How to Fix Right-Click Not Working on Chrome and Firefox?

Your web browser is easily one of the most important applications on your PC. In fact, it is likely to be the app you use most frequently. If you encounter an issue where the right-click function stops working on your browser, then you have enough reason to worry and seek out a solution. You are in the right place for that.

Why Is Right-click Not Working on My Browser?

We went through numerous user reports and complaints about the event. We also reviewed the repair strategies that were used to resolve the problem to figure out how the fixes work (and their effects). Based on the information we obtained, we can narrow down the cause of the right-click not working issue to the following issues or events:

• There are bugs or inconsistencies in your browser:

In Firefox, for example, there is a relatively well-known bug that breaks the right-click function on web pages, especially on those pages that do not have settings to block the right-click functionality. The bug has been around for some time and has long been patched with the hotfixes issued in the Firefox 53.0 update.

• The affected webpage is responsible:

Some web admins configure their sites to block the right-click functionality (for various reasons). As far as we know, the right-click functionality is usually blocked (if blocked at all) on login pages and similar sections or interfaces around a site.

Also read: Bypass Blocks: How to Unblock Websites on Google Chrome

• Third-party add-ons or extensions are responsible:

Sometimes, the issue of the right-click function not working is a result of the changes made by a third-party add-on or extension (or a combination of such utilities). Other times, the problem has something to do with the extensions getting into conflicts with one another or interfering with the browser settings (when they should not).

• A corrupted user profile or corrupted browser installation is the culprit:

Many reports indicate that the right-click feature might refuse to work when the user profile being used in Firefox is corrupted. The same thing goes for browser installation corruption events. Corrupted user profiles or browser installations might also play out as causes of the right-click not working issue in Google Chrome.

Nevertheless, the right-click not working issue is also known to manifest itself on Google Chrome, which is easily the most popular web browser application on PCs. For this reason, we also describe solutions (mostly specific fixes) to the problem when Chrome is involved.

How to Fix Right-Click Not Working on Firefox

If you use Google Chrome, then you do not have to pay much attention to the title. You will still learn how to fix right-click not working on the Chrome browser—simply scroll down for solutions.

In any case, for efficiency purposes, you may want to begin with the first procedure on the list and work your way through the rest in the order we listed them (if the need arises).

1. Close the webpage that is blocking the right-click function

We earlier established the existence of webpages configured to block or disable the right-click functionality when their pages are loaded up on a web browser on a PC. The right-click blocking code might carry over to other web pages or sessions, which means Firefox sometimes ends up blocking the right-click functionality for all opened pages.

Well, if you find yourself unable to access the right-click menu or if the right-click action forces up a black box (with no options to choose from), you will do well to identify the web page originally responsible for the right-click block. If you cannot figure out the culprit, then you must terminate all the browsing sessions by closing all the webpages and tabs (closing the Firefox application in its entirety).

You can then try to visit the appropriate sites (one at a time or individually) to figure out which webpage was blocking the right-click function all along. 

Once you identify the culprit, you may decide to stop visiting the site.

If you still insist on visiting the site, you will need to make a few tweaks in Firefox settings to bypass the “no right-click“ rule. Scroll down for quick ways to bypass the right-click block.

2. Install updates for Firefox; Update Firefox (to the latest build available)

Most reports indicate that the bugs breaking the right-click functionality are in the Firefox 52.0 build (and older versions). Therefore, all you have to do is upgrade to Firefox 53.0 or a newer Firefox build (which is even better), and the right-click not working issue will cease to exist.

Go through this guide to update Firefox to the latest version available:

• First, open the Firefox application by clicking on the app icon (on your taskbar) or double-clicking on the program shortcut (which should be on your desktop screen).
• Once the Firefox window comes up, click on the action or menu icon in the top-right corner of your screen.
• From the list of options that appear, click on Help to see a list and then click on About Firefox.

The About Mozilla Firefox dialog or window will come up. There, Firefox will automatically go online to search for updates. If Firefox finds something new, then you will get the option to update and restart Firefox.

• Pay attention to the download and installation operations (as they proceed). Perform the required tasks (where applicable).
• Allow Firefox to restart by clicking on the appropriate button or initiate the restart operation on your own.
• Open Firefox (as you normally do) and then test the browser to confirm that the right-click not working issue has been resolved for good.

If the problem persists, then you will do well to restart your PC and then run Firefox again to see if things have gotten better.

3. Refresh Firefox

Here, we are considering the possibility that changes to settings and similar stuff in Firefox broke the right-click function in the browser. To this end, we want you to refresh Firefox to (force) reset its configuration. Well, the proposed procedure is quite effective while not being too disruptive.

For one, you are unlikely to lose your bookmarks, history, passwords, cookies, and other data or settings that define your experience in Firefox.

These are the steps you must go through to refresh Firefox:

• First, you have to launch the Firefox application through whatever means you prefer.
• Assuming you are now on the browser window, you have to click on the menu or action button (situated in the top-right corner of your screen).
• Once the list comes up, you have to click on Help (to see another list) and then select Troubleshooting Information.

You will be directed to the Troubleshooting Information screen in Firefox now.

• Look to the top-right corner of the window, locate the Give Firefox a tune-up section, and then click on the Refresh Firefox option there.

The small Refresh Firefox dialog or window will come up now.

• Click on the Refresh Firefox button to confirm things.

Firefox will now initiate proceedings for the reset operation. You will be allowed to watch the events as they proceed.

Once Firefox completes the reset task, you will get a prompt asking you if you want customizations and add-ons to be restored or not.

• Select Restore all windows and tabs if you want to export all of them. Or go with the Restore only the ones you want option if you want to specify the ones that should be restored.
• Restart the Firefox application.
• Run some tests by recreating the event (or a combination of events) where you typically experience the right-click not working issue to see how things go this time.

For example, you may have to load up webpages (or a combination of webpages) with which the right-click function does not work.

Also read: How to Hard Refresh Your Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari

4. Start Firefox in Safe Mode

We’ve already mentioned that there may be a connection between third-party add-ons or extensions and the right-click not working problem.

If the issue is being triggered by the changes made by an extension or add-on, or if the problem has anything to do with the operations being executed by third-party scripts or utilities in Firefox, then you will find out the truth after you run Firefox in safe mode.

Anyway, these are the instructions to follow to run Firefox in safe mode:

• First, fire up the Firefox app or bring up the browser window.
• Fill the URL box or text field (close to the top of the window) with the following code: about:support.
• Hit the Enter button on your keyboard to force Firefox to execute the code.

You will be directed to the Troubleshooting Information screen in Firefox (on a new tab).

• Check the top-right corner area of the window, locate the Try Safe Mode section, and then click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled option.

Firefox will bring up a small window or dialog to get some form of confirmation for the operation.

• Click on the Restart button to get on with the task.
• Click on the Start in Safe Mode button if you see the Firefox Safe Mode dialog (which should be the last one).

Your browser is now supposed to restart in safe mode.

• On the resulting Firefox window, you must run some tests to confirm that the right-click function is now working (as it is supposed to).

Once you verify that the right-click feature does well in safe mode, the next step will be figuring out which add-on is causing the problem:

• Fill the URL box or text field with about:addons again and then hit the Enter button to execute the code.
• This time, after you get to the Add-ons Manager screen, you have to disable every extension systematically (and also enable them).

If you do everything correctly, then you will come to associate a specific extension with the manifestation of the issues that break the right-click function in Firefox.

At this point, you may have to decide on the problem-causing extension’s fate. If you want nothing to do with the right-click not working problem, then you may want to uninstall the extension (to get rid of it permanently) and then get a solid replacement for it.

Also read: Microsoft Edge Browser Extensions: All You Need to Know

5. Reinstall Firefox

If you have tried all the fixes above and none worked, you may need to go ahead and reinstall the Firefox app to fix the right-click not working problem. This is not uncommon; in fact, a lot of users we’ve talked to have only been able to resolve the issue by reinstalling Firefox on their PCs.

Reinstalling Firefox seems to work best for PCs running the 64-bit version of Windows 10.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Press (and hold) the Windows logo button on your machine’s keyboard and then tap the letter R key.
• Once the Run window comes up on your screen, you have to type appwiz.cpl into the text box on it.
• You must hit the Enter button on your device’s keyboard to force Windows to run the code.

You will be directed to the Programs and Features menu in the Control Panel application.

• Now, go through the list of installed applications, locate Mozilla Firefox, and then click on it to get it highlighted.
• Do a right-click on the highlighted app to see the available context menu and then select Uninstall.
• Click on the Yes button on the UAC prompt if Windows brings up a small dialog or window to get some form of confirmation for the uninstallation operation.

The Mozilla Firefox Uninstall window will come up now.

• Follow the on-screen directions. Act accordingly. For example, you have to click on the Next button to initiate the uninstallation proceedings.
• After your computer finishes uninstalling Mozilla Firefox, you have to close all the active apps and then restart your PC.

The reboot operation is quite important; do not ignore it. It can make or break the projected fix. The reinstallation procedure (in some cases) failed to do enough to resolve the right-click not working issue because the users refused or forgot to restart their computers (after uninstalling Firefox).

• Once Windows starts up again and reaches stability, you have to open another web browser application.
• Run a search task on Google using Download Firefox for Windows as the keywords and then click on the first entry on the results list.

You will be directed to the trusted download page for Firefox on Mozilla’s website.

• Download the Firefox package.

Ideally, you should get the latest Firefox build available for your PC because the newest browser version provides the best outcomes.

• Once the Firefox package has been downloaded completely, you have to click or double-click on it to get Windows to run it.
• You might have to confirm a UAC prompt by clicking on the Yes button.

The Mozilla Firefox Install window is likely to come up now.

• Follow the on-screen directions and perform the appropriate tasks to install Firefox.
• Once the installation process reaches completion, you must run Firefox to test things in the fresh browser to confirm that the right-click function now works.

How to Fix Right-Click Not Working on Google Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome in Incognito mode

If you use Google Chrome, things get a bit simpler.

Start by running the browser in Incognito mode. When you do this in Chrome, all extensions or add-ons will be automatically disabled.

Here’s how to run Chrome in Incognito mode:

• Do a right-click on the Chrome icon on your taskbar to see the available options. Choose New Incognito window.
• Open Chrome (as you would normally). Once the regular browser window comes up, you have to use this keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + letter N.

After you get Chrome to run in Incognito mode, you have to visit the websites where you experienced issues with the right-click function and test things there. If the right-click feature works fine, then you will know that one of the extensions installed on your browser (or a combination of extensions) was responsible for the issue.

2. Disable hardware acceleration in Google Chrome

Hardware acceleration is the function that utilizes your computer’s graphics component to perform graphics-intensive tasks that were probably originally allocated to the CPU. 

This feature allows applications to use GPUs to speed up processes or operations while freeing up vital CPU time.

Unfortunately, hardware acceleration sometimes causes more problems than it solves when it negatively affects users’ experiences. Incompatibilities or inconsistencies affecting the GPU drivers may come into play and cause the feature to malfunction. Some reports also point toward hardware acceleration being the cause of the right-click not working issue in Chrome.

Therefore, we want you to disable the feature to test things out. You are unlikely to notice significant changes resulting from the proposed operation. These are the instructions you must go through to put down the hardware acceleration function in Chrome:

• Open Chrome. You can do this by clicking on the Chrome icon (on your taskbar) or double-clicking on the Chrome shortcut (on your desktop).
• Once the Chrome window appears, click on the menu icon in the top-right corner of the window.
• From the menu list options that come up, select Settings.

You will now be directed to the Chrome Settings screen in a different tab.

• Scroll down (to the bottom of the page) and then click on Advanced.
• Now, scroll down a bit again, locate the System section, and then click on the toggle for Use hardware acceleration when available (to deselect it).

• Click on the Relaunch button if a prompt to this effect appears.

Otherwise, you have to leave the Settings screen on your own and then restart Chrome.

• Run some tests to confirm that the right-click function now works (as it is supposed to).

3. Reset Chrome

If you are still struggling to get the right-click feature to work on certain sites, then you have to reset Chrome. If the right-click not working issue has anything to do with changes that affected Chrome’s behavior, then the proposed procedure will turn out to be the ideal fix to the problem.

When you reset Chrome, you will not lose your search history, saved bookmarks, passwords, and similar stuff. However, all the extensions in Chrome will be disabled, and your cookies will be deleted. You will also lose your pinned tabs and certain preferences or personal configurations.

Anyway, these are the instructions you must follow to reset Chrome:

• Open Chrome.
• Click the menu button (in the top-right corner of the window), which is sometimes called the hamburger menu.
• From the menu list of items displayed, click Settings.
• Scroll down to the bottom again to locate Reset settings.

• Reset and clean up section, and then click on Restore settings to their original defaults.

The Reset settings dialog will come up now.

• Click on the Reset settings button (to confirm things and get on with the task).
• After the reset operation, you have to restart Chrome.
• Run the necessary tests to verify that everything is now fine with the right-click functionality.

How to Bypass the “No Right-Click” Rule in Browsers

At this point, if you are yet to resolve the right-click not working issue, then it probably has nothing to do with issues or inconsistencies affecting the Firefox or Chrome applications or your computer.

We can now assume that you may be dealing with the case of the “no right-click” rule, where the website admin configured the site to prevent users from using the right-click functionality when they are on the page (on their web browsers).

In other words, if you’ve somehow managed to confirm that you are experiencing issues with the right-click functionality selectively (only when you visit a specific website or a particular group of sites), then you will need to use a workaround on your browser. Here are some ideas:

1. Bypass the “no right-click” rule with the Shift key

The easiest and most straightforward method of bypassing the right-click function block requires you to use the Shift key. You have to press and hold down the Shift key while you perform the right-click. If everything goes well, the context menu will now come up after the right-click.

2. Bypass the “no right-click” rule through the Firefox configuration menu

If you want to unblock the right-click menu for several sites you frequently visit, this may be the best way.

You will need to access and do some work on the hidden configuration menu in Firefox, so you will need to be a bit careful about how you approach this.

But here are the steps to take:

• Fire up the Firefox application on your computer.
• Enter the following code into the URL box: About:config.
• Hit the Enter button on your device’s keyboard to force Firefox to execute the code.
• Now, you have to click on the I accept the risk button (to get on with the task).

You will be directed to the hidden configuration menu now.

• Now, fill the text box with Context to perform a search task using that keyword as the query.
• From the list of results displayed, you must locate event.contextmenu.enabled and then double-click on this entry.
• Once you set the value of the event.contextmenu.enabled entry to false, you have to leave the configuration menu.
• Restart Firefox (close the application and then reopen it).

Run some tests on the sites where the right-click function is usually blocked to confirm that the functionality now operates everywhere, regardless of the websites’ rules.

Other Things You Can Try to Resolve the Right-Click Not Working Problem in Firefox or Chrome

If you are still looking for a way to make the right-click feature work when you are on certain sites in your browser, consider the following:

1. Run full scans for viruses and malware

Perhaps, malicious programs made changes to your computer and broke the right-click function for certain events. In that case, you have to run intensive scans for threats and remove all the bad stuff.

2. Reinstall the Chrome application

Here, you must uninstall the application correctly. You will then have to restart your PC, open a different browser (still on your computer), go to Chrome’s site or official download page for the browser, get the package, run it, and then follow the on-screen directions to install Chrome.

3. Get an extension or add-on that disables the “no right-click” rule on sites

There are specialized apps and extensions that can help you bypass right-click restrictions on websites. These are very easy to find with a quick Google search. But if you need a name, consider Absolute Enable Right Click & Copy, available for both Chrome and Firefox.

4.  Use Chrome Developer tools to alter sites’ settings to bring back the right-click context menu

If you are not afraid of more complex solutions, you can try using Chrome’s Developer Tools to bypass right-click restrictions.

Here are the steps to take:

• Go to the website where right-clicking is disabled.
• Press Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Opt + I (Mac) to open Developer Tools.
• In the Developer Tools pane, click on the Console tab.
• This is where you’ll enter JavaScript commands to alter the site’s settings.

To identify the script blocking right-click, look for any event listeners attached to the document or window that handle context menu events.

• To remove event listeners that block the right-click menu, enter the following command in the Console tab:
  

  document.addEventListener('contextmenu', event => event.stopPropagation(), true);

• This command will add a new event listener that will help you bypass the site’s restrictions.

Some websites disable right-click for legitimate reasons, such as protecting copyrighted content. Always use these methods responsibly and in accordance with the website’s terms of use.

How to Troubleshoot Right-Click Not Working on Chrome and Firefox: Answered

Not being able to use the right-click feature in your browser can be quite annoying. But, with the right approach, this issue can be easily solved. Refresh your browser, run it in safe or Incognito mode, or reinstall it to get the right-click functionality back.

There are also quick workarounds you can try, such as using a dedicated extension to bypass the right-click block.

Happy browsing!