How to right click on a Mac computer in three different ways

Mac users can right click in a number of ways, using their keyboard and trackpad in tandem, or by using specific tapping patterns on the trackboard itself.
An external mouse can make right clicking on a Mac even easier.
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When the first Apple computer that used a mouse came out, a feature common to PC hardware was conspicuously absent: a right click button. While today your Macbook Pro or Air will work seamlessly with just about any mouse you connect, for a while, the struggle to right click was real.

Right clicking on a computer is useful for many reasons. When you right click on a Mac's desktop, you'll see the option to create a new folder, change your view settings, and more.

Right clicking on a document, image, or other file allows for easy copying, moving, renaming, or even deletion. And when you right click on a link, you can choose to open it then and there, to open it in a new tab or new window, to copy the link, and so on.

How to to right click on a Mac computer

1. Use a mouse with a right click button.

Surely the easiest solution, you can simply connect a mouse that has a right click button built in. Whether wired or wireless and connected by USB dongle, a newer Mac will instantly recognize just about any mouse on the market and will respond when you click that right side button.

Screen Shot 2019 04 12 at 12.50.12 PM Steven John/Business Insider

2. Hold the "control" button as you click.

On a Mac, the control button is indeed the one that says "control." It's placed differently than the CTRL button is on most keyboards designed for a PC, so note which is which before you get to clicking. While the control button is held, you can use the left button or the only button, as the case may be on your mouse as a right click, or you can tap on the trackpad.

3. Use two fingers on the trackpad

When you tap your Mac's trackpad with two fingers spaced within an inch or so of one another, the result will be a right click. If your computer isn't recognizing your two finger tap, then check your trackpad's settings in your System Preferences.