If you suddenly find the middle mouse button not working as you use it on your Windows 10 computer, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will provide some suggestions that can help you fix the issue.
This kind of problem can affect your experience in using your computer as the middle mouse button helps you in scrolling through long web pages and screens with a lot of data. So if that stops, you will end up using your keyboard instead which is kind of a hassle compared to using the middle mouse button.
It is possible that this problem could have something to do with either the hardware or software. To isolate the possibility of a hardware failure, you can try to connect the mouse to a different computer and see if it works just fine there or if it still has the same problem. If the mouse works properly on a different computer, then the issue is software-related. It is possible that a software update, especially gaming software, could have been misconfigured in a way that the middle button does not respond like it’s supposed to. To resolve the problem, you might want to try reinstalling or updating the mouse drivers or run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. You can also install OEM-specific mouse drivers or modify some entries in the Windows Registry.
Option 1 – Reinstall or update the Mouse driver
The problem may be caused by a corrupted or an outdated mouse driver. To fix it, you have to update or reinstall the mouse driver. How? Follow these steps:
- Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
- Then locate the Mouse and other pointing devices and right-click on the mouse driver to open the Properties.
- After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
- Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
- Finally, disconnect the mouse and plug it back in to reinstall the mouse driver.
Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.
Option 2 – Try running the Hardware Troubleshooter
The next thing you can do to fix the problem is by running the Hardware Troubleshooter. Although it won’t make much of a difference, there’s still a possibility that it could automatically fix the problem with these function keys. To use it, refer to these steps:
- The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
- After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
- From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
- Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
- After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.
Option 3 – Try to install OEM specific mouse drivers
Aside from updating or reinstalling the mouse drivers, you might also want to try installing OEM-specific mouse drivers. When you install Windows, it will use a generic driver for all its components. The disadvantage of generic drivers for the mouse is that it limits its functionality. In fact, some also configure the middle mouse button to respond to specific action which does not work without the correct drivers. In such cases, you need to visit the website of your computer’s manufacturers to download and install the latest drivers and then open the software and configure it the way it was before. Keep in mind that some OEMs also offer gestures, so you also have to check on that.
Option 4 – Try to modify some entries in the Registry
If a Windows Update is the one that caused the problem, you could correct it by making some modifications in the Registry but before you proceed, make sure that you create a System Restore point first.
- Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility.
- Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
- Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop
- After that, double click on the “WheelScrollLines” entry on the right pane to open its Properties.
- Now change its value data to “3” and exit the Registry Editor and then see if the issue with the middle mouse button is fixed or not.