How To Right-Click on Mac

Right-clicking on a Mac opens a new set of commands. Here are a few ways to pull up right-click menus and disable them:

Using your Mac’s keyboard

On your keyboard, press and hold the Control button and using your mouse or trackpad, click or tap on anything that has a right-click menu. This right-click method is the default. Meaning you don’t need to go into “System Preferences” to set it.

Note: There are web pages that don’t allow right-clicking to prevent copyright issues. So if this doesn’t work on a specific web page, try this method somewhere else on your Mac.

Trackpad

To right-click using your trackpad, tap with two fingers. That should register as a right-click on your Mac and open a specific set of commands. If the gesture didn’t register or execute a different command, you can go into “System Preferences”, where you can set your secondary click or right-click to be triggered by this gesture. Then, follow these steps to change your trackpad’s right-click gesture:

  1. Launch System Preferences.
System Preferences icon
On your dock, click on the gear icon to launch System Preferences.
  1. Go to Trackpad.
Mac System Preferences
In System Preferences, click on Trackpad to modify your trackpad’s settings and gestures.
  1. Open the dropdown menu for Secondary click under the Point & Click tab, and choose how you want to open right-click menus on your Mac. You can choose between:
    • Click or tap with two fingers
    • Click in the bottom right corner
    • Click in the bottom left corner
Mac Trackpad settings
To change how your Mac triggers right-click, open the dropdown menu under Secondary click.
  1. Whichever gesture you select, the window you’re in will demonstrate the action.

Note: You can also disable right-clicking on your Mac by unchecking the Secondary click box.

Magic Mouse

The default action for right-clicking with a Magic Mouse is clicking on its right side. You can change this under “System Preferences.” Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Launch System Preferences.
System Preferences icon
On your dock, click on the gear icon to launch System Preferences.
  1. Go to Mouse.
Mac Mouse settings
In System Preferences, click Mouse to modify your click and scroll settings.
  1. Open the dropdown menu for Secondary click under the Point & Click tab, and choose how you want to open right-click menus. You can choose between:
    • Click or tap with two fingers
    • Click on the right side
    • Click on the left side
Mac Trackpad settings
To change how your Mac triggers right-click, open the dropdown menu under Secondary click.
  1. Whichever gesture you select, the window you’re in will play a demonstration.

Universal Mouse

A universal mouse works for all operating systems with no custom gestures. The default way to right-click on your Mac is through the right-click button.

If you want to change the default gesture, follow these steps:

  1. Launch System Preferences.
System Preferences icon
On your dock, click on the gear icon to launch System Preferences.
  1. Go to Mouse.
Mac Mouse settings
In System Preferences, click Mouse to modify your click and scroll settings.
  1. Open the dropdown menu for Secondary click under the Point & Click tab, and choose how you want to open right-click menus. You can choose between:
    • Click on the right side
    • Click on the left side
  1. The window will play a demonstration of the action.

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