Stop the dictionary or previews popping up when you press harder

Why it happens

Force Touch trackpads can feel how hard you press. A firmer press, called a Force Click, opens Look Up with a dictionary entry, or a preview of a link or file. If you tend to press hard, those pop-ups keep appearing.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Trackpad in the sidebar.

2. Click Point & Click at the top, then turn off Force Click and haptic feedback.

   Trackpad›Point & Click›Force Click and haptic feedback

3. Press firmly on a word in any document to test it. Nothing should pop up now.

Still not fixed?

1. Rather keep Force Click for other things? Turn it back on and set Look up & data detectors to Tap with three fingers or Off. A three-finger tap that opens the dictionary is fixed in the same menu.

   Trackpad›Point & Click›Look up & data detectors

2. Set Click to Light in the same tab. Normal clicks then need less pressure, so you're less likely to press hard by accident.

   Trackpad›Point & Click›Click

3. If a pop-up still appears, quit and reopen the app you're using, or restart your Mac.

4. If the trackpad clicks on its own, feels stuck or sits higher than before, stop using it and contact Apple Support or a repair shop. On a MacBook that can be a hardware problem, such as a swollen battery pressing from below.