How To Right-Click on a Mac
Did you know that you can right-click on a Mac with or without an external mouse? In addition to right-clicking on your Apple Magic Mouse, or other mouse, you can also right click straight from the Mac trackpad.
There are actually several different ways to do this, and having these options literally at your fingertips, will help speed up your workflow.
In this blog, we’ll share how to right-click on a mouse, on a trackpad, and with an Apple Magic Mouse. You’ll also learn how to two-finger tap on the trackpad, how to tap a corner of the trackpad, how to use a two button mouse, and the reasons why you should right-click on a Mac.
Press Control to Right-Click on a Mouse or Trackpad
One way to right-click on an Apple mouse or trackpad is to press and hold the Control (Ctrl) button as you click. While holding down the Control key, you can use the left button (or the only button if just one) on your mouse as a right-click, or you can simply tap on the trackpad.
This is also known as Control click. Control click is a keyboard shortcut that combines the use of the Control key on your keyboard with a mouse click. When you Control-click on a Mac, it’s similar to a right-click on a Windows computer. And that’s how you open a shortcut or contextual menu on a Mac. The act of a Control-click equates holding down the Control key while you simultaneously click an item.
You can also right-click on your MacBook with Force Touch trackpad which uses taptic feedback. There is a deeper click that opens up a contextual menu with additional options.
Note: Be careful not to confuse the Control key with the Alt (or Option) key. On a Mac, the Ctrl key is not directly next to the space bar, and is located at the far end of the keyboard on either the right or left side (see image for reference).
Right-Click with an Apple Magic Mouse
Apple’s mouse is known as a Magic Mouse, but unlike a standard one button mouse, it has no buttons at all. Even though the buttons aren’t visible, you can still click on the right side of the mouse to right-click. Additionally, Apple’s Magic Mouse uses many of the same multi-touch gestures as the trackpad.
If for some reason this doesn’t work, follow these steps to set up your mouse:
- Open System Preferences by clicking on the cog icon if in the Dock or by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left of your screen.
- Select Mouse.
- Select Click Point & Click.
- Next to Secondary Click, choose Click on the right or left hand side.
Two-Finger Tap on the Trackpad
Another way to right-click, is to to tap your MacBook’s trackpad with two fingers. Be sure to space your fingers within an inch of one another to successfully right-click.
Note: If your MacBook or MacBook Pro does not recognize your two-finger tap, you’ll want to check the settings in your System Preferences.
Tap a Corner of the Trackpad
You can also change your trackpad preferences and assign a corner of your trackpad as a right-click if you don’t want to have to use two fingers. Here’s how:
- Open System Preferences and click on Trackpad.
- Under the Secondary Click menu, you’ll find a drop-down menu.
- Choose either two-finger click to enable right-click or assign the bottom left corner or the bottom right corner for right-click (based on your personal preference).
Use a Two Button Mouse
A final option is to use a two-button mouse (as pictured) to enable right-click. For some folks, this is easier, because with a two-button mouse, you will no longer have to use keyboard shortcuts or fiddle with your settings.
Why Right-Click on a Mac?
So what’s the point in right-clicking on a Mac at all?
When you right-click on your MacBook, you experience a new level of interaction, along with extra menus that aren’t available with just a single click. Some examples include:
- Right-clicking on a Word document to see the options to cut, paste, or change the font
- Right-clicking on an application icon that’s open in the Dock and quitting it
Right-clicking on a document, image, or other file makes it easier for your to copy, move, rename, or delete it. Also, when you right-click on a link, you can choose to open it right then and there in a new tab or window.
We hope these right-clicking tips will serve as helpful time-saving hacks for you as a Mac user!
FAQs
- How do I right-click on my Mac? There are several ways to do this including using your mouse, Apple Magic Mouse, or your Mac’s trackpad. You can press the Control button to right-click on your mouse or trackpad, use two-finger tap or tap a corner on your trackpad, or simply use a two-button mouse.
- Why should I right-click on my Mac? Right-clicking on your Mac allows you to experience a new level of interaction and extra menus that aren’t available with just a single click.
