Using your mouse Windows and Mac

Windows users

Clicking the right mouse button brings up a context sensitive menu. This is a list of actions which varies depending on the location of your mouse pointer when you click. 

Often these options can save you time, as otherwise you'd have to hunt through drop-down menus to find them. They will also change depending on which program you are using at the time, and what software you have installed. 

1Desktop appearance

By right clicking on your computer’s desktop you'll gain access to a variety of useful functions. Right click on the desktop and select Properties from the resulting dialogue box. Select the Desktop tab. 

From here you can change your desktop’s appearance by choosing one of the backgrounds provided by Windows, or using your own picture. 

To add your own picture, click Browse and go to the folder where the picture is stored. Double click on the picture to apply it.

2Open and shut case

To minimise an open window quickly (a word document, say) right click at the top of the window (above the menu bar) and select Minimise. Similarly, to maximise the window again right click it in your computer’s task bar and select Maximise.

3Quick printing

To print a document without opening it first, right click on the icon that represents the document (in Windows Explorer or your My Documents folder) and select Print.

4Open with...

Windows automatically assigns certain programs to certain types of application so when you open a Jpeg file, for example, it may open within Windows Picture Viewer. To open it with an alternative program, right click the file’s icon, select Open with and then click your preferred application.

5Personalised toolbars

Do you have a function that you use often in Microsoft Word or Excel but can't find it on the programs’ menu? Right click on the another toolbar to see a list of all available toolbars (the drawing toolbars in Word, say). 

Mac users

The mice that accompany Apple Mac computers only have a single button. But if you hold down the Alt key and click you get a 'right click'.