The mouse is a very useful peripheral with a computer, although touchpads are available today. Did you know that it is possible to configure a mouse with one or two buttons, or a touchpad? The functions of the buttons can be interchanged, the shape and the color of the pointer modified, as well as the speed of the click and of the double-click… Thus, a left-handed person will prefer to have his main button on the right.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: In Windows
Step 1. Display the mouse settings
In Windows 10, you must operate as follows:
- click in the lower left corner on the menu To start up;
- click on Settings (gear icon);
- click on Peripheral devices;
- click on Mouse in the left column.
Step 2. Select the Home button
On the first line is a drop-down menu that allows you to choose the main button: two possibilities, Left and Law.
Step 3. Change the mouse wheel settings
Several settings are possible.
- For scrolling using the roulette wheel, two choices are possible: by blocks of lines or page by page (menu Spin the mouse wheel to scroll).
- To change the number of scrolling lines, horizontally move the pointer below the Indicate the number of lines to scroll each time.
Step 4. Click Adjust Pointer and Mouse Size
On the right, under the heading Associated parameters, click on Adjust the size of the pointer and mouse. A new window appears.
Step 5. Change the size of the pointer
By moving the cursor horizontally under the mention Change pointer size, adjust the size that suits you.
Step 6. Change the color of the pointer
For this, under the heading Change the pointer color, you have 4 possible mouse aspects: white pointer, black pointer, pointer changing according to the background and finally a personalized color. The choice is made by clicking on what you want. For the custom pointer, do the following:
- click on the right icon made of a green pointer and a tricolor circle;
- click on one of the colors proposed in the section Suggested colors for the pointer, otherwise click on the big "+" for other colors;
- in the palette, click on a color close to the one you want;
- move the bottom slider to change the shade of the chosen color;
- click on Ended.
Step 7. Change the size of the pointer
In the same window, below, a cursor (Change pointer size) allows you to adjust the pointer size. Check the change in a text editor, for example Notepad.
It does not work in all text editors
Step 8. Return to the previous window
Once you have made your settings, click on the back arrow (
) in the upper left corner to make further settings.
Step 9. Click Additional Mouse Options
This link is the second in the section (on the right) of the associated parameters.
Step 10. Optionally change the speed of the double click
If you find that the double click is wrong, change its execution speed by moving the slider located in the box Double click speed.
Step 11. Change the appearance of the pointer
Click on the tab at the top Pointers. In the framework of Model, use the drop-down list to select one of the pointers. Otherwise, you still have the option of downloading a particular pointer from the Internet and to install it on your computer, click on the button. Browse located at the bottom of the frame Personalize. We draw your attention to the fact that some pointers carry viruses: download them from recognized and safe sites.
- If you wish, you can give, by means of a shadow, like volume to your pointer by checking the box Enable pointer shadow.
Step 12. Adjust the pointer movement
If your pointer does not move the way you want, you have the option of making various adjustments located under the tab Pointer options, 5 or 6 settings are possible.
- In the framework of Pointer movement, drag the cursor Select pointer speed to the left for a slower pointer or to the right for a faster pointer. The change takes effect instantly.
- If you want greater pointer responsiveness, check the box. Improve pointer accuracy (in Pointer movement). If it is practical on a word processor, it is much less useful for playing online: give it a try and you will see how it works. In short, turn this option off.
- If you want your pointer to go directly to the default button on a page, check the box in the frame Anchoring. This is quite a dangerous possibility on the Internet as you might regret it if you accidentally click on a button that hides a virus.
- If you want to see the pointer decompose on the screen with movement, check the box Show mouse tracks.
- Optionally check the box Hide pointer while typing. As the label suggests, the pointer disappears as you type text. It does not work in all text editors.
- If you ever lost the pointer on the screen, check the box. Show the location of the pointer when I press the CTRL key and you would find it again by pressing the Ctrl key.
Step 13. Change the scroll speed generated by the roulette wheel
Click on the tab Roulette in order to configure the two possible scrolls.
- In the framework of Vertical scroll, choose one of the two scrolls: in blocks of several lines and you have the possibility of choosing this number of lines, or screen by screen.
- In the framework of Horizontal scrolling, and not all mice offer this possibility, choose a value which will be the number of characters for horizontal scrolling, the wheel is tilted in one direction or another.
Step 14. Check the drivers if the mouse malfunctions
The mouse is a device that works by drivers. If there is a problem, take a look at the window Equipment. There, click on the problem mouse, then on the bottom button Properties. A new window opens which will allow you to identify the problem and possibly update the driver.
Step 15. Click Apply
When all the settings are done, all you have to do is click on the button at the bottom. To apply.
Method 2 of 2: In macOS
Step 1. Run Mouse Preferences
The settings window will be different depending on whether you are working with a classic mouse, a Magic Mouse or a touchpad. To access the mouse settings, follow these steps:
- click on the menu Apple at the top left of the screen;
- click on System Preferences;
- click on Mouse.
Step 2. Change the settings of a wired mouse (USB port)
This kind of mouse, however simple it may be, can be configured to your hand. You can change as follows:
- Check the box Direction of scrolling: natural to reverse the direction of scrolling induced by the small ball on the mouse;
- adjust the pointer movement speed by moving the part slider Shift towards the left (Slow) or the right (Fast);
- adjust the magnitude of the ball scrolling effect by moving the part slider Scroll speed towards the left (Slow) or the right (Fast);
- set the time between two clicks for a double click by moving the cursor Double click speed towards the left (Slow) or the right (Fast);
- install the main button by clicking on one of the radio buttons in the section Primary mouse button: you have the choice between Law and Left.
Step 3. Change the settings of a Magic Mouse
With such a mouse, you have many more settings available, which are grouped into two sections: Point and click and Additional gestures.
- Click on the tab Point and click, you can then adjust the pointing, scrolling and zooming.
- Check the box Direction of scrolling: natural to be able to scroll the screen in both directions according to the direction of movement of the finger.
- Check the box Secondary click to choose the right-click button, specify with the drop-down list the button that will do it.
- Check the box Smart zoom to activate the zoom, which will be possible by double-tapping the mouse in close proximity.
- Move the item cursor Shift to adjust the pointer moving speed, to the right to go faster, to the left to go slower.
- Click on the tab Additional gestures. This is how you will have access to the second set of settings.
- Check the box Swipe between pages to be able to scroll through your different screens, use one of the three options in the drop-down list for this gesture.
- Check the box Swipe between apps in full screen to be able to switch from one application to another, there is only one possibility of touching.
- Check the box Mission Control to be able, by a close double touch of the mouse, to display everything that is open on your computer (sort of mosaic effect).
Step 4. Change your touchpad settings
You must open the preference Trackpad in the general preferences window, the icon is to the right of the mouse icon. On the new window, as for the Magic mouse, you will see the 2 sections Point and click and Additional gestures, but there is a third Scroll and zoom. We will see that the touchpad is full of features … provided you configure them correctly and remember the gestures!
- Click on the tab Point and click to have access to 7 settings.
- Check the box Data search and detection, choose one of the two gestures, and you can make a contextual menu concerning the object under the pointer.
- Check the box Secondary click to choose how to right-click (secondary button) with the touchpad.
- Check the box Touch to click to benefit from a click with a keystroke of one finger.
- Check the box To research to use the dictionary: you will type 2 times together with 3 fingers.
- Move the item cursor Click pressure to change the way you press the pad for any action.
- Move the item cursor Movement speed to adjust the speed of movement of the mouse pointer on the screen by your hand.
- Check the box Silent click to greatly attenuate the sound of clicks, especially pressed ones.
- Click on the box to the left of the mention Forced click and tactile feedback if you wish to have additional information (in the form of a preview) which is hidden behind a link, a date, a file icon …
- Click on the tab Scroll and zoom to make 4 keypad settings.
- Check the box Scroll in the direction of the finger to be able to scroll the screen in both directions according to the direction of movement of the finger on the keypad.
- Check the box Zoom in or out to zoom by pinching or spreading two fingers on the pad.
- Check the box Smart zoom (double touch with two fingers) to benefit from an intuitive zoom, a little too sensitive however according to users.
- Check the box Swing to rotate an object under the pointer on the screen.
- Click on Additional gestures and you will have access to 7 new settings.
- Check the box Swipe between pages to be able to scroll through your different screens, use one of the three options in the drop-down list for this gesture.
- Check the box Swipe between apps in full screen to be able to switch from one application to another, there is only one possibility of touching.
- Check the box Notification center to make the center in question appear with a gesture.
- Check the box Mission Control to be able, by a close double touch of the mouse, to display everything that is open on your computer (sort of mosaic effect).
- Check the box App Exposé if you want to display all the open windows of the same program (function now integrated in Mission Control).
- Check the box Launchpad to access the Launchpad (application library) with your thumb and three fingers.
- Check the box Show Desktop to… display the Desktop by spreading your thumb and 3 fingers apart.