How to right-click on a Mac

2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Right-clicking opens a menu of options for whatever is under the pointer, such as Copy, Rename or Move to Bin. Apple calls it a secondary click. New Mac users coming from Windows often think it is missing, because nothing on the trackpad is marked.

The picture is a diagram of the keys to press.

Step by step

1. Trackpad: click with two fingers

   Rest two fingers on the trackpad and press down, or tap with two fingers if Tap to click is on.

   Done

2. Any mouse or trackpad: Control-click

   Hold the Control key and click. This always works, whatever the settings.

   Done

3. Apple Magic Mouse: turn on Secondary click

   Open System Settings, click Mouse, and set Secondary click to Click Right Side. Then click the right half of the mouse surface.

   Done

4. Change how the trackpad does it

   Open System Settings, click Trackpad, and open the Secondary click menu. You can choose two fingers, the bottom right corner or the bottom left corner.

   Done

Good to know

A normal USB or Bluetooth mouse with two buttons works on a Mac without any setup. The right button right-clicks.

If two-finger click does nothing, check that Secondary click is not switched off under System Settings, Trackpad.

In short: Two fingers on the trackpad, or Control and click.