3FDragUnstuck

A tiny macOS menu bar app for reducing the release delay after three-finger drag.

After a three-finger drag, macOS can keep the drag active for a short moment after your fingers leave the trackpad. This makes drag-and-drop, selection rectangles, and quick follow-up clicks feel stuck.

This app watches trackpad contact counts. When a touch sequence peaks at exactly three fingers and then all fingers are released, it posts one leftMouseUp event at the current pointer position.

Install

Download the latest release:

https://github.com/ddugel3/3FDragUnstuck/releases/latest

Then:

1. Unzip 3FDragUnstuck.app.
2. Move it to /Applications.
3. Open it. If macOS blocks it, right-click the app and choose Open.
4. Click the 3F menu bar item and choose Request Accessibility Permission.
5. Enable it in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
6. Quit and reopen the app if the permission does not apply immediately.

Build

make build

The app is created at build/3FDragUnstuck.app.

To run it locally:

open build/3FDragUnstuck.app

To create a release zip:

make release

How It Works

• Loads Apple's private MultitouchSupport framework at runtime.
• Registers a contact frame callback for every multitouch device returned by MTDeviceCreateList.
• Tracks the highest contact count in the current touch sequence.
• Posts one kCGEventLeftMouseUp when the sequence reaches zero active contacts.

It sends leftMouseUp, not a full click. The goal is to end a stuck drag without creating a new click.

Notes

• Known working on macOS Tahoe 26.4.1., 26.5.
• Apple Silicon only for now.
• Not notarized.
• Uses private macOS APIs, so macOS updates can break it.
• Requires Accessibility permission.