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Recently the touchpad right-button stopped working as such and instead started behaving a left-button. For example, when I select text and right-click, instead of the expected context menu, the text gets deselected.

My mouse's right-button does work as expected.

It's a Dell Inspiron 7577 with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.

How can I resolve this?

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3
  • Josua, you changed your question!! What you now describe is right other than the first other, because you said that the left and right button behave the same!
    – abu_bua
    Jul 26, 2018 at 9:01
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    Possible duplicate of Right click not working on Ubuntu 18.04 and askubuntu.com/questions/1028776/…
    – pomsky
    Jul 27, 2018 at 7:00
  • @abu_bua " you said that the left and right button behave the same". That is still true. Doesn't the text say that?
    – Joshua Fox
    Jul 27, 2018 at 15:56

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Here is the answer.

Summary:

  1. Ubuntu 18.04 changed touchpad behavior: By default, you "right-click" by tapping with two fingers.
  2. You can get back the right-button by installing gnome-tweaks, then Keyboard and Mouse -> Area.
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  • sorry, showed you 1st the wrong way; i've myself disabled the finger function but didn't recognized it. Deleted the wrong answer.
    – abu_bua
    Jul 26, 2018 at 8:57
  • +1 for info about two finger tap for right click.
    – Abdullah Leghari
    Feb 7, 2019 at 14:55
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You can set it without installing gnome tweaks using

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad clickmethod "areas"

To set it back use 

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad click-method "fingers"
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0

Apparently you reversed them. Go into Settings, then Keyboard & Mouse. At the top you'll see where you can select which is your 'main mouse button'. Click left and then you're all set!

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  • There was no reversal. I had no rightclick functionality at all, just leftclick from both sides of the touchpad
    – Joshua Fox
    Jul 29, 2018 at 4:23
  • That's odd. I don't know then, sorry.
    – Ulvdet
    Jul 29, 2018 at 18:53
  • @alphaWold No problem, the issue was solved; see above
    – Joshua Fox
    Aug 1, 2018 at 11:24

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