Right-Click and Context Menus
What right-clicking does, how to do it on different devices, and what the menu options mean. Covers trackpads, touchscreens, and customizing context menus.
Right-clicking opens a small menu (called a context menu) with actions related to whatever you clicked on. The options change depending on what you're clicking — a file, a link, an image, or empty space on the desktop all show different menus. It's one of the most useful things you can learn on a computer.
Right-click whenever you want to do something specific with an item. Instead of hunting through menus at the top of the screen, right-clicking gives you a shortcut to the most common actions for whatever is under your cursor.
Some examples:
- Right-click a file to copy, rename, delete, or see its properties
- Right-click a link in a browser to open in a new tab or copy the link
- Right-click an image to save it or copy it
- Right-click the desktop to change your wallpaper or display settings
- Right-click text you've selected to copy, cut, or look it up
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Mac trackpad not right-click?▾
Mac trackpads use a two-finger click for right-click, but this has to be enabled. Go to System Settings > Trackpad > Point & Click and make sure Secondary click is turned on and set to Click with Two Fingers. You can also always use Control + click as an alternative.
What's the difference between the short and full right-click menu on Windows 11?▾
Windows 11 introduced a simplified right-click menu that shows fewer options. To see everything (like the classic Windows 10 menu), click Show more options at the bottom of the menu, or skip straight to the full menu by pressing Shift + F10 instead of right-clicking.
Can I customize what appears in the right-click menu?▾
On Windows, some apps add items to the right-click menu when installed (like "Open with VS Code" or "Scan with antivirus"). You can't easily customize the built-in items, but uninstalling apps removes their entries. On Mac, some apps add items to the Share menu or Quick Actions section. On Linux, the context menu is often configurable through your file manager's settings or extensions.
Is long press on a phone the same as right-click?▾
Yes, functionally. Long-pressing an item on a phone shows a context menu with actions specific to that item, just like right-clicking on a computer. The options vary depending on what you're pressing — a link, an image, text, an app icon, or empty space.
What does "Inspect" do in the browser right-click menu?▾
Inspect opens the browser's developer tools, which show the code behind the web page. It's mostly used by web developers for debugging. It won't break anything if you click it by accident — just close the panel that opens by pressing F12 or clicking the X on the developer tools panel.
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