# Air Mouse: Control Your Mac Cursor With Hand Gestures

By Karan Kartikeya. Published 2026-10-30, updated 2026-10-30. Canonical: https://clapsnap.viberank.co.in/air-mouse

> Air Mouse is a feature of ClapSnap that moves, clicks, drags, right-clicks and scrolls your Mac's cursor from hand gestures seen by your webcam. It uses Apple's Vision framework on-device, so no video is recorded or sent anywhere, and it works on macOS 13 or later.

Air Mouse is a hand-tracking cursor built into ClapSnap. Your Mac's webcam watches your hand, and a handful of simple gestures stand in for a mouse or trackpad.

## The gestures

| Gesture | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Point with your index finger | Moves the cursor anywhere on screen |
| Tap index finger and thumb together | Clicks; hold the pinch to drag |
| Tap index and ring finger together | Right-clicks |
| Extend index, middle and ring fingers | Scrolls up |
| Extend just your pinky | Scrolls down |

Each gesture can be switched on or off in Settings, and sensitivity and smoothing are adjustable, so small hand movements can cover the whole screen or move the cursor precisely.

## Who uses a hand-gesture mouse

- **People who find a mouse or trackpad uncomfortable.** If gripping a mouse aggravates wrist strain, pointing in the air spreads the work differently. For the full set of options, see [the best hands-free tools for Mac](/blog/best-hands-free-tools-mac-2026).
- **Presenters and streamers.** Advance slides, click through a demo or scroll a chat from a step back from the desk. The [streamer workspace](/workspaces/streamer) shows a full setup.
- **Anyone across the room from their Mac.** Scroll a recipe, pause a video or move between windows when the Mac is driving a TV or sits on a stand.

## Private by design

Air Mouse runs on Apple's Vision framework on your Mac. Video frames are analysed in memory to find your hand and then discarded: nothing is saved, nothing is uploaded, and there is no account. The same goes for ClapSnap's clap and snap detection, which listens to audio locally and keeps none of it.

## Air Mouse and the clap trigger

ClapSnap's main job is opening your workspace: a double clap or double snap launches the set of apps you choose, with a full-screen welcome overlay. Air Mouse picks up from there. Together they make a Mac you can start and steer without touching it, which is the idea behind [hands-free Mac automation](/blog/hands-free-mac-automation-accessibility).

## How to turn on Air Mouse

1. **Install ClapSnap.** Download ClapSnap, drag it into Applications and open it from the menu bar.
2. **Allow camera access.** When macOS asks, allow ClapSnap to use the camera. Air Mouse needs it to see your hand; nothing is recorded.
3. **Enable Air Mouse in Settings.** Open ClapSnap Settings from the menu bar icon and switch Air Mouse on.
4. **Tune it to your desk.** Adjust sensitivity and smoothing, and switch right-click, drag and scroll gestures on or off to suit how you work.

## Questions

### Does Air Mouse record or upload video?

No. Air Mouse tracks your hand with Apple's Vision framework on your Mac. Frames are analysed in memory and never stored or sent anywhere.

### Which camera does Air Mouse need?

The built-in FaceTime camera on a MacBook or iMac works, and so does an external webcam macOS can use. Air Mouse needs to see your hand clearly, so even light on your hand helps.

### Can I use Air Mouse and the clap trigger together?

Yes. Both are part of ClapSnap. Clap or snap to open your workspace, then steer the cursor with your hand.

### Is Air Mouse a separate purchase?

No. Air Mouse is included in the one-time ClapSnap licence, which is pay what you want from €8.

**Try ClapSnap.** Double clap or snap to open your whole Mac workspace, and steer the cursor with your hand. Pay what you want, minimum €8, one-time purchase, with a 14-day refund. [Get ClapSnap](https://clapsnap.viberank.co.in/#download)

## Keep reading

- [How to Control Your Mac Cursor With Hand Gestures](https://clapsnap.viberank.co.in/blog/control-mac-with-hand-gestures): Use your webcam as a hand-tracking mouse on macOS: how it works, how to set up ClapSnap's Air Mouse, the gestures, and tips for accurate tracking.
- [The Best Hands-Free Ways to Control a Mac in 2026](https://clapsnap.viberank.co.in/blog/best-hands-free-tools-mac-2026): Voice Control, Siri, Dictation, head pointer, dwell, Switch Control, a hand-gesture mouse and a clap trigger: the hands-free tools for macOS and what each is good at.
- [Hands-Free Mac Automation: Controlling Your Mac Without a Keyboard](https://clapsnap.viberank.co.in/blog/hands-free-mac-automation-accessibility): How clap and snap gesture detection gives Mac users a genuinely hands-free way to launch apps — useful for accessibility, RSI, and anyone who wants fewer keyboard shortcuts to remember.
- [The Streamer Mac Workspace: Apps to Open Every Morning](https://clapsnap.viberank.co.in/workspaces/streamer): A ready-made Mac workspace for streamers: OBS Studio, Discord, Google Chrome, Spotify and Messages, opened together with one double clap.