# How do you 'right click' a Mac? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346 "2005-06-07T20:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/1 "2005-06-07T20:03:07Z")
I’m sitting here using my PowerBook, reading SDMB. In the ‘modest dream car collection’ thread I clicked on a link to an image. A page came up saying ‘Oops! This image belongs to someone else!’ No problem. I’ll just right-click and get the URL from ‘Properties’ – except there _is_ no right-click! Is there a way to open a link’s properties on a Mac, so that you can cut’n’ paste it? ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/2 "2005-06-07T20:06:18Z")
Try holding down the control or command key when you click. (“Command” is the apple key.) Depending on what browser you’re using, one of those ought to do the trick. In Firefox, Ctrl-click gets you a menu from which you can select “Copy Link Location.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/3 "2005-06-07T20:17:45Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > Try holding down the control or command key when you click. (“Command” is the apple key.) Depending on what browser you’re using, one of those ought to do the trick. In Firefox, Ctrl-click gets you a menu from which you can select “Copy Link Location.” Ah, so _that’s_ what the CNTL key is for! I tried it with the command key originally, but it opened a new browser (Safari). CNTL gives me a menu. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/4 "2005-06-07T20:48:30Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > I’m sitting here using my PowerBook, reading SDMB. In the ‘modest dream car collection’ thread I clicked on a link to an image. A page came up saying ‘Oops! This image belongs to someone else!’ No problem. I’ll just right-click and get the URL from ‘Properties’ – except there _is_ no right-click! > > Is there a way to open a link’s properties on a Mac, so that you can cut’n’ paste it? Usually, you can get the same results as a right click just by holding down the button for a little longer. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/5 "2005-06-07T21:02:21Z")
Or buy a two-button mouse and plug it in. Mac OS X will support it driverless, and 8 & 9 will support it with drivers. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/6 "2005-06-08T02:47:30Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Ah, so _that’s_ what the CNTL key is for! I tried it with the command key originally, but it opened a new browser (Safari). CNTL gives me a menu. > > Thanks. please note: IME it’s more accurate to say that CTRL-click simulates the effects of right-click than actually sending the right-click signal. That is, Netscape on Mac is told to do the same thing when it gets CTRL-click as it does with right-click on Windows. If you’re using a java applet that asks for an honest-to-god right-click, it won’t take CTRL-click. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/7 "2005-06-08T03:19:01Z")
I believe I read somewhere that Mac software is generally designed to not require right clicks to do anything that a Windows-based computer needs right clicks for. Is that correct? If so, maybe there’s an “uber-rule” that can cover most situations like the OP’s. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/8 "2005-06-08T03:26:12Z")
You can’t right-click a Mac. It’s a one-click pony. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/9 "2005-06-08T03:38:56Z")
As **Timewinder** pointed out, Macs do in fact support multi-button mice. However the system has been designed so that you don’t _need_ them. That said, right-clicking is a lot simpler and quicker than ctrl-clicking. Buying a two-button mouse, preferably with a scroll wheel, is good advice. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/10 "2005-06-08T05:27:11Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > Or buy a two-button mouse and plug it in. Mac OS X will support it driverless, and 8 & 9 will support it with drivers. As a follow-up, will OS X support three-button mice or click-wheel mice? Is there any native use for the third button or click-wheel, or would a new control panel show up to let me configure its behavior? ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/11 "2005-06-08T06:14:24Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > As a follow-up, will OS X support three-button mice or click-wheel mice? Is there any native use for the third button or click-wheel, or would a new control panel show up to let me configure its behavior? It should support most with no configuration. I have a Logitec wireless thumb trackball with two buttons, a scroll-wheel, and a click function on the scroll wheel. It recognized everything with no drivers, but there was no way to configure the click actions. If you need to re-map click actions, you probably need a driver or configuration program from the manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/12 "2005-06-08T11:41:32Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I believe I read somewhere that Mac software is generally designed to not require right clicks to do anything that a Windows-based computer needs right clicks for. Is that correct? If so, maybe there’s an “uber-rule” that can cover most situations like the OP’s. I think the “uber-rule,” if there is one, is what I mentioned before – click and hold. It certainly works for hypertext links. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/13 "2005-06-08T15:44:40Z")
> [@Sleel](#): > > It should support most with no configuration. I have a Logitec wireless thumb trackball with two buttons, a scroll-wheel, and a click function on the scroll wheel. It recognized everything with no drivers, but there was no way to configure the click actions. If you need to re-map click actions, you probably need a driver or configuration program from the manufacturer. Actually, I’ve got the _exact_ trackball you’re talking about sitting around from a while back. Does the click-wheel do anything without configuration, either clicking or rolling? ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/14 "2005-06-08T15:46:39Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I think the “uber-rule,” if there is one, is what I mentioned before – click and hold. It certainly works for hypertext links. Um, not on my Powerbook it doesn’t. I’m clicking and holding hyperlinks here and it’s not behaving at all like a right-click. Also, it definitely doesn’t send the right-click signal, as testing with a java applet that wants a real right-click shows. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/15 "2005-06-08T15:50:35Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I think the “uber-rule,” if there is one, is what I mentioned before – click and hold. It certainly works for hypertext links. It doesn’t work for me. I chose a couple of links on the page. The first, I clicked and held. Nothing happened until I released the button, then it went to the page. The second time, I clicked and held and nothing happned. This time, I moved the cursor off of the hyperlink before releasing the button. It did not go to the page. So it looks like CNTL+click is the way to do it, and hold-click doesn’t work (on this machine). As for the mouse. I’m sitting in my comfy-chair right now. No place to use a mouse. However, I do have an external drive that I’ll use once I get some content that needs editing. It will be easier to use a mouse if I’m editing at a desk. But for now, the track pad is fine. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/16 "2005-06-08T20:33:27Z")
I’m using a third-party wheel mouse on my Mac right now. The wheel-roll and right click behave as expected: The wheel scrolls a window, and the right-click does whatever right-click is supposed to do in an application (usually a menu). Clicking the scrollwheel, however, has no effect, and I don’t see any way in System Preferences to change that. In various games with configurable controls, I can make it have an effect, and I think that later versions of OSX (I’m using 10.2) give more options. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/17 "2005-06-08T21:16:51Z")
Somewhere, I’ve seen an app that converts the far right edge of the trackpad to a right-click area. Now that I could make use of this, I can’t remember what it was called; ☹ Anyone recognize this? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/18 "2005-06-08T21:26:11Z")
I use a Logitech two-button scrollwheel mouse with my Mac. No drivers, no hacks, everything works. I even got the scrollwheel mapped to invoke Expose when clicked, for the ultimate convenience. 😃 > [@Leaper](#): > > I believe I read somewhere that Mac software is generally designed to not require right clicks to do anything that a Windows-based computer needs right clicks for. Is that correct? Yep. 99.95% of all Mac applications can run perfectly fine with a one-button mouse, since every command is available either from a menu or a toolbar or something similar. This makes things easier for computer novices, who (still!) frequently get confused over when to left-click or right-click things. The right-click is a convenience, not a necessity. > [@gotpasswords](#): > > Somewhere, I’ve seen an app that converts the far right edge of the trackpad to a right-click area. [Sidetrack?](http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/sidetrack/) And control-click isn’t the only click-trick you can do with a Mac – combinations of command-, control-, and/or shift-clicking stuff is a common convenience in many programs. For fun, try holding down the shift key while clicking on a window’s “minimize” button (the yellow one), or while invoking Expose… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/19 "2005-06-08T22:01:07Z")
For even _more_ functionality for mice with more than two buttons, you can use a shareware product such as USB Overdrive (just google it). It’ll let you assign functions to each of the additional buttons on a global and per-program basis. Also I use the middle button on my scroll mouse for Expose – this is supported without any drivers, as it is for the Dashboard. Also for video games that use the official Apple IO human interface device kit, multi-button mice (including those with a _lot_ of buttons) work if you use the in-game setup. I couldn’t imagine using a one-button mouse on a Mac. :: shudder :: The only little thing I do miss that Windows has, though, is better access to virtually everything with the keyboard. I hate having to grab for the mouse for everything. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-right-click-a-mac/307346/20 "2005-06-09T00:19:04Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > The only little thing I do miss that Windows has, though, is better access to virtually everything with the keyboard. I hate having to grab for the mouse for everything. I haven’t checked, but I think you can turn on full keyboard controls with MacOS X 10.4 (“Tiger”). Check the System Preferences under “Universal Access.”