How-To

How to Make the Mouse Left-Handed in Windows 11 & 10

By Brian Burgess

Published June 19, 2022

If you have a standard mouse you can make it easier for a lefty to use when you make the mouse left-handed in Windows.

Are you left-handed and looking for a way to make the mouse work better for you?

By default, Windows will configure the mouse for a right-handed person. It does this by making a left-click the primary button. However, if you’re a lefty and need a better mouse experience, you can change the primary button. You can change it using the Settings app or via the Control Panel.

If you or another user need to change the primary left and right buttons, here’s how to make the mouse left-handed in Windows.

How to Swap Mouse Buttons on Windows 10

First, we’ll take a look at configuring the mouse for a left-handed user on Windows 10. You can do this using the Settings menu or the older Control Panel.

Using Settings

To swap mouse buttons on Windows 10 using Settings:

1. Click on Start > Settings.
2. When Settings opens, click on Devices > Mouse and change the primary button from Left to Right.

Using Control Panel

To swap mouse buttons on Windows 10 using Control Panel:

1. To use Control Panel, open the Start menu and type control panel.
2. Select the top result.
3. When Control Panel opens, click the Hardware and Sound option.
4. Under the Devices and Printers section, click on the Mouse link.
5. When the Mouse Properties screen opens, check the Switch primary and secondary buttons option, and click OK.

How to Swap Mouse Buttons on Windows 11

On Windows 11, there are also two ways to change the primary button for a left-handed user.

To change the primary left-handed button on Windows 11:

1. Open the Start menu and click Settings.
2. In Settings, select Bluetooth & devices from the left panel and click Mouse on the right.
3. Next to the Primary mouse button option, change it from Left to Right.

Using Control Panel

You can also use Control Panel on Windows 11 to change the primary mouse button on Windows 11.

1. Open the Start menu and type cpl.
2. Select the top result.
3. In Control Panel, change View by to Large icons in the top-right corner.
4. Click on the Mouse option from the list of items.
5. When the Mouse Properties window opens, check the Switch primary and secondary buttons option, and click OK.

Changing Primary Mouse Button on Windows

If you need to set up a mouse for a left-handed user on Windows 11, change the primary mouse button using the steps above. It’s important to note that this doesn’t just work for an attached mouse. It’s also the steps to take if the person uses a touchpad on a laptop.

While changing primary mouse buttons makes it easier to use a standard mouse, you may want to look at an ergonomic mouse designed specifically for left-handed users:

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Another thing you can do is change the mouse sensitivity on Windows. In mouse settings, you can also set it to activate an app’s open screen by hovering over it.