5 Ways for How to Right Click on MacBook with Keyboard/Trackpad/Mouse

Home > HowTos > Troubleshooting Tips Updated by William on Dec 15, 2024 | Approved by Daryl Baxter

Right-click has become part of our daily life operating on a Windows PC. The mouse and touchpad for Windows PC all support right-click. However, things go differently when you work on a MacBook. You will find no right-click option on the Apple mouse or the Trackpad. Does the right click disappear on Mac? No. You can still right-click on Mac, but a little information is needed to set it up.

The following five ways are introduced to set up right-click on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

#1. Right Click on MacBook via Control + Click

Most MacBook users do not use the mouse while working on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. However, by doing this, they may miss the daily operation on Windows PC, right-click. There are some shortcuts in the right-click menu they like to use. Mac users can still enable the right-click menu by holding the Control (or ctrl) key on the keyboard and single-click Trackpad or mouse. After that, the right-click menu appears on your Mac screen. For iMac users, you must hold the Control key and click the Apple Magic Key to bring out the right-click key.

Please don't get confused with ctrl and command, ctrl and option (alt). There are different keys on the Mac keyboard. And they're not the equivalent keys for Windows PC. They play different roles. You should learn how the keywords work and what they stand for while working on a MacBook.

#2. How to Use Apple Mouse Right Click on MacBook

Yes, Apple has released its mouse, namely the Magic mouse. Though most mice are designed with two buttons, the Apple Magic Mouse only has one control. The entire mouse is clickable. When you click the left side, it is a left click on Mac. To perform a right-click on Mac, you must set it up.

  1. Find the Apple menu on your Mac.
  2. Click System Preferences > Mouse > Point & Click.
  3. Tick the checkbox for "Secondary click."

  4. Tick "Click on the right side from the drop-down list."
  5. Exit and check whether the settings work or are saved by right click on Mac.

#3. How to Use MacBook Touchpad Right Click on MacBook

Known as Magic trackpad, the MacBook trackpad supports a full range of multi-touch gestures. Using the Trackpad, you will surely succeed in finishing your work without any mouse clicks. MacBook trackpad even allows users to set up right click on Mac. It's even more popular and influential than an Apple mouse.

  1. Click the Apple logo on the top left of the MacBook.
  2. Click System Preferences > Trackpad.
  3. Go to Point & Click > tick "Secondary click."
  4. From the drop-down list, you have three gestures for right-click on Mac. Choose the one that's right for you:

    Click or tap with two fingers: tap the Trackpad with two fingers, and then the right-click is done.
    Click in the bottom right corner: click on the bottom right corner of the touchpad to bring about the right click menu on Mac. It's a gesture similar to that in the Windows PC touchpad.
    Click in the bottom left corner: this is mainly for left-hand people. It's weird for right-hand people to set it up as right click option.

#4. How to Right Click in MacBook with Key Combo

There are shortcuts on Windows PC to bring about right-click menus. It's the same with MacBook. You can set up key combinations as the mouse keys. After that, press the key combinations and see the right-click menu.

  1. Click the Apple logo at the top left of the Window.
  2. Click System Preferences > Accessibility.
  3. Click Pointer Control > Alternate Control Methods > Enable Mouse Keys.

  4. After that, every time you press the Control and I keys simultaneously to see the right-click menu on MacBook and iMac.

#5. How to Right-Click on MacBook with Other Types of Mouse

The MacBook is slim and beautiful. And most of all, there are many features you can't see on a Windows PC. These make MacBook an excellent computer for work. However, nothing is perfect. Many people find it hard to operate it only with the Trackpad, and it's hard to become accustomed to using the Magic Mouse. You can change the situation by applying a non-Apple mouse. Any mouse will do. Besides Apple Magic Mouse, all mouse supports right click on MacBook.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for Right Click on MacBook

Conclusion

The five ways mentioned above to right click on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac. Besides, if you like, you can pay for a third-party tool, as the right-click enhances the utility to show more options on the right-click menu. However, you will be used to using Mac without right-click options. Everything on Mac is much easier to operate with gestures. Finally, if files are accidentally lost during the process, you can use the best Mac data recovery software to get them back.