Right-Click Not Working on Mac? Fix With 6 Effective Remedies!

When the right-click function stops working, it can disrupt your workflow, especially when accessing context menus or shortcuts. In most cases, this problem is caused by software settings, hardware issues, or connectivity troubles. As a result, tasks like copying files become inaccessible, and opening links become difficult. When this problem happens, you must find the root cause and apply the best possible solution.

Therefore, we will explore the key reasons behind the right-click not working on Mac problem. After discussing these reasons, this guide will also share some useful solutions with detailed steps to solve the issue. Furthermore, you will discover a bonus tool to recover data that has been lost due to unintentional right-click problems.

Part 1. What Has Made My Right Click on Mac Not Working?

As said above, the problem could be with your software, or there might be hardware issues when there is no right-click on Mac. Other than these issues, you can also face this mouse problem for the following reasons:

1. Mouse Settings: Sometimes, the secondary click option is turned off in your Mac’s system preferences. This can happen after an update or when switching devices, preventing your mouse from working as intended.
2. External Mouse: Your mouse may fail due to physical damage or loose connection to the system. When the right-click function only stops working when using an external mouse, it’s likely a hardware issue.
3. Bluetooth Issues: Since wireless mouse depend on a Bluetooth connection, it could also be the root problem. When the connection drops or doesn’t pair correctly, you may lose access to the right-click function entirely until the connection is repaired.
4. Outdated macOS: You may also face this issue when using an older OS version, as it can result in bugs or driver incompatibility. Without updates, these problems can arise and may not be resolved unless you upgrade the system.
5. System Misconfigurations: Internal glitches or incorrect system settings can affect how your Mac processes mouse inputs. These settings might appear after system crashes or failed software installations.

   

Part 2. How To Fix Right Click Mac Operational Issues?

After learning about these reasons, you can easily analyze what is causing MacBook right-click not working problem. Once you find the root cause, you can apply the following solutions and recover your mouse’s full functionality:

1. Review Mouse Settings on Mac

In many cases, your Mac's system settings might have disabled the secondary click feature without you knowing about it. Therefore, checking and correcting these settings is a good idea to ensure the secondary click feature is enabled. To learn how to solve the right-click on Mac not working problem by reviewing mouse settings, follow these steps:

Step 1. Start the process by clicking the "Apple" logo at the top of the screen and accessing the dropdown menu. After the menu drops, you must select the "System Settings" option to access all configurations on your MacBook.

Step 2. Upon accessing the "Trackpad" tab within a new screen, simply tap the “Off” option beside the "Secondary Click" option and change it to your desired choice. Afterward, you can alter some other settings, including click and tracking speed, to resolve the issue.

2. Change External Mouse (If In Use)

When the right-click Mac problem isn’t related to settings, you should see if your external mouse is causing the issue. Usually, it can malfunction due to physical damage after a fall or wear and tear due to extensive usage. If you suspect your current mouse is the issue, try replacing it with another one to check if the problem persists.

By using a new mouse, you can rule out hardware issues, especially when other fixes don't work. However, before finalizing a mouse, you should ensure the replacement is compatible with macOS. Testing with a different mouse is a quick way to confirm if the issue lies with the mouse or your Mac. Additionally, it is helpful for an older mouse with regular connection drops or unresponsive buttons.

3. Consider Restarting Mac

Your MacBook device requires regular restarting sessions because it can accumulate unnecessary cache. When you don’t restart for a long time, the cache and other glitches might cause the no right-click on Mac problem. Therefore, you should consider rebooting your system when you face this mouse issue. In case you don’t know the process, the following steps will help you reboot:

Step 1. To start rebooting, hover over the "Apple" icon at the top of the screen and left-click on it. Once the menu drops, select the "Restart" option to reboot your MacBook.

Step 2. Your system will confirm whether you want to restart your computer or not through a popup. Here, you need to press the “Restart” button to immediately reboot and refresh your system.

4. Check Bluetooth Connectivity

For wireless mouse, Bluetooth connection issues commonly cause right-click not working on Mac. Therefore, you can easily resolve the issue by ensuring your Bluetooth is working properly. To do so, check if the mouse is connected via Bluetooth by navigating to your Mac's Bluetooth settings.

Since weak signals or pairing errors can disrupt mouse functionality, ensure the wireless device is at an approachable distance from the system. Additionally, re-pairing the device or using a wired connection can solve this problem for your mouse. However, if the issue persists, you can reset Bluetooth by turning it off and back on again.

5. Change Right-Click Menu Settings As Alternative

For those who still can’t fix the problem, it is a good idea to customize how the right-click menu is accessed. This solution involves modifying your input preferences to use a different action, like two-finger tapping on a trackpad. You can learn how to change these settings to resolve the MacBook right-click not working problem through these instructions:

Instructions. Navigate to your device’s settings and access the “Trackpad” tab. Once in there, you need to locate the “Secondary Click” dropdown to change the option. Once the popup menu appears with many options, select anything other than what has already been selected.

6. Reset SMC on Mac

The System Management Controller (SMC) controls hardware functions like mouse input. When resetting other settings doesn't work, using this option is a good idea as it can help restore mouse functionality. To learn how to resolve the problem of the right-click not working on Mac using this method, follow these steps:

Instructions. Initiate the process by pressing the power button and turning off your MacBook. Then, press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds and release it. Next, simultaneously press the “Left Shift + Left Control + Left Option” buttons for 7 seconds. In the end, press the power button along with these keys to complete the process.

7. Update macOS for Outdated Software

Users who are running an outdated version of macOS can also face the Apple mouse right-click not working problem. This is because outdated software can result in software bugs and other malicious bugs. Therefore, updating your operating system ensures compatibility with the latest mouse drivers and fixes existing bugs:

Instructions. Commence the updating process by navigating to your Mac’s “System Settings.” When an update becomes available, you'll see it in the left menu below your username. Once you find a notification about an available update, click the "Upgrade Now" button to attempt to resolve the issue.

Part 3. Try Recoverit to Perform Mac Data Recovery

Although the no right-click on Mac issue can be resolved using the given methods, it may cause some data loss. For example, the mouse's misbehavior can make you delete your important files. Besides this issue, you can lose your files for many reasons on any operating system. Therefore, you will need advanced software to recover important files without compromising security.

For this purpose, we highly recommend using Wondershare Recoverit, as its extensive features scan your MacBook and recover all lost files. The advanced tool supports over 20,000 types of different storage devices for recovering files in bulk. Additionally, it supports over 1000 different types of file formats for all types of media files. With an error margin of 0.5%, it is truly the ideal solution for extensive data recovery purposes.

Key Features About Wondershare Recoverit

1. Server Data Recovery: The tool can be used to recover data from network drives and Linux systems.
2. Restore Game Data: You can retrieve the lost game files to ensure you don’t lose your mission progress.
3. Crash System Recovery: By creating a bootable USB drive, you can recover your data from crashed computer drives.

Guide to Use Recoverit to Recover Your Lost Mac Files

After learning about the key features of Recoverit, let’s see how we can use it to retrieve data lost due to the right-click not working on Mac problem:

Step 1. Install the Software and Select the Target Storage

Once you install Recoverit on your MacBook, launch it and select the target storage location where the file was lost.

Step 2. Start the Recovery Process and Save the Files

After you select the target drive, the software will automatically initiate the recovery process. Soon, you will find all the deleted or lost files on your screen. Once you see the desired files, press the “Exit” button at the top of the screen to save them.

Step 3. Preview and Save the Recovered Files

When your desired files are recovered, click any of them to open them in a preview window. After confirming they are accessible, press the "Recover" button to save them on your MacBook.

Conclusion

In short, you can lose your work rhythm when you face the problem of the right-click not working on Mac. Although it is troubling, you can resolve it easily by identifying what is causing the issue with your mouse. After identifying issues, anyone can resolve the problem by changing their trackpad settings or updating the system.

Additionally, you can use data recovery tools like Recoverit to restore files that have been lost due to mouse issues. The tool's advanced functionality automates the whole recovery process, and you can simply save the recovered files with a few clicks.