How do I Use the Mouse?

Well, obviously you know the basics of how to use the mouse, or else you wouldn't be here. But here are a few neat mouse tricks.

There are all kinds of mice, but the one on the left is probably the most popular. It has two buttons and a center scroll wheel (that also serves as a button when you push it). It's commonly called a "scroll mouse."

The mouse settings, like many other things in Windows, can be user customized. There are also mice that have many more buttons than the scroll mouse shown here. But here are the most common settings for the ever-popular scroll mouse.

Moving the Mouse

To move the mouse pointer on your screen, you move the mouse along a horizontal surface. "Ball" type mice have a rolling ball underneath and are best used with a mouse pad. "Optical" mice have an LED (light-emitting diode) instead of a ball, and do not need a mouse pad.

Which Mouse Button do I Click?

The left mouse button is the button you use to click most things. When someone says, "Click this," it means click it with the left mouse button. If they want you to use the right button, they'll say, "right-click." Otherwise, use the left button. (Unless, of course, you are left-handed and have reversed the button assignments in Windows; but if you know how to do that, then what are you doing here on a beginner's page?)

The right mouse button opens a shortcut menu to common commands, such as "copy" or "paste."

Double-Clicking

"Double-clicking" means clicking the left mouse button on the same thing twice quickly (like saying "click-click"). You double-click to start a program, open a file, or select a single word in a document.

Dragging and Dropping

To "drag," click on something with the left button and hold the button down while moving the mouse to the new location. When you get there, release the mouse. You can use the same method to select text in a document or to select multiple items from a folder window.

"Right-dragging" is done the same as left-dragging, except that you click and hold the right button. This is used to copy, move, or create shortcuts to files or folders.

What Does The Scroll Wheel Do?

Rolling the scroll wheel moves a page up or down when it is too tall to fit in the window. Pushing down on the scroll wheel allows you to move the visible part of a page that is too big for the window up, down, or sideways by moving the mouse.