How to Right-Click on Any Mac Using a Trackpad, Mouse, or Keyboard

There are a lot of two-button mouse designed to work with Macs, but people still want to know how to right click on a Mac or MacBook, so if you’re one of them, you’re in good company. Apple’s legendary insistence on a one-button mouse over the two-button mouse used by Windows users led to years of customer uncertainty about how to right-click on a Mac.

Though we can only speculate, we think that Apple mice aren’t the main reason so many Mac users are stumped by the “right click” question. It’s understandable that many Mac users don’t know how to right click on MacBooks given that most of them use laptops without a mouse and must learn to navigate using Apple’s trackpad, which does not clearly indicate whether a click is being made on the left or right side.

Some Mac users may be hesitant since they’ve recently switched from using a PC and are still getting used to the unique key combinations needed to perform common tasks, such as cutting and pasting.

We’ll Run Down Each of The Different Ways to Right Click on A Mac, but Here’s the Short Version

When using the mouse, hold down control and click.
To use the track pad’s click function while holding down control, press and hold the Control button
You can assign a side button to ‘Secondary Click’ on the Apple Magic Mouse by going to the Mouse section of System Preferences.
You should use two fingers to press the trackpad.
Configure the trackpad so that the right click is located in a specific area.
Utilize a mouse with only two buttons; we’ve compiled a list of the top mice for Macs if you need help deciding.
For a right-click using a mouse or trackpad, select Control–>Click.
To do a right click on a Mac, hold down the Ctrl (or Control) key and click the mouse or trackpad.

Keep in mind that Ctrl is not the same as Alt (or Option). In contrast to most other keyboards, the Mac’s Ctrl key is not located close to the space bar but rather at the very end of the keyboard, on the far right or far left.

When Using an Apple Magic Mouse, Click the Right Button.

Apple’s Magic Mouse (which lacks buttons) may leave you baffled when you need to right-click.
Many of the same multi-touch gestures available on the trackpad are also available on Apple’s mouse, but the precise location of your clicks with the Apple Magic Mouse is what defines the type of action taken.
It’s not hard to use the right button on an Apple Magic Mouse to perform a right click.
You might need to adjust the settings in the System Preferences if this doesn’t help.

Activate the Settings Panel in the Control Panel (either by clicking on the cog icon if it is in your Dock, or by clicking on the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and then System Preferences.)

Just click the mouse.
Move the mouse around and click where you want to go.
Right-click instead of the secondary option (or left side).

Check out our Best Apple Keyboard and Mice deals page to get the lowest prices on an Apple Magic Mouse or to buy one directly from Apple.

Mac trackpads require a two-finger touch.
Using two fingers on a trackpad allows you to right-click.
The System Preferences window will need to be adjusted if this doesn’t. So, let me explain:
It’s time to fire up the Preferences menu.
Choose Trackpad from the menu.
Make the selection “Click with two fingers” next to Secondary click in Trackpad Preferences.
The number of gestures you can configure here is large: What trackpad motions on a MacBook are available, and how to use them.

Use the Trackpad’s Corners to Make Selections

Perhaps you find that right-clicking requires more muscle memory than using two fingers to tap. If that’s the case, right-clicking can be accomplished by touching the outer edge of your trackpad.
Once again, you’ll need to head back to System Preferences to make this adjustment.
Instead of choosing “Click or tap with two fingers,” choose “Click in bottom right corner” or “Click in bottom left corner” this time around.
When using a Force Touch trackpad on a MacBook, right-clicking brings up a context menu.
Taptic feedback is used by the Force Touch trackpad to make it seem as though different amounts of pressure are activated by the trackpad.
When you hold down the mouse button, a menu appears with even more options than the regular right-click menu.
Alternatively, you can press and hold the trackpad to perform the same action as a right click, or you can use two fingers to tap, or customise the trackpad to perform a right click when tapping in the right or bottom corner.