7 Best Fixes for Right-Click Not Working on Mac

Is the right-click not working on Mac? In this guide, I have compiled a few troubleshooting tips. You can use them to fix the issues by right-clicking on your MacBook. Usually,  the right-click option may have been disabled.

This happens when you use an auxiliary mouse with the Mac but do not enable certain properties for it. Sometimes, users face the same problem with Magic Mouse [the official external mouse from Apple]. The right-click won’t work because certain features have been disabled.

Also, the external mouse may be faulty. The right-click button for the mouse may not be working. It may be a bug in MacOS or a random glitch appearing out of nowhere. Such a problem can cause other properties and features of the device or the operating system to become unresponsive.

Best Fixes for Right-click Not Working on Mac 

Here are various easy troubleshooting tips that will help you restore the right-click function to your Mac.

1. Restart the Mac

Start the fixing by implementing the simplest of all solutions. That is restarting the Mac.

1. Click the Apple logo at the top of the Mac screen.
2. From the menu, click on Restart and let the Mac reboot.
   

Once the Mac finishes restarting, check if the right-click is working. If it is still not working, proceed to the next troubleshooting tip.

2. Install Pending macOS Updates

Bugs can be quite pestering when you want to experience a smooth user experience on the macOS. You may have been facing certain bugs after installing any of the latest macOS updates. To fix that, you have to look for any other pending updates Apple may have released to resolve the bugs on the previous iteration of macOS.

1.  Click the Apple logo on the macOS screen at the top-left corner.
2. Next, click on About This Mac > click on Software Update.
3. Let the device search for the new macOS updates. Make sure the Mac is connected to WiFi.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the update on the Mac.
   

3. Remove the Faulty External Mouse 

Remove the external mouse from your Mac. Over long usage, the hardware peripheral may face wear and tear. The right-click button on the external mouse may have malfunctioned. Use a new external mouse.

4. Use the Keyboard Shortcut to Right-click on Mac

If the right-click on the Mac trackpad is not working, you can use a shortcut instead. It will execute the same function as the right-click. Simply press and hold the Control key as you click on any file or folder on the Mac.

In urgent situations, it will help you get your work done without any hindrance until you can permanently fix the issue of faulty right-click on the Mac.

5. Enable the Right-Click Function for External Mouse

Using an external mouse, you need to enable the right-click function.

1. Press Command + Spacebar to go to Spotlight Search.
2. In the search field, type System Preferences and press Return.
3. Within System Preferences, click on Mouse.
4. Click the dropdown menu adjacent to Secondary Click > select Click Right-Side.

6. Perform an SMC Reset on the Mac

If you have a Mac running on the Intel chipset, you can perform an SMC reset. SMC stands for System Management Controller and manages the hardware functions within the Mac. Here are the steps to reset the SMC.

1. Long press the power button of the Mac to turn it off.
2. Wait for a few seconds. Then press the Shift + Left Option + Left Control key while pressing the Power Button.
3. Keep the keys pressing until the Mac turns on. While you hold down those keys, you will hear the default startup chime, and the Apple logo will appear.
   

Once the Mac finishes booting up, try using the right-click, and it should work now. Note that if you are using the newer generation of Macs loaded with the M-series chipsets instead of an SMC reset, a simple reboot will do the trick for you.

7. Manage the Secondary Click on Trackpad Settings

Here is how to enable and manage the secondary click function in the macOS.

1. Press Command + Spacebar. It will open the Spotlight Search.
2. In the search field, type System Preferences > press Return.
3. Click on Trackpad.
4. Go to the Point and Click tab > select Secondary Click.
5. Tap the down arrow under Secondary Click to reveal options.
6. There are three options to choose from. Click or tap with two fingers, click in the bottom right corner, and click in the bottom left corner.
7. Set the type of right-click action you prefer.

8. Take Help from the Apple Support

When none of the troubleshooting tips work, it is better to contact the Apple support team. Maybe you have landed up with a faulty Mac from the factory. The chances of this happening are rare, but if you are under warranty and indeed, the Mac is faulty out-of-the-box, get it replaced.

Wrapping Up

When the trackpad or its components do not function on the Mac, your day-to-day work may get interrupted. Not to mention the time you will waste figuring out what went wrong with your Mac. Hopefully, now that you have stumbled upon this guide, you can use the tips to fix the issue of Right-click Not Working on Mac.