Mouse Button Remapper & Control Software: 6 Best in 2023

Any computer user will know that the default actions for the standard mouse buttons are left-clicking to select, right-clicking to show the context menu, and the wheel for scrolling. Most mice also have a third button on the scroll wheel that doesn’t have a default function and can perform different actions depending on your software. For instance, the middle mouse button in Google Chrome can close tabs, open links in new tabs, and auto scroll.

In some specific instances, you might need your mouse to do something different than the intended functions. For example, you might need the left, right, or middle button to execute a key combination or perform a custom action. This is especially true for gaming mice that can come with upwards of six or more buttons. 

Using the manufacturer’s default mouse configuration software, you can map the buttons to perform several different tasks. The company that makes this software will usually only support the mice it manufactures, so you can’t use Logitech software with a Razer or Corsair mouse, etc.

While most companies support their mice with software, some mice are more generic or come from a manufacturer that hasn’t made its own software. If that is the case, you will need universal mouse software to change and customize the mouse button actions. 

Here are some of the top mouse mapping software available in the market right now. Depending on your needs, you can use the following tools to configure your mouse buttons to execute desired functions.

Best Mouse Customization Software

1. Key Remapper – best mouse customization software overall

Menu of the Key Remapper Tool
  • Operating System: Windows.
  • Pricing: Free
  • Developer: ATNSoft

If you’re looking for efficient mouse control software, look no further than the Key Remapper. This control program lets you quickly remap keys, mouse buttons, and mouse wheel actions to different values.

When you download the Key Remapper, you have access to many useful features that allow you to gain complete control of your mouse. For example, you can replace specific keys/buttons using mouse button combinators with modifiers. Additionally, you can also perform reverse mapping and emulate the double mouse buttons and key presses.

This software saves you tremendous time from moving between your mouse and keyboard. It helps you set the mouse shortcuts and bind them to a key so that you can get most actions done from a keyboard. There is a useful option in the Mappings menu where you export all the changes to a registry file and then import them to use on another machine.

Download Key Remapper

2. X-Mouse Button Control – advanced mouse button remapping

xmbc mouse remapping software
  • Operating System: Windows
  • Pricing: Free
  • Developer: PhilG

X-Mouse Button Control is probably the most known mouse button customization tool on the internet. It’s free, has a portable version, and does not have any limitations to its functionality. You can add specific applications to be monitored by X-Mouse Button Control and open processes and windows. The three main mouse buttons are supported along with possible buttons four and five, the scroll wheel, and the left/right tilt wheel.

Actions for each button are selected from the drop-down, and there are around 100 different actions to choose from. They range from simply swapping or disabling mouse button actions, simulated keystrokes, button chording/hold actions, window manipulation, Explorer commands, Windows settings, media and web browser commands, sticky buttons, and cursor slowing.

X-Mouse Button Control supports up to 10 layers, basically different sub-profiles you can use with each main profile. The options allow you to configure miscellaneous options such as scrolling background windows, changing the mouse speed, hotkeys to switch between layers and etc. X-Mouse Button Control can seem quite daunting and complicated for inexperienced users, but you only have to click a few buttons for basic usage.

Download X-Mouse Button Control

3. HydraMouse – versatile and intuitive mouse customization

Hydramouse
  • Operating System: Windows
  • Pricing: Paid; 30-day free trial
  • Developer: Novica Paunovic

HydraMouse is a powerful piece of software to assign actions to mouse buttons. Although HydraMouse is shareware, the free version is almost fully functional. The only major limitation is you cannot add new entries to the applications list after the 30-day trial period expires. Although you can still purchase HydraMouse, it looks like program development has long since been abandoned; the last version is from 2011.

Some of the 100+ predefined actions included in the program are the ability to open files/folders/programs, access special folders like My Pictures, press combinations of shortcut keys such as copy/paste/cut/save, mouse click simulation, media keys to play/pause/stop/control volume, and other miscellaneous actions to open/close CD tray, minimize/maximize window and etc. The list of actions is quite impressive.

To perform a simple remap from one mouse button to another, you have to select the application from the list, click the input trigger box and press the desired button, click the action box and press the button to remap, then press Set Trigger/Action. HydraMouse also comes with a powerful macro editor to create complex sequences of actions that can be executed with the click of a button.

Download HydraMouse

4. Macro Toolworks – powerful macro automation capabilities

macro toolworks mouse triggers
  • Operating System: Windows
  • Pricing: Freemium
  • Developer: Pitrinec Software

Macro Toolworks (previously Clicky Mouse) is a powerful key remapping software that goes way beyond simple key configuration. 

You can automate repetitive tasks to a superlative degree with over 300 macro commands for mouse and keyboard by either creating or recording using macro recorders. The tool allows you to manipulate windows, texts, files, variables, and much more.

The macro capabilities of this tool can be set to global, i.e., the trigger works in all applications, or app-specific. The macro editor allows you to edit your recorded macros at a later time. You can also share your macros saved in files within the team to allow all users to use the same macros on multiple devices.

Download Macro Toolworks

5. Mouse Manager – simple mouse programming software

Mouse manager profiles
  • Operating System: Windows
  • Pricing: Free
  • Developer: RealityRipple Software

Mouse Manager could be a simple yet useful mouse remapping software if you have a four- or five-button mouse. 

It’s a free and simple program that allows you to set any keys or combinations to the fourth and fifth buttons. Mouse Manager doesn’t have loads of advanced commands or actions which you can select from and is easy to use. The fourth and fifth mouse buttons on your mouse are classed as the extra buttons in addition to the left, right, and middle (scroll wheel) buttons.

Click Add to create a new profile and enter your keys, text, or combination into the box; shortcuts like Ctrl+V are supported. Mouse Manager supports multiple profiles, so you can use different combinations when you like; just press Add to create another profile. The profiles can be accessed and selected from the Mouse Manager tray icon menu.

Download Mouse Manager

6. AutoHotKey – script-based automation and customization

Create autohotkey script
  • Operating System: Windows
  • Pricing: Free; Open-source
  • Developer: Chris Mallett, Steve Gray

If your needs are pretty simple and you only want to remap one mouse button to another, disable a mouse button or disable/reverse the scroll wheel, AutoHotKey will handle that task easily. AutoHotKey is not an end-user utility but is a scripting language, and interaction with the mouse and keyboard is one of its specialties.

Firstly, download AutoHotKey and install it. Right-click on the desktop and select New > “AutoHotKey Script”. Give the script a name but make sure its extension stays as “.ahk”.

Right-click on the new file and select “Edit Script” to open the script in Notepad.

In AutoHotKey, the actions are named LButton, RButton, MButton, XButton1 and XButton2. The X buttons are classed as the fourth and fifth mouse buttons if your mouse has them. The mouse wheel is supported with WheelUp, WheelDown, WheelLeft, and WheelRight (left and right are not guaranteed to work, though).

The syntax to use in the script is very easy. On a new line, type the mouse button/scroll action you want to change, add two colons, and then type the new action you want to give the button. Use Return after the colons to disable the button. Here are some examples:

MButton::RButton – Makes the middle mouse button perform right-click actions.
RButton::LButton – Makes the right button perform left clicks.
WheelUp::WheelDown – Scroll up will instead scroll down.
WheelDown::WheelUp – Does the oppposite. Use this and above together to reverse the scroll wheel.
XButton1::RButton – The fourth mouse button will perform a right click.
XButton2::Return – Disables the fifth button.
RButton::Return – Disables the right mouse button.

Autohotkey mouse script

Save the file when you are finished, and then double-click on it to run the script. The running script sits in the system tray with a green icon; you can right-click on it and suspend it (stop custom mouse actions), reload it after a change, edit it, or exit. If you disable the right mouse button in your script, all context menus can still be accessed by holding Shift while right-clicking.

AutoHotKey can be used in more advanced ways, such as mapping keyboard keys or shortcuts to mouse buttons, launching programs/macros with a mouse click, and even assigning custom mouse button actions to specific programs. Read the AutoHotKey guide for more information.

Overview of best mouse button control software

SoftwareTop FeaturesEmulate double-key pressesCreating macrosCreating user profiles
Key remapperCustomizable
Flexible
Easy to use
YesYesYes
X-Mouse Button ControlAdvanced remapping
Application-specific triggers
YesYesYes
HydraMouseVersatile
Intuitive
Customizable
YesYesNo
Macro ToolworksPowerful automation
Extensive macro options
Yes YesNo
Mouse ManagerUser-friendly UI
Simplified configuration
YesNoNo
AutoHotKeyScript-based automation
Extensive customization
YesYesNo

How to choose the best mouse configuration software?

Selecting the best mouse keybind software depends on your specific requirements. Here are some of the factors you need to consider when selecting a mouse remapping tool.

  • Compatibility: Ensure that the software is compatible with your operating system and mouse model.
  • Features: Look for software that offers the customization options you require, such as remapping buttons, creating macros, adjusting sensitivity, and creating profiles.
  • User Interface: The software should have an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows you to configure your mouse settings easily.
  • Support and Updates: Consider software that has a good customer support and regular updates, as this ensures bug fixes, compatibility improvements, and ongoing development.
  • Flexibility: Choose software that provides advanced customization and flexibility, allowing you to tailor your mouse settings to your specific needs and workflow.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the best universal mouse software to remap buttons, make sure that you go through the entire list above to make an informed decision. Consider software compatibility, features, flexibility, and the intuitiveness of the software before you download the tool.

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