Smart Magnifier

The Smart Magnifier is a precision tool in UPDD Commander that allows users to magnify a portion of the screen under their touch point, enabling fine control of small UI elements such as sliders, dials, or buttons. It supports both macOS and Windows, and can be invoked or adjusted using touch gestures. 🎶 It is especially useful when using small touchscreens or controlling dense user interfaces (e.g., audio plugins or compact toolbars), where traditional touch control may not offer enough accuracy.

Permissions on macOS

To function correctly on macOS, Smart Magnifier requires screen recording permissions to capture and magnify screen contents.

• You will be prompted to grant permission when Smart Magnifier is first invoked.

• On macOS Sonoma and later, a menu bar icon indicates screen recording is active.

How it Works

When invoked via a gesture (e.g., Two Finger Tap), a circular or rectangular magnifier appears under the touch point. The Smart Magnifier then:

• Visually enlarges the area for more accurate targeting

• Redirects touch input to the corresponding point in the original UI

• Supports zooming in/out, moving the magnifier, and gesture input within the magnified region

This allows the user to tap or drag small controls with high confidence.

Invocation

Two default gestures are preconfigured to control the Smart Magnifier:

• Two Finger Tap toggles the Smart Magnifier on/off

• Two Finger Pinch Expand adjusts zoom level (or opens the magnifier if not active)

These gestures can be customised, or replaced with others such as Three Finger Tap for alternate shapes or magnification levels.

Functionality in Use

Once activated, gestures defined under the Smart Magnifier section will behave within the magnified window:

• Move Magnifier: Two Finger Drag

• Zoom: Two Finger Pinch Expand

• Click Actions: One Finger Tap/Press/Drag

These actions allow full interaction inside the magnifier without switching context.

Application-level vs Global Use

Initially, the Smart Magnifier was defined only at the global “Default Gestures” level. Since version 1.5.1, its gesture set can be inherited by applications or overridden on a per-app basis.

• If a custom magnifier setup is needed for a specific app (e.g. Maps or Preview), you can assign those gestures at the application level.

Global Settings

To define the Smart Magnifier’s shape, behaviour, and idle actions, use the Settings tab under Smart Magnifier:

• Shape & Size: Define width, height, and geometry (Elliptical/Rectangular)

• Behaviour: Set whether it follows touches, stays still, or ignores input

• Auto-hide: Automatically closes the magnifier after idle timeout

• Hotkey: Optional keyboard shortcut to close the magnifier manually

Touch Movement Considerations

The magnifier is intended for precise UI interactions, not for panning or dragging across large areas. For best results:

• Avoid expecting cursor movement from gestures outside the magnifier

• Ensure actions like click/drag are routed through supported gestures

• Be cautious using scroll, zoom, or rotate gestures outside of apps specifically configured for that use

System Bypass

Depending on the macOS in use, you may see this warning. Smart Magnifier has to take screenshots as part of the magnifying process

Overview

The Smart Magnifier enhances usability on compact touchscreens or dense UI layouts by combining magnified visuals with accurate touch redirection. With configurable gestures, zoom settings, and app-level overrides, it offers advanced control without needing additional hardware or input devices.