MIddle click on external mouse not working as expected

Question

Level 1

16 points

MIddle click on external mouse not working as expected

Actual Behaviour:

When doing a middle click on my external mouse (Logitech MX Master 2S) Spotlight will come up. This is also happening with different mouses. There's no difference what application is being used.

Expected Behaviour:

The middle click should make it easier to close browser tabs or send the middle click to remote machines in remote desktop

Already done:

searched system settings for a wrong set mouse gesture but no gestures are visible
searched in the mouse driver software which is set correct (middle click for middle mouse button)

Environment:

MacBook Pro 2019 16" - i7 6-core
MacOS 11.2.1

Is there any hidden setting or is it simply a really annoying bug in macOS?

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Feb 15, 2021 12:45 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

HeavyTobi Author

Level 1

16 points

Feb 18, 2021 3:20 AM in response to barberlives123

I just found a solution: I loooked for my really old Apple Mighty Mouse and BOOM: System Settings show me a possibility to change the middle click option, which was for some reason Spotlight. Changing this also fixed the behaviour on my Logitech mouse. @Apple that's something you really should fix!! Not everyone has a old Mighty mouse from an old G4 PowerMac at home to be able to see that settings!

Mighty Mouse connected:

Mighty mouse not connected:

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Answer 2

HeavyTobi Author

Level 1

16 points

Feb 18, 2021 4:05 AM in response to dialabrain

Sorry but in that case I disagree because this is not only a problem with the logitech mouse, that problem also persists with 4 other mice I have tested, all from different manufacturers. Most of them don't even have tools like that Logi Options thing so the only way to configure them is using the system settings. Also the Logi Options was configured to use middle click but without me knowing it the mac mouse config has overridden the middle mouse click on every external mouse. The option is just visible when using that old mighty mouse.

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Answer 3

HeavyTobi Author

Level 1

16 points

Feb 18, 2021 4:14 AM in response to dialabrain

It worked correctly after configuring it correctly and it was the only mouse which brought macOS to show that config option, so this is still a macOS issue to me. Try finding any mouse not from Apple with that the system settings will show those options, good luck!

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Answer 4

HeavyTobi Author

Level 1

16 points

Feb 18, 2021 4:43 AM in response to dialabrain

sorry but that's simply not correct. The most mice just have left click, middle click and right click so there isn't much to configure, that's just a feature nearly every mouse has so that configuration should be integrated into macOS but not only into the mighty mouse stuff.

As I think this discussion will not add additional value I suggest stop discussing that here! If there are a million mice on the planet that can be used for mac and just two of them work you can't just say "The other 999,998 mice are configured wrong" (I know, I don't have a million mice but you know what I want to say)

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Answer 5

Feb 17, 2021 5:55 AM in response to HeavyTobi

Hey there HeavyTobi,

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities. We understand you’re having issues using your 3rd party mouse as expected with your Mac. We’ll be happy to help with this.

When viewing the Mouse preferences on Mac, there does not appear to be an option for a middle-click. You can review the details of the Mouse preferences for your Mac here:

Change Mouse preferences on Mac

In this case, you may want to reach out to the manufacturer of your mouse and see if this is an expected option with macOS.

Take care.

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