Computer Basics · Mouse, Touchpad & Keyboard · Lesson 1 of 5

Click, Double-Click & Right-Click

Learn what one click, two clicks and a right-click each do.

Click and double-click

A mouse is the small device you move on the desk to point at things. A touchpad is the flat square on a laptop that does the same job with your finger.

As you move it, an arrow moves on the screen. This arrow is called the pointer. You can't break the computer by clicking around, so feel free to practice.

A file is one saved thing on a computer, like a photo, a letter or a song. Its small picture on the screen is called an icon.

To click, press and let go of the left mouse button once. On a touchpad, tap it once with one finger, or press down until it clicks.

One click selects a file. That means it gets highlighted, as if you pointed at it. Nothing opens yet.

To double-click, click twice, quickly, without moving the mouse. A double-click opens the file in a window, ready to use.

• One click picks it.
• Two clicks open it.

If a double-click doesn't work, the clicks may be too slow, or the mouse moved between them. Try again a little faster and keep your hand still.

On the practice computer, click a file once to select it. Then double-click it to open it, and right-click it to see its menu.

The right-click menu

Most mice have two buttons. The left one does most of the work. The right one has a special job.

When you right-click something, a small menu pops up. A menu is a short list of choices. It shows things you can do with what you clicked.

For a file, the right-click menu often shows choices like these:

• Open opens it, just like a double-click.
• Rename lets you give it a new name.
• Delete throws it away.
• Properties shows details, like its size.

To close a menu without choosing anything, press the Esc key. Or click an empty spot on the screen.

On a laptop touchpad, tap with two fingers at the same time to right-click. On many touchpads, you can also press down on the lower right corner.

On a Mac, a right-click is also called a secondary click. Hold the Control key and click. This is called Control-click. On a Mac trackpad, you can also click or tap with two fingers.

Not sure what you can do with something? Right-click it. The menu will show you your choices.