Touchpad gestures are actions performed on a laptop's touchpad to control the cursor and navigate the interface. Common gestures include tapping to click, swiping to scroll, and pinching to zoom. These gestures enhance user experience by allowing quick and intuitive interactions without needing a mouse. Different operating systems, like Windows and macOS, support various touchpad gestures. For example, Windows users can use three-finger swipes to switch between applications, while macOS users can use a four-finger swipe to access the Mission Control feature. Understanding these gestures can improve efficiency and ease of use when working on a laptop.