Microsoft to Add Trackpad Support to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Apps on iPad

microsoft word app icon 2020Microsoft plans to add trackpad and mouse support to its Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps for iPad by the fall, according to TechCrunch and The Verge.

iPadOS 13.4 introduced trackpad and mouse support on all iPad models released in the past four to five years. Keyboards with trackpads include Apple's Magic Keyboard and Brydge's Pro+ for the iPad Pro and Logitech's Combo for the 10.2-inch iPad and the 10.5-inch iPad Air.

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.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone eSIM Feature

Apple Hints at iPhone 17 Models Lacking SIM Card Slot in More Countries

Sunday August 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Another hint has surfaced that Apple is preparing to eliminate the physical SIM card tray from iPhones in more countries this year. In particular, a source familiar with the matter has informed MacRumors that retail employees at Apple Authorized Resellers in the EU are required to complete a training course related to iPhones with eSIM support by Friday, September 5. There are 27 countries...

Top Rated Comments

EugW Avatar
70 months ago
This may finally make Excel and PowerPoint usable on the iPad.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blackcrayon Avatar
70 months ago

Exactly. So Apple made this thing but instead of it working for apps through the OS, the developers have to add the functionality on a per app. Another reason to avoid the $300-$350 Keyboard.
And how is exactly is it going to work perfectly in all apps that were never designed for it? If they added touch to MacOS, would it suddenly work perfectly in all apps that only expected a mouse pointer?

It generally works, but apps are going to need updates, especially if they aren't using Apple's standard text fields and controls (and something tells me Microsoft Office is in that category).
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marlon DLTH :) Avatar
70 months ago
I hope they finally add the full versions of the Office apps to the iPad, it’s the right moment to do that
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Krevnik Avatar
70 months ago

Aren't these OS level changes that work on all apps? Why would they have to add support for them?
If the developer uses standard controls, everything works. The more the developer creates custom controls (like say, the Ribbon), the more you then have to do yourself.

My trackpad works with the Office apps. It doesn’t properly support things like the I-Beam in a Word document. There are bugs with the Ribbon where it doesn’t always recognize the tap (like the other poster reports), and there’s no animation on the buttons in the Ribbon. I think they might be doing a lot of custom UI and in the process made the automatic stuff Apple provides not work. And I’m not sure how much choice you have when talking about the document view.

Another annoying bug is that there’s some stuff around making selection touch-friendly that Word seems to do that other apps don’t (tapping will try to put the cursor at the front or end of a word), which still happens with mouse input, and is just plain annoying.


By the fall, really?
I wonder if it is “by the start” or “by the end”. Huge difference there.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zhenya Avatar
70 months ago
By the FALL???? :eek:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
VforVelveta Avatar
70 months ago
Office 365 users: You're going to make us wait until the fall?! Get it together Microsoft!

GSuite users: Wow, multi-window in beta, and cursor support by this fall? That sounds amazing...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)