New ‘Touché’ App Simulates Touch Bar on Older Macs

Developer “Red Sweater” has developed and released a free app called Touché, which simulates the new MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar on Macs that don’t already boast the new feature.

AppleInsider:

Once installed, the app is invoked with a keyboard shortcut, which brings up a simulation window. Further shortcuts let people save a screencap, or copy the image to the clipboard. Settings can be configured through a menu bar item.

While the app is free, it does require macOS 10.12.1, build 16B2657, which should be the latest available to the public from Apple’s servers.

If you’d like to try Touché with apps that support it, the most recent list is below. (Via 9to5Mac.)

Third-party apps: 

• Photoshop (December)
• Microsoft Office (December)
• Skype
• Da Vinci Resolve
• Parallels Desktop for Mac 12
• Pixelmator
• djay Pro
• Day One
• Coda
• Gestimer
• 1Password
• Affinity Designer (December)
• Sketch
• Memory Clean 2
• OmniGraffle (December)
• OmniPlan (December)
• OmniFocus (December)
• OmniOutliner (Early next year)
• Blogo (December)
• Opus One
• Disk Aid
• Glimpses 2.2
• Live Home 3D
• Focus- Productivity Timer

Apple’s Apps:

• Safari
• iTunes
• Terminal
• Finder
• System Preferences
• TextEdit
• Final Cut Pro
• iMovie
• Keynote
• Numbers
• Pages
• Preview
• QuickTime
• Calculator
• Calendar
• Contacts
• FaceTime
• iBooks
• Reminders
• Mail
• Maps
• Messages
• Notes
• Photos
• GarageBand
• Logic Pro X (early next year)

The new Touch Bar completely replaces the top row of Function Keys traditionally found on Apple’s Mac computers. The Touch Bar can act as a direct replacement for the function and ESC keys, but can also offer on-the-fly controls for apps that support the new feature, offering virtual sliders, thumbnail browsers, color selectors and more.

For more information, or to download Touché, visit the Red Sweater website.