How to disable "back" button on my mouse?

Question

I have bought Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000. It's working just as I want it except that "back" button on the left side. I constantly hit it with the thumb and browser goes back. I am not used to this behavior, since my older mouse didn't have such a button. I just want to get rid of it -- disable the button once and forever, so if I clicked it -- nothing should happen.

Solution 1

Do you have the Microsoft IntelliPoint "Mouse Properties" installed? If not get over to here and download and then install it.

Once you have the first tab "Buttons" lets you configure the button actions. Just select then "Right side button" drop down and select "Disabled".

Click "OK" or "Apply" and you're done.

NOTE: "Back" is actually on the left side button, so just replace "right" with "left" in the above description if you really meant that button.

Solution 2

I would like to throw out X-Mouse Button Control as a more generic program. For example, I'm currently using a Dell mouse with a non-Dell computer, and they have decided to lock their mouse drivers to only install on their own computers. X-Mouse should work with most mice:

The only real answer to that is to try it and see, but there are several tell tales signs. If you have a 5 button (or more) mouse and the 4th and 5th buttons perform back/next in your web browser then its almost certain XMBC will work for the first 5 buttons (XMBC does not support more than 5 buttons).

All I can say for sure is it works with the first 5 buttons of my Logitech MX518 Optical mouse, with or without the Logitech software installed.

It also works fine with my older (original) MS Intellimouse Optical Mouse.

You can also define multiple layers, and application specific profiles. So, you can have it behave as a back button on every program except your browser.

The appropriate button and drop down box will highlight when a button is pressed. You can use that to figure out which button does what, but I found Mouse Button 5 to be the back button on my mouse.

^{Click for full size}

Solution 3

I took a flat-head screwdriver and a pair of pliers and I used the flat-head screwdriver to pry up the offending button, then I used the pliers to get a hold of that bugger and pull it loose from the housing. It caused the housing around the left button to loosen a bit, but I managed to work it back into its original position and now the mouse works great.

This is a great mouse, but that back button is way too big and too easy to press. It would be nicer if it were further forward and about 1/5th it's manufactured length. It would be nice if the button actually had to be PRESSed to activate rather than just barely touched as you reach over--without looking--to grab the mouse in order to scroll down or something. Now that I've removed that button, it really is a great mouse.

Comments

[Almo]

It's like people put these features in, then never notice how bad they are and go back to fix the product they made.

[user1222303]

Doesn't work for me. Here's screenshot: i40.tinypic.com/sxoppt.png

[Shevek]

IntelliPoint was recently updated. Go to microsoft.com/hardware/downloads/default.mspx and select the correct version for your system

[ChrisF]

@Sergiy - sorry I can't help any further as I don't have IntelliPoint on the Windows 7 machine I'm using. Have you got the latest version? Or have you got the right version for your OS 32 or 64 bit?

[user1222303]

@ChrisF I have 64-bit Windows, so I have downloaded 64-bit version. @Shevek They don't have my mouse in the dropdown list. :(

[Almo]

AW YEAH! Does the trick!

[dashesy]

I wonder if anyone uses those buttons, annoying

[David Sherret]

Newer version: microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=24777

[Marius]

I find that if I map Mouse Button 4 to Mouse Button 4, this disables the back behaviour, yet I can still map the button in games... Thanks I've downloaded and donated. This also replaces my flipMouseWheel app... (I prefer Natural Scrolling)

[cat]

Well, there's always a physical solution.

[cat]

Oh, yeah, this works perfectly.

[Stese]

Nice suggestion there Bob... thanks. @Marius - exactly the thing I want to do as well. disable back in the browser but use it for other things.

[Simon Steinberger]

lol, thanks for this answer. I really had to laugh out :-D

[Enrique]

is not working for me, I'm using a wireless mouse and is not detected

[Máté Juhász]

There is already an answer to this question suggesting x-mouse button control. Please post a new answer only if you have new information to share.

[RichieHindle]

+1 for the physical fix, which I wouldn't have thought of without your answer. I have a similar Logitech mouse - I opened it up, prised out the microswitches from underneath the Back and Forward buttons and tucked them away under the lid. No damage done, reversible if I change my mind, and as a bonus, the buttons don't feel like they do anything - they have no click.

[Erin Thomas]

I'll admit, I was pretty frustrated and past the edge of my tolerances when I grabbed the screwdriver and pliers. But, that said, I still use the mouse every single day with absolute joy, and it doesn't bother me a bit that there's a hole in it where the button used to be. I posted this in March of 2012? So that's another 8 years of use and counting since posting my "physical solution."

[bwright]

This still worked for me, using a generic (non-Microsoft) multi-button mouse, in 2020.

[relipse]

How do I do this with a Lenovo mouse? The microsoft software says I don't have any Microsoft mouse installed

[user53691]

Worked for me in Windows 10 (21H2) but caused mousewheel to stop working in at least one critical windows program