
Try downloading the bootcamp support software instead. https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1837?locale=en_US
Rob says:
Hi James,

I personally found the logitech t650 to be the closest ‘PC’ magic trackpad. Has a glass surface, wireless (although, not bluetooth), a built in rechargeable battery, and supports gestures / smooth scrolling. It works pretty well, however it is fairly expensive second-hand since Logitech stopped making it and is still in demand.

Jerry Suppan says:
Hi. Logitech T651 is newest and wireless bluetooth. Just FYI as I have been using with Windows for a long time now.
James Byrd says:
What is the other Windows Trackpad she is using? Because of the glitchy driver I’d rather use something else. I have used the Cirque Power Cats? Touch or Trackpads for years. They are great. Only I wish they were bigger like the Apple Magic Trackpad.
Thanks.

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