doubleClick

Double-click is a term with two common meanings in computing. As a user action, it refers to quickly pressing and releasing the primary mouse button twice in succession. This gesture is typically used to open a file or program, or to select an item, depending on the operating system and application. The maximum allowed interval between clicks, known as the double-click speed, is configurable and varies by platform. If the second click falls outside the threshold, it may be interpreted as a separate click rather than a double-click. Users can often customize behavior or choose alternatives such as single-click selection, which can affect how double-click actions are triggered.

The name is also associated with a major advertising technology company, DoubleClick, founded in the United States in the mid-1990s. DoubleClick developed ad-serving and analytics platforms that allowed advertisers and publishers to target, serve, and measure online ads. The technology relied on cookies and tagging to track audiences across websites, and it became a dominant player in the online advertising ecosystem.

In 2008, Google acquired DoubleClick for about $3.1 billion. Following the acquisition, DoubleClick’s products were integrated into Google’s advertising stack and gradually rebranded or folded into other offerings. DoubleClick for Publishers evolved into Google Ad Manager, while DoubleClick Bid Manager was rebranded as Display & Video 360 (DV360) as part of the Google Marketing Platform. Other DoubleClick products were incorporated into Campaign Manager 360 or related Google services. By the late 2010s, the DoubleClick brand had largely been retired in favor of Google-branded products, though the term remains used in historical or informal contexts.

Overall, double-click can describe a basic GUI action or refer to the former ad-tech company that played a significant role in online advertising history.