Whether you’re using a mouse or a trackpad, both are highly tactile devices, in that they respond not only to clicks, but also taps, and different ‘gestures’: taps and swipes interpreted by the motion, and the number of fingers used.
To learn, or change your mouse / trackpad features to your preference, open System Preferences, and choose either Mouse or Trackpad (whichever is appropriate to your device).
![Settings for the Trackpad and Mouse can be found in System Preferences.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/sys-prefs-mouse-trackpad.png)
In the Mouse or Trackpad System Preference pane, hover your cursor over a feature and its function will be illustrated. Experiment with each feature and setting when you have a spare few minutes. Perhaps you won’t use all the features, but you may find one or two extremely useful.
Be sure to enable Secondary Click (otherwise known as, right-click).
![Hover your cursor over a feature and its function will be illustrated.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/mouse-prefs.png)
Secondary click (also known as, right-click).
One essential feature of both the mouse and trackpad is the ‘secondary’ click. This feature is switched off by default.
Most people know this ‘secondary click’ as the ‘right-click’, referring to the traditional two-button mouse used with Windows PCs for decades.
![Enable Secondary click for a trackpad.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/second-click-trackpad.png)
Once enabled, Secondary-clicking (or, right-clicking) an item will reveal a contextual menu: the resulting menu depends on what’s being right-clicked on (Or, the context in which it’s being applied. Hence the name, contextual menu).
![The contextual menu resulting from a right-click on the Desktop.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/right-click-desktop.png)
Using secondary-click saves significant time and effort in the long-term. For example, it can be used to move an item to the Bin; create a New Folder; create a zip file out of a file or folder; or reveal the Info window.
![The contextual menu reseting from a right-click on a file called, Letter.docx.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/context-menu-2.png)
Tip: Try right-clicking on your desktop to create a new folder, or to change your desktop background image.
Another tip: Holding down the Control key (found in the bottom left of the keyboard), and clicking will also produce a right-click.
Gestures
The mouse and trackpad also respond to Gestures: taps or swipes performed with 1 or more fingers.
![See the More Gestures tab at the top of the Mouse System Preferences pane.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/mouse-prefs-gestures.png)
Trackpads have more features than the Apple mouse. Check out all the tabs at the top of your Trackpad / Mouse system preferences pane, and experiment These gestures will save you time, and allow you to quickly and efficiently navigate your way around the computer.
![The Scroll & Zoom, and More Gestures tabs along the top of the Trackpad System Preferences pane.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/trackpad-3.png)
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