AutoHotkey (FREE) – Hold Down a Mouse Button with a Keyboard Shortcut on Windows 11

I don’t know the reason why people want to do this thing, it might be because of the computer screen is too big to drag something for too long. The script helps, just move the mouse, not holding anything.

I found the script here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1993003/holding-down-the-left-mouse-button-in-autohotkey

The code is below.

F2::

alt := not alt

if (alt)

{

Click down

}

else

{

Click up

}

Return

Code explanation:

Pressing F2 (FN+F2) will hold down a left mouse button.

Usage: run the code (read how-to below), locate a mouse pointer where you want to drag it or do something else, press F2 then start dragging something. To cancel holding down, click a left click.

How to run the code.

1. Download AutoHotkey from https://www.autohotkey.com/

Click a button ‘Download’.

You will see there are 2 versions, I download both of them because some code can not be run with the old/new version.

Open the downloaded files and follow steps to install apps.

From my memories, you don’t have to open the apps because after installation is done, the apps will run in the background.

2. Copy the code above, open new document of Notepad, paste the code. You can change the first line to F2, F3…

Save it then add the extension .ahk.

To run the code, right click at .ahk file, then click the menu ‘Open’ near the icon ‘AutoHotkey’. (see the picture below)

You can see the script by clicking an arrow at the taskbar.

The code below is for holding down a right click button.

F3::Click % "right " (GetKeyState("RButton") ? "Up" : "Down")

Code explanation:

Pressing F3 (FN+F3) will hold down a right mouse button.

Usage: run the code (read how-to above), locate a mouse pointer where you want to drag it or do something else, press F3 then start dragging or something else. To cancel holding down, press F3 again.

You can change F3 to something else, such as F2,F4…

Important note: for 1^st code, to cancel holding, just click a left click button.

For 2^nd code, to cancel holding, press F3 again.

I tested 2^nd code with Gesturefy (Firefox add-on) by setting a right click button as a target button to be held for performing gestures. It works fine.

 

X-Mouse Button Control – Speed Up Mouse Scrolling for Specific Apps FREE on Windows 11

Settings in Windows allows users to sett scrolling speed but you can not set for specific app or window title.

This free app can do that for you.

The test steps – X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/xmousebuttoncontrol.htm

1. Go to the link above, download the app, open the downloaded file, install it then open the application.

In the picture above, click the arrow at the taskbar, then double click the app icon to open the main window.

Open the target app.

Click the ‘Add’ button at the bottom-left of the window.

Select the target app in the list.

You can select windows title of specific app too.

To do that, in the picture below, click specific window.

A new window ‘Find Window’ will open. Drag the icon in the picture above over the target window then release.

You will see the info of that window showing.

Check the check box near the caption box then click OK.

At the main window, the info of that window shows.

2. I using logitech M720 Triathlon mouse and I don’t use the software from logitech for this mouse.

Select the target app at the list in the left pane of main window.

Click the drop-down menu at ‘Wheel Up’

Selected ‘Simulated Keys’

Click the arrow that is near the box ‘Enter the custom keys’ then select ‘Mouse Buttons’ and select ‘Wheel Up’.

In the picture above I added the code 2 times that means x2.

If I add it 3 times, I will get the speed x3.

For ‘Wheel Down’, you use ‘Wheel Down’

For ‘Tilt Wheel Left’, you use ‘Wheel Tilt Left’

For ‘Tilt Wheel Right’, you use ‘Wheel Tilt Right’

From my test: for scrolling left/right ( Tilt Wheel Left/Right), I get more distance (you can say ‘more speed’) but it is not stable as scrolling up/down.

The test steps – X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/xmousebuttoncontrol.htm

X-Mouse Button Control (FREE) – Copy and Paste with Mouse Button # 4 and # 5

I use Logitech Signature M650 for this test.

In the picture below, spec is shown on Windows 11.

 

The test steps – X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5

On: Windows 11 Home

Download: https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/xmousebuttoncontrol.htm

1. Go to the link above download, then install it.

Open the app, click the arrow at the taskbar, its icon shows.

Double click that icon, a new window shows, at the left pane, select default that means the actions that will be set are for every app.

At the right pane, click tab ‘Layer 1’.

2. You have to check that the numbers of physical mouse buttons.

The steps are:

A. Move a mouse pointer over window of X-Mouse Button Control

B. Click a target button. You will see a drop-down list menu is highlighted with orange.

Click a drop-down list menu, then select ‘Simulated Keys’.

Then click a gear icon.

A new window opens, at ‘Enter the custom keys’ box, click a drop-down list at the end of the box.

Select ‘Modifier Keys’ > ‘Control’

You will see {CTRL} in the box, then type ‘C’. Click ‘OK’

Do the same step for another button.

I doubt that this app can sepearte actions for mouse #1 and mouse #2.

 

The test steps – X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5

On: Windows 11 Home

Download: https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/xmousebuttoncontrol.htm

CrxMouse (FREE) – Add More Power to Your Browsing on Google Chrome

I have been using the add-on for Firefox ‘Gesturefy’ for so long. There is no version for Google Chrome.

I had tested 5 – 7 extensions for Chrome and the winner is CrxMouse.

The test steps – CrxMouse 6.1.3

On: Windows 11 Home, Google Chrome Version 130.0.6723.117

Download: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/crxmouse-mouse-gestures/jlgkpaicikihijadgifklkbpdajbkhjo?hl=en

1. Go to the link above using Chrome, click ‘Add to Chrome’.

The pop-up window will show, click ‘Add extension’.

A new webpage will open and show the message.

Click ‘Agree’

Click ‘CrxMouse settings’

In the ‘settings’ page, I deselected ‘Enable Super Drag’.

At the left pane, click ‘Mouse Gestures’. At ‘Which key for mouse gestures’, select one you like.

I chose ‘Right button’.

There are the presets of gesture, you should view the actions first.

Click an arrow, to see actions. Then think the gesture you want it for the target action.

I deleted all presets of gesture to start a new one.

At ‘New’, I clicked ‘new gesture’.

You will see the new page like the picture above.

I held the right button, then dragged up, then release a button.

Select your target action.

I chose ‘Zoom in’.

2. I opened a new webpage to test it but it didn’t work, thought about the problems for a while. I knew how to fix it. There was another extension called ‘ScrollAnywhere’.

I have to drag a mouse with a right button in order to make this extension work so it conflicts with CrxMouse.

What I did is at toolbar I clicked a ‘Jigsaw puzzle’ icon. At ‘ScrollAnywhere’, click a 3-dot icon, then click ‘Manage extension’.

I clicked to turn it off.

In the picture above, I held down the right button then dragged up, there was a label of action I was about to execute.

I released a button, the page was zoomed in. I told you this is the best extension of mouse gesture on Chrome.

There are no actions -- open in background/foreground tab. That’s why ‘Gesturefy’ on Firefox is better.

If you can’t browse without Chrome, this one should be considered.

 

The test steps – CrxMouse 6.1.3

On: Windows 11 Home, Google Chrome Version 130.0.6723.117

Download: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/crxmouse-mouse-gestures/jlgkpaicikihijadgifklkbpdajbkhjo?hl=en