Macs are incredibly intuitive and simple to use, but if you’re coming from a Windows system, or if it’s your first time using a Mac, you may need help figuring out a few things. Not to mention, there are tips and tricks you can familiarize yourself with to get the most out of your Mac.
The right-click on a Mac, also called a secondary click, opens a context menu full of options regardless of which app you’re using. There are a few ways to perform a secondary click on Mac — whether you’re using a trackpad or mouse — so we’ve put together this guide to dive into all the ways.
Control-click an item on Mac
One of the default options to right-click on a Mac requires you to use both hands and is called Control-click. In fact, the right-click on a Mac is actually called the Control-click or secondary click.
To use the trackpad to Control-click an item on a Mac:
- Press and hold the Control key
- Click an item on an area using your trackpad
Control-click summons the Apple menu, which gives you the options you would expect from a right-click, whether you’re using it in an app or with desktop icons or files. Just be prepared to use the control button every time.
Use a mouse to Control-click on a Mac
Control-click works the same way whether you use a mouse or trackpad, and Apple lets you customize options in the system settings. If you have a non-Apple mouse with left and right buttons, just clicking the right-click button will also work, just like on Windows PCs. Your mouse keys will work as expected on a Mac.
If you have an Apple Magic Mouse, it behaves similarly to a MacBook trackpad, and you can set up your mouse to use your preferred options by following the steps below.
- On your Mac, choose the Apple menu at the top left of the screen and open System Settings by clicking it
- In the System Settings app, click Mouse in the sidebar
- On the right, click the Secondary click pop-up context menu, and choose between “Click Right Side” and “Click Left Side”
Use the two-finger tap on Mac trackpad
Drag and drop files from the Mac to a mirrored iPhone and vice-versa.
The other way to right-click on a Mac is simpler but will take some getting used to. This method doesn’t use the Control key and just requires you to tap the trackpad, but with two fingers.
To summon the right-click menu on a Mac, simply tap the trackpad with two fingers simultaneously. Using your index and middle finger is the best way to do this.
Click with thumb while making contact with two fingers
If the two-finger-click-trackpad doesn’t work for you, don’t worry — here’s another trick. Since your index finger is usually on the trackpad, you can drop the middle finger next to it, and click with your thumb to perform a right-click.
This is helpful if you can’t get the two-finger tap right, which can be an issue since you use a similar gesture to scroll on a Mac.
Assign the bottom-right or bottom-left corner
If the two-finger tapping or three-finger right-click methods feel awkward to you, you can set up the trackpad to take a secondary click from the bottom right or left of your trackpad. as a right-click zone in System Preferences. Follow these steps.
- Click the Apple menu, select System Settings, then click Trackpad in the sidebar
- On the right, you’ll see a Secondary click setting, set up to click with two fingers, but you can set it to click in the bottom-left corner or bottom-right corner
The short learning curve to clicking on a Mac
Right-clicking on a Mac isn’t the same as right-clicking on a Windows PC, but you can quickly get used to these methods. Just make sure to try out these different methods to ensure you find one you’re comfortable with.
Also note, if you have a force-touch trackpad, which is found on all of Apple’s recent MacBooks, you may have to re-learn the difference between a tap and a click. It operates similarly to a regular trackpad, but the force-touch trackpads don’t actually move down when clicked but instead mimic the feeling with haptic feedback. (If the MacBook is off, you won’t feel a click at all.)
If you’re getting used to a Mac, you might want to try our essential MacBook settings to get your Mac set up to your tastes. Alternatively, if you’re just looking to get a Mac, check out our guide to get the best MacBook right now.