How to Right-Click on a Mac

You may have noticed that Apple’s Magic Mouse, unlike most other computer mice, appears to have only one button. This can be confusing to some users, especially those used to a Windows PC, because it makes it seem like there’s no way to right-click on a Mac. But that’s not actually the case. In this guide, we’ll show you all the ways to activate right-click on Mac.

Before we start:

 

If you’ve tried all the usual ways to right-click or control-click on Mac, and it’s still not working, it may be because hidden malware is breaking some macOS features. Use MacKeeper’s Antivirus to find and remove any dangerous software hiding on your machine. Here’s how:

1. Download and run the MacKeeper installer.
2. When the app opens, click Antivirus in the MacKeeper sidebar.
3. Click Start Scan.
4. If any threats are found, follow the steps in MacKeeper to quarantine and remove them.

What is right-click on Mac?

A right-click on Mac, often referred to as control-click or secondary-click, is essentially the same as a right-click on Windows. It brings up a contextual menu that provides you with various options, such as copy and paste, depending on what you right-click on, or you’re doing at the time.

For instance, if you right-click on a Mac mouse when on the desktop, you’ll see options to create a new folder, change your wallpaper, sort your icons, and more. If you right-click on a webpage in Safari, you’ll get the option to reload it, go back, and save the page to your computer.

Although many common functions can also be performed with keyboard shortcuts, these can be difficult to remember. Other options are only available from the right-click menu, so if you don’t get used to using it on Mac, you may miss out on some useful or important features.

Why you can’t right-click on Mac

Many users, particularly those who are new to the Mac, assume you can’t right-click because Apple mice and trackpads only appear to have one button. Fortunately, that’s not true—there’s a second button that lets you use a secondary click on Mac; it’s just well hidden for a cleaner design.

Important:

 

If you’ve tried using this button, and it’s not working, it may be that you just need to enable right-click on Mac within the Settings app, which we’ll look at shortly. If you see your mouse cursor frozen on Mac, your computer may have crashed and probably needs to be restarted.

If a reboot doesn’t fix your issue, your Mac may be infected with malicious software that is preventing it from functioning normally. You can easily confirm this and remove any threats by using MacKeeper’s Antivirus:

1. Open MacKeeper, then select Antivirus in the sidebar.
2. Select Launch Antivirus, then enter your Mac’s password.
3. Click Next, then, next to Real-time protection, click Enable.
4. Select Open Preferences when prompted, then click Allow.
5. While you’re inside the Settings app, select Privacy & Security, then Full Disk Access. Enable MacKeeper Real-time Protection to give it the permissions it needs to scan your Mac for viruses.
6. Return to MacKeeper, click the Start Scan button, then wait to see if MacKeeper identifies any malware on your computer.
7. If any dangers are found, select them, then click Move to Quarantine.
8. Select Restart. When MacKeeper reopens, click Delete.

What is the equivalent of right-click on a Mac?

A right-click on Mac is often referred to as a control-click or secondary-click by some long-time macOS users. No matter what you call it, however, right-clicking on an M1, M2, or any other Mac works in exactly the same way as it does on a Windows or Linux computer.

Ways to right-click on a MacBook

One thing that’s slightly different about a right-click on Mac compared to a right-click on Windows is that there are more options for triggering it. Here are the key methods of how to use MacBook trackpads or mice for right-clicking:

1. Control-click with a Magic Mouse
2. Right-click with any mouse on a Mac
3. Secondary-click on a Mac trackpad
4. Right-click on a Force Touch trackpad
5. Control-click on a Mac using a keyboard

1. Control-click with a Magic Mouse

Although the secondary button is hidden away on Apple’s super sleek Magic Mouse, it’s possible to right-click on it. If it doesn’t work right away, you may need to enable right-click on Mac first, like so:

1. Make sure your Magic Mouse is connected to your Mac over Bluetooth.
2. Open the Settings app, then select Mouse in the sidebar.
3. In the dropdown menu next to the Secondary click, choose Click Right Side.

Note from our experts: You can now click in the upper-right corner of your Magic Mouse to initiate a right-click, just as you would on any other mouse. If you’re left-handed, and you want to swap the buttons on your Magic Mouse so that the left button initiates a right-click, select Click Left Side at step three above.

2. Right-click with any mouse on a Mac

If you have a non-Apple mouse with two buttons, you can simply click the right button to perform a right-click. If this doesn’t seem to work, follow the steps above to ensure that the secondary click feature built into macOS is properly enabled and set up as you like it.

Meanwhile, another issue you might encounter with a non-Mac mouse is that it scrolls in the opposite direction. To fix this, follow these steps to customize your scroll settings:

1. Open Settings, then select Mouse in the sidebar.
2. Ensure Natural scrolling is enabled.

Natural scrolling has been the default option on macOS for several years now. It means that when you scroll up on your mouse or trackpad, the page moves up. This is the opposite of how scrolling works on Windows, and how it used to work in older versions of macOS.

3. Secondary-click on a Mac trackpad

By default, you can use right-click on MacBook by simply clicking the trackpad with two fingers instead of one, but there are other options. Here’s how to set up right-click on a Mac trackpad:

1. Open Settings, then select Trackpad in the sidebar.
2. In the dropdown menu next to the Secondary click, select the option that you’re most comfortable with.
3. Click with Two Fingers is the default on macOS, but you can also select Click in Bottom-Right Corner or Click in Bottom-Left Corner.

Hint from our team: 

 

As an alternative, you can also set up your trackpad’s multitouch gestures inside the Trackpad menu by clicking the More Gestures tab.

 

If you find your trackpad not working on Mac when you try to right-click, restart your machine to see if that fixes the problem. We recommend you contact Apple for support if the problem still persists after a reboot.

4. Right-click on a Force Touch trackpad

MacBooks released in 2015 and later have an improved version of a trackpad called the Force Touch trackpad. It’s functionally the same as older trackpads in that you can press with two fingers to right-click or follow the steps above to use a different option, but that’s not all.

You can configure Force Click like so:

1. Open Settings > Trackpad.
2. Use the Click slider to select how strong you want Force Click feedback to be.
3. Use the toggle next to Force Click and haptic feedback to disable Force Click if you don’t like it, or if you keep activating it accidentally, and you want to avoid that.

Force Touch trackpads use pressure sensing to enable Force Click shortcuts. For instance, if you hover your mouse pointer over a link in Safari, and then press the trackpad firmly until you feel a second click, the link will be previewed in a popup window. Highlight a word and do the, same, and you’ll see the meaning of the word in the macOS Dictionary.

5. Control-click on a Mac using a keyboard

You can also right-click or control-click using Mac keyboard shortcuts, which can be handy if your right mouse button is stuck or doesn’t work and you’re unable to use it. Simply hold down the Control key on your Mac’s keyboard, then press the left mouse button or click your trackpad. Or try this:

1. Open Settings > Accessibility.
2. Select Pointer Control.
3. Enable Alternative pointer actions.
4. By default, F11 is a left-click and F12 is a right-click, however, you can change this. Click the i icon next to Alternative pointer actions to open the menu.
5. Double-click Left Click, then select the Reassign button. Press the key you want to use for a left click, then click Done.
6. Repeat step five, this time selecting Right Click, then assigning a different key.

You can also control mouse clicks with other keys by enabling alternative pointer actions in the Accessibility settings, which allows you to left- and right-click on MacBook without a mouse.

Conclusion

There are a number of different ways to perform a right-click, control-click, or secondary-click on Mac, whether you’re using an Apple Magic Mouse, a third-party wireless mouse, or a trackpad. You can even right-click with a simple keyboard shortcut if you prefer.

If the methods we’ve outlined above don’t work for you, or you encounter other mouse problems, like your mouse cursor disappeared, or it’s stopped working, your Mac may be infected with a virus. Use MacKeeper’s Antivirus to quickly find and remove malicious programs that shouldn’t be on your computer.

FAQ about right-click on a Mac

1. What is a secondary click on the Mac mouse?

A secondary click on Mac is the same as a right-click. It shows a contextual menu that gives you options depending on what you’re doing.

2. Can you right-click on a Mac?

Yes, you can right-click on a Mac. Either use the right mouse button, click the trackpad with two fingers, or hold down the Control key and then click the left mouse button.

3. How do you right-click to copy and paste on a Mac?

Simply right-click using the right mouse button, or by clicking your MacBook’s trackpad with two fingers, then select Copy. Next, perform the same action, but choose Paste instead. If you want to copy text, you’ll need to highlight it first.

4. How to enable a right-click on a Mac

You can set up right-click on Mac by opening the Settings app, then selecting Mouse if you’re using a mouse, or Trackpad if you’re using a trackpad. In the dropdown menu next to Secondary click, choose how you want to initiate a right-click.

5. Does the Apple Magic Mouse have a right-click?

Yes, the Magic Mouse does have a secondary button that allows you to right-click, but it’s not always enabled by default. To change this, open Settings > Mouse, then select Click on Right Side next to Secondary click.

6. How to right-click on a MacBook without a mouse?

If you don’t have a mouse, you can right-click on a MacBook by clicking the trackpad with two fingers, or by holding down the Command key when you click with one finger.

7. How to do control-click on Mac?

A control-click on Mac is the same thing as a right-click, so you can use any of the methods we’ve outlined above, including clicking the right mouse button, clicking the trackpad with two fingers, or by holding down the Control key when you perform a normal left-click.