Q: My trackpad works but it won't click, and the right clicker doesn't work either

Try goinig to systems>trackpad, check that all your settings are what you want.

You can try a SMC reset:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

If stll not working, take it in ti the Apple store, there could be more  things wrong.

ATB

If you mean the physical "click" sensation has disappeared, it might be your battery reaching the end of its life. What can sometimes happen is that the battery, which is below the trackpad, begins to swell up as it wears out. This can put pressure on the trackpad from behind, the typical symptom of which is the "click" gets shallower and shallower and then stops working. (I believe the trackpad "click" can be adjusted, too, so it could simply be the case that it's out of adjustment.)

I've personally seen this on two machines, a polycarbonate Macbook and a pre-unibody aluminium  Macbook Pro, both with (fortunately) removable batteries. It also happens to batteries from other manufacturers - it's not an Apple-specific problem, nor especially unexpected, just a characteristic of lithium polymer batteries that they swell up when they begin to fail.

I've not personally seen this on a MacBook Air or any unibody Macbook Pro, and there might be something special the newer machines' batteries which prevents this happening, given that the batteries are designed not to be removed or replaced by the user. I wouldn't bet on it, though. You might want to do some web searches to see if anyone else appears to be having problems with expanding batteries in the same model.

If you suspect that this is the issue (and I would certainly suspect it if the physical "click" has gone from the trackpad), then I cannot in conscience recommend that you try to replace the battery yourself - Apple don't consider the battery to be user-replaceable part, and lithium polymer batteries can be (very) dangerous if mishandled or incorrectly installed. However, if it is expanding, you need to have it removed ASAP or it will distort and damage the machine, possibly irreparably.

If in doubt, have an apple centre check over your machine at the earliest opportunity. They'll be able to tell you if the trackpad needs adjusting or the battery needs replacing. Battery replacement is likely to be fairly expensive unless it's an unexpected early failure replaceable under warranty. (I've found Apple to be good about replacing parts which have failed unexpectedly.)

Most manufacturers warranties explicitly exclude batteries, considering them essentially a consumable. I'm not sure what Apple's position is for the ones which are designed not to be removed, though, they can hardly tell you simply to buy a new battery. I would personally expect them to replace it within the warranty period, and for a reasonable fee outside of the warranty period, but I don't know what their policy is.

A third party repairer should be able to replace a battery if no other damage has been done.

I just saw these symptoms on my macbook and it turned out to be my magic mouse in a bag close by with the button pressed down. Take a quick look and see if you have any wireless mice in range that might be causing the problem.

THANK YOU terrance. My issue was I have it set to disable my trackpad clicks when my mouse is on. I forgot to turn it off in my bag. NOTE: the gestures and moving the mouse work but you can't click on anything.

Solution in my case:

With a MacBook Pro, 10.8.5, I had this problem.

In the end I had to simply ATTACH A PHYSICAL MOUSE. Strangely, that then completely cleared the problem with the built-in trackpad.  So that worked.

Great tip about the nearby wireless mouse, also!

Really helped! Thank you!

In my case, I guess it's the battery is swelling up.

I have a MacBook Air, using the trackpad I can still 'tap to click' to select something on the screen, but a real physical click is not possible anymore. You need this for example to drag and drop something, to move a map in Google Maps etc etc.

No external mouse in the neighbourhood here.

If I push the touchpad very hard, I can still 'feel' a small  physical click (nothing happens though), however I checked on a newer MBA, there the physical click feeling was still clearly there.

I guess I'll have to replace the battery (myself). It's almost 3 years old...

THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH!!
I hope you realize what an awesome dude you are and how many people you proberbly have stopped from throwing their computers out of the window.

11:02pm Sigh ! Mac woes

Curser moves but won't click

Scoured google

No solutions yet

USB mouse same result

Safe mode same result

Firmware test same result

Sigh

12:09AM Solved!!!

Solution remove/replace battery...weird !!

But so happy!!

Absolutely correct! My trackpad stopped working. I checked my battery and sure enough it is swelling. Battery is around 6 years old. Removed the battery and the trackpad clicks perfectly. Time to find a new battery!

Thank you so much tterrace! This was exactly what my issue was as well. I will admit, it had me stumped for a good 20 minutes as I powered my macbook on and off over and over....so glad i found this thread and your post!

My MacBook Pro (2010) just started doing this a couple of days ago.  It works on the forum (weirdly) but when I go to any site with a button to click (i.e. Amazon, Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc) it won't click - I get the little "spinney" coloured ball that spins and spins and spins, but doesn't do anything.  I don't think I can remove the battery without unscrewing the whole bottom, which I don't want to do, and I don't have an external mouse.  Any suggestions?  Thanks for the responses.

tterrace, that was it for me. (So simple, too!)

Thanks!

THANK YOU terrance. My issue was I had the Mouse clicked in my bag !-)

I was almost on my way to the Apple Store !