How do you left click on a mac

You can do a lot with the click of a mouse. You can do even more with a right-click; edit a photo, copy and paste, unpin an app, print a document, reopen a closed web page, and more. But how do you do it from the trackpad on your Mac? Modern Macs no longer have physical trackpad buttons to press, so it's not so easy. You could buy a mouse for your Mac, or you can learn the functionality built right into macOS. Here's what you need to know.


1. Control-Click With the Keyboard

In macOS, the equivalent of a right-click is called Control-click because it involves holding down the Control button on your keyboard and using the trackpad (or a mouse) to click, which opens a new context menu. You can Control-click an icon in the Dock to get an option to remove it, Control-click a file to see edit options, or Control-click a web page to have the option to reload.


2. Two-Finger Tap on the Trackpad

How do you left click on a mac

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If you’re moving from Windows to an Apple Mac, you might be wondering how to right-click on a Mac. Windows machines usually come with distinctive buttons on the mouse. On a Mac or MacBook, things are a bit more hidden.

Table of Contents

How to Right-Click on a Trackpad
How to Right-Click on a Mouse
How to Right-Click Using a Keyboard

How to Right-Click on a Trackpad

The trackpad on a Macbook (or the Magic Trackpad) is a single piece of brushed aluminum. The newer MacBooks come with a Force Trackpad that emulates a click and provides haptic feedback (the previous generations would actually click).

No matter which trackpad you’re using, right-clicking on a MacBook is simple. Just tap or click (press down) with two fingers simultaneously.

How do you left click on a mac
Apple

If the two-finger tap doesn’t work for you, or if you want to change the action, you can adjust settings from System Preferences.

Click on the Apple button from the menu bar and then select the “System Preferences” option.

How do you left click on a mac

Next, click the “Trackpad” button.

How do you left click on a mac

In the “Point & Click” tab, click on the drop-down menu below the “Secondary Click” option. If you want, you can switch to the “Click in Bottom Right Corner” or the “Click in Bottom Left Corner” option.

How do you left click on a mac

While you’re here, you can also explore the section to customize trackpad gestures.

RELATED: How to Right-Click with Two Fingers and Other OS X Trackpad Gestures

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How to Right-Click on a Mouse

If you’re using Apple’s Magic Mouse, you can use the same gestures as the trackpad to switch between spaces and for scrolling.

The Magic Mouse doesn’t have a separate right-click button. Instead, the entire top part of the mouse is clickable. If you click on the left side of the mouse, it will register as a left-click. In the same way, just click on the top-right section of the Magic Mouse for a right-click.

How do you left click on a mac
Apple

The same goes for any third-party mouse you’re using. If it’s connected to your Mac using Bluetooth or a wired connection, just click on the button on the right side to make a right-click.

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How to Right-Click Using a Keyboard

If the right-click button on your mouse or trackpad is broken, you can use your Mac’s keyboard as a replacement.

Just press and hold the “Control” key (not to be confused with the Command key) while pressing the left-click button on the mouse to register as a right-click.

How do you left click on a mac
Apple

Take a look at our guide for switching from Windows to Mac to make yourself more at home with your new machine.

How do you press left click on a Mac?

Go to System Preferences > Mouse > Primary mouse button. Select the radio button next to Left. Now your mouse will use the left position as the primary click area.

How do you left click on a Mac without a mouse?

Use your keyboard like a mouse.
Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Keyboard..
Click Shortcuts..
From the bottom of the preferences window, select the checkbox “Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls.” (In macOS Mojave or earlier, this setting appears as an “All controls” button.).

How do I right and left click on a Mac mouse?

Secondary click (that is, right-click): Press the left or right side of the mouse to perform a “secondary click.” (In System Preferences , click Mouse, then select “Secondary click” to enable right- and left-click.) On the keyboard, press the Control key and click the mouse.

Is there a left and right click on Mac?

Control-click on a Mac is similar to right-click on a Windows computer—it's how you open shortcut (or contextual) menus on a Mac. Control-click: Press and hold the Control key while you click an item. For example, Control-click an icon, a window, the toolbar, the desktop, or another item.