Using Motif on a tablet or touchscreen device

Last updated: June 5, 2026

Motif works on touch-enabled devices including iPads, Android, and Windows devices via the browser. This article covers how touch input works, how to navigate and draw, and how to adjust touch settings.

Touch Mode and Desktop Mode

Motif automatically switches between Touch Mode and Desktop Mode based on your input device — you don't need to configure anything to get started.

  • Touch Mode is active when you use a finger or stylus. Orbit, undo, and redo controls appear directly in the toolbar.

  • Desktop Mode is active when you use a mouse. The toolbar returns to its standard layout.

Motif switches between modes in real time as you alternate between input types, so using a stylus to sketch and a mouse to navigate works seamlessly in the same session.

Navigate the canvas on a touchscreen

Action

Gesture

Pan

Two-finger drag

Zoom

Two-finger pinch

Orbit (3D)

One-finger drag, Tap the Orbit on the toolbar

Undo

Tap the Undo button in the toolbar

Redo

Tap the Redo button in the toolbar

💡 Undo and Redo are always visible in the toolbar when Touch Mode is active, so you don't need keyboard shortcuts.

Draw and mark up with a stylus

The freehand Sketch tool works with both finger and stylus input.

  1. Tap the Sketch tool in the toolbar

  2. Draw on the canvas — each time you lift and touch down again, a new stroke begins

  3. Tap the Select tool when you're done to exit the drawing tool

💡 For the cleanest strokes, use a stylus rather than your finger. Fast continuous strokes are captured without dropped segments.

⚠ Sketching on 3D geometry works the same way as with a mouse — hover over a face to activate it, then draw. See Sketch, mark up, and comment for more on sketch planes.

Adjust touch controls

By default, touch controls are set to Auto, which lets Motif detect your input device and switch modes automatically. You can override this if needed.

  1. Open Settings (from the Logo menu or the Avatar menu)

  2. Go to General → Touch Controls

  3. Choose from:

    • Auto (default) — Motif switches modes based on input device

    • Show — Touch Mode is always active, regardless of input

    • Hide — Touch Mode is disabled; mouse/keyboard input only

Need help? Reach out to us at community.motif.io