These Gestures Are How You Control Apple Vision Pro

May 28, 2023

Apple Vision Pro, Apple's new "spatial computing" device, does not have a hardware-based control mechanism. It relies on eye tracking and hand gestures to allow users to manipulate objects in the virtual space in front of them. In a recent developer session, Apple designers outlined the specific gestures that can be used with Vision Pro, and how some of the interactions will work.

Gestures will work in tandem with eye movements, and the many cameras in the Vision Pro will track where you are looking with great accuracy. Eye position will be a key factor in targeting what you want to interact with using hand gestures. As an example, looking at an app icon or on-screen element targets it and highlights it, and then you can follow up with a gesture.

Hand gestures do not need to be grand, and you can keep your hands in your lap. Apple is encouraging that, in fact, because it will keep your hands and arms from getting tired from being held in the air. You only need a tiny pinch gesture for the equivalent of a tap, because the cameras can track precise movements.

In addition to gestures, the headset will support hand movements such as air typing, though it doesn't seem like those who have received a demo have been able to try this feature as of yet. Gestures will work together, of course, and to do something like create a drawing, you'll look at a spot on the canvas, select a brush with your hand, and use a gesture in the air to draw. If you look elsewhere, you'll be able to move the cursor immediately to where you're looking.

While these are the six main system gestures that Apple has described, developers can create custom gestures for their apps that will perform other actions. Developers will need to make sure custom gestures are distinct from the system gestures or common hand movements that people might use, and that the gestures can be repeated frequently without hand strain.

To supplement hand and eye gestures, Bluetooth keyboards, trackpads, mice, and game controllers can be connected to the headset, and there are also voice-based search and dictation tools.

Multiple people who have been able to try the Vision Pro have had the same word to describe the control system - intuitive. Apple's designers seem to have created it to work similarly to multitouch gestures on the ‌iPhone‌ and the iPad, and so far, reactions have been positive.

MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera was able to try out the headset and he was impressed with the controls. You can see his full overview of his experience on our YouTube channel.