If you have recently started using a Magic Mouse with your Mac, you have probably noticed the lack of buttons in its sleek design. And you may be wondering how to right-click with this device. It’s not an uncommon question, especially for those who have never used one.
You can right-click with a Magic Mouse by simply right-clicking or clicking on the right side of the device. Even though there is no button, it will still work as a secondary click if your Mac is configured correctly.
My name is Eric, and as an Engineer, I love to learn how to use peripheral devices such as the Magic Mouse and figure out ways to better use them. Right-clicking is an integral part of everyday computer use, and I can show you how to do it with this type of mouse.
Keep reading if you want to see a couple of different ways you can right-click, also known as secondary-click, on a Magic Mouse.
Just Right-click
If you’re used to using a regular mouse with buttons, the Magic Mouse may be causing a little confusion since it has no buttons to click and, therefore, no right button. The solution may be a little simpler than you might expect.
All you need to do is press (or click) on the right side of the Magic Mouse until you feel the mouse click. The Magic Mouse can sense that you are pressing on the right side and will react accordingly if the mouse is configured properly in your Mac’s settings.
If you find that the right-click action is not working with your Magic Mouse, then chances are, it is not configured for a secondary click. This problem is easy to solve, and I will review how to configure the setting in the next section.
Configure Right-click on Magic Mouse
If the right-click feature of your Magic Mouse does not seem to be working, it is probably not configured to do so. You can check the setting and configure it through your Mac’s settings. Use the steps below to configure it.
Step 1: Open System Settings.
Go to the Apple symbol in the upper left corner of the screen, click on it and select System Settings.
Step 2: Select Mouse Settings.
Locate the mouse settings on the left pane of the System Settings window. It’s normally towards the bottom. Click on Mouse once you find it.
Step 3: Locate the Secondary Click setting.
Step 4: Set the Secondary Click.
Click on the secondary click setting and select click on right side. If you are lefthanded, you may prefer to click on left side.
Step 5: Exit settings and Test the right click.
Exit the settings window and test out the right-click on something. If it works, you are good to go. If not, your Magic mouse may have an issue or be defective.
If the steps above do not work or you just don’t like the feel of not having a separate button, there is another way that you can right-click. Let’s take a look at this method in the next section.
Use the Keyboard
If the traditional right-click method does not work for you for whatever reason, it is possible to do a secondary click by using a combination of the Magic Mouse and your keyboard. It’s straightforward, and it works with a Magic Mouse and can also work with other devices.
To implement the secondary click (also known as a right-click), hold the control (ctrl) key down while clicking or pressing down on your Magic Mouse. It is also known as a control click. This will create the same effect as a right-click on a traditional two-key mouse.
That’s all there is to it.
FAQs
Below are some frequently asked about how to right-click on a Magic Mouse.
What if my mouse settings do not show a secondary click setting?
If you go to your settings as described above and do not see a setting for the secondary click, this most likely means that your mouse doesn’t support the right-click feature. I believe that most versions of the Magic Mouse support it, but there may be some older ones that don’t.
Will this work on the trackpad of my MacBook?
Yes, this basically works the same way for the trackpad on a MacBook. If you go to your MacBook’s settings for the trackpad, you will see the secondary click feature, allowing you to right-click on your trackpad. The use of the control key will work for this as well.
Can I right-click on a tablet or a phone?
Yes, there is an equivalent action on a tablet or a phone. You can do it by touching the screen in the location you want to right-click and holding your finger down on the screen until the context menu comes up or the specific action you are looking for takes place.
Conclusion
If you have the secondary click setting enabled for your Magic Mouse, all you need to do is right-click on the right side of the mouse the way you usually would with an ordinary two-button mouse. You can also use the control key along with a regular mouse click to do this.
I hope the information above can help you to right-click with your Magic Mouse. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I would love to hear from you!