Windows 8 Bible

Gestures and mouse actions

There are a handful of touch-based gestures you’ll use with Windows 8, along with mouse-based alternatives for use on non-touch devices (or when you have a mouse connected to a touch device). The following list summarizes Windows 8 gestures, along with corresponding mouse actions.

• Tap / Left-click: Touch a finger to the object you want to select, and then remove your finger from the screen. With a mouse, left-click the object (point to it, click the left button, and then release the button).
• Tap and hold / Click and hold: Put a finger on the object you want to select, and hold your finger there. Tap and hold is typically followed by another gesture, such as sliding. For example, to relocate a tile on the Start screen, you tap and hold the tile, and after a checkmark appears at the top right of the tile, you can slide it to a new location. The equivalent mouse action for tap and hold is left-click and hold.
• Swipe: Slide your finger across the display, either left, right, up, or down. For example, to view the tiles at the right side of the Start screen if they are off-screen, swipe from right to left.
• Slide (drag) / Click and drag: After you have selected an object, you can slide it on the display. Tap and hold to select the object, and then simply slide your finger across the screen to move the object. The mouse equivalent is to click and drag the object.
• Swipe from the edge of the screen inward: There are a handful of tasks you can accomplish by swiping ...