How to troubleshoot 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 probably here to learn how to resolve the right-click not working issue on your browser.

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 (if blocked at all) is usually blocked on login pages and similar sections or interfaces around a site.

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

Sometimes, the right-click function not working issue 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.

The vast majority of complaints about the right-click function refusing to work were from people using Firefox, so it seems the Firefox application on PC is generally more prone to the problems that give rise to the issue. Therefore, most of the fixes in this guide are focused on resolving things in the case of Firefox. For the purposes defined in this guide, Firefox will serve as our reference browser.

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.

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 the web page that is blocking the right-click function and causing issues for you. Once you identify the culprit, you may decide to stop visiting the site.

If you are determined to continue using the site – if you cannot do without the web page – then you have to do some work to make changes to Firefox configuration to bypass the no right-click rule (or mitigate the effects of the right-click blocking code). Scroll down and check the ninth fix.

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

If our assumption about the right-click not working issue being down to bugs or inconsistencies in Firefox code holds true, then you are likely to stop experiencing the problem after you download and install updates for the browser application. In fact, a good number of users reported that they had resolved the problems by simply installing the latest Firefox version available and then restarting the browser. Therefore, you have to attempt the same task.

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, you have to 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, you have to click on the action or menu icon in the top-right corner of your screen.
• From the list of options that appear, you have to 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 affirm 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 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 the webpages (or combination of websites) with which the right-click function does not work.

4. Start Firefox in Safe Mode:

We already described the links 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.

Some add-ons are known to change the behavior or setup of the right-click menu. Some extensions are known to add stuff to the right-click menu, while others remove certain options. Some add-ons that disable the right-click feature altogether even exist. Well, safe mode is a special procedure through which Firefox starts up with only its own stuff. Third-party extensions, add-ons, and themes (and their settings) become a nonfactor in safe mode.

Therefore, the resulting browser session (for Firefox in safe mode) provides the ideal platform or environment where you get to test stuff to identify the culprit. For one, if the right-click function works fine in safe mode, then you will have your confirmation that one of the third-party extensions, add-ons, or themes was involved in causing trouble for you.

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

• First, you have to 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 machine’s 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, you have to run further tests to isolate or figure out the culprit. You will eventually have to force Firefox to restart in normal mode. Anyway, you must continue with the steps below:

• 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.

5. Open Google Chrome in incognito mode:

If you use Google Chrome, then you simply have to employ the incognito browser mode because all extensions or add-ons are disabled when the browser is in the resulting environment.

You can launch Chrome in incognito mode through any of the following procedures:

• 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 your travails.

In that case, you will have to do some tests on your extensions to figure out the problem-causing extension. You will have to perform several trial and error tasks.  You will then have to disable the culprit permanently or get rid of it.

6. Disable hardware acceleration in Google Chrome:

Hardware acceleration is the function that utilizes your computer 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’ experience. 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:

• First, you have to 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, you have to click on the menu icon in the top-right corner of the window.
• From the menu list options that come up, you have to click on 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, you must 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).

7. 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:

• First, you have to open Chrome. You can launch the browser by clicking on the Chrome icon (on your taskbar) or double-clicking on the Chrome shortcut (on your desktop).
• Assuming you are now on the Chrome window, you have to click on the menu button (in the top-right corner of the window), which is sometimes called the hamburger menu.

• From the menu list items displayed, you have to click on Settings.

You will end up on the Settings screen in Chrome in a new tab.

• Scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on Advanced.
• Scroll down to the bottom again, locate the 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 affirm 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.

8. Reinstall Firefox:

If the Firefox installation on your computer is broken, then you have to reinstall the Firefox app to fix the right-click not working problem. In fact, certain users were able to resolve the problem only by reinstalling the Firefox application on their computers. The reinstallation procedure is reported to be incredibly effective on PCs running the 64-bit version of Windows 10, so you might want to take note of this.

By reinstalling Firefox, you get to force through shakeups in the program code and configuration to eliminate inconsistencies or irregularities. The alterations resulting from the uninstallation and installation processes seem to do enough to fix the right-click function.

Anyway, these instructions cover almost everything you need to do here:

• 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 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 Program and Features menu in the Control Panel application.

• Now, you must 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 is supposed to 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.

• Do what you must do to 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.

• Assuming 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 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 application or your computer in general. We can then extrapolate that you are dealing with a 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 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 have to use procedures or workarounds that allow your browser to circumvent the problem. You are likely to succeed with one of the solutions on the list below.

9. Bypass the no right-click rule through 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, after the right-click, the available context menu will appear – even if the site involved previously prevented it from coming up.

10. 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, then the approach here is probably the ideal one. You get to access the Configuration menu and modify the settings page that defines the context menu for the site.

The procedure here requires you to access and do some work on the hidden Configuration menu (in Firefox), so you have to be a bit careful regards the way you go about things. Precautions are advised. Anyway, if you are determined to perform the task here to bypass the no right-click rule, then these are the steps you must go through:

• First, you have to fire up the Firefox application on your computer.
• Assuming you are now on the Firefox window, you have to fill the URL box or text field there with the following code:

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, you must fill the text box with Context to perform a search task there 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 yet to find a way to make the right-click feature work when you are on certain sites in your browser, then it would be wise for you to consider the procedures and workarounds on our final list of things to do.

11. 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. You will need Auslogics Anti-Malware for the tasks ahead.

12. Reinstall the Chrome application:

Here, you must uninstall the application correctly (leaving nothing behind). 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.

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

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