How to Set the Left or Right Mouse Button as Primary in Windows 8 and 8.1
Information
This tutorial will show you how to select the left or right mouse button to be your primary button for functions such as selecting and dragging in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.
OPTION ONE
To Select Primary Mouse Button in Mouse Properties
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Mouse icon.
2. Do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do.
3. To Set Right Mouse Button as Primary
A) In the Buttons tab, check the Switch primary and secondary buttons box, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below step 5)
4. To Set Left Mouse Button as Primary
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) In the Buttons tab, uncheck the Switch primary and secondary buttons box, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below step 5)
5. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
OPTION TWO
To Select Primary Mouse Button in PC settings
NOTE: This option is only available in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.
1. Open PC settings, and click/tap on PC & devices on the left side. (see screenshot below)
2. Click/tap on Mouse & touchpad on the left side of "PC & devices", and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do. (see screenshots below)
3. To Set Right Mouse Button as Primary
A) On the right side click/tap on the Select your primary button drop down menu, click/tap on Right, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
4. To Set Left Mouse Button as Primary
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) On the right side click/tap on the Select your primary button drop down menu, click/tap on Left, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
5. You can now close PC settings if you like.
OPTION THREE
To Select Primary Mouse Button using a REG File
Note
The .reg files below are for the registry key and value below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse
SwapMouseButtons String Value
0 = Left button primary
1 = Right button primary
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse
SwapMouseButtons String Value
0 = Left button primary
1 = Right button primary
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.
2. To Set Right Mouse Button as Primary
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Set_Right_Mouse_Button_as_Primary.reg
3. To Set Left Mouse Button as Primary
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Set_Left_Mouse_Button_as_Primary.reg
4. Save the REG file to your desktop.
5. Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.
6. Click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted to approve the merge.
7. Sign out and in, or restart the PC to apply.
8. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- Set Mouse Pointer to Automatically Move to Default Button in Windows 7 and Windows 8
- How to Open Items with a Single-Click or Double-Click in Windows 7 and Windows 8
- How to Create "Mouse Properties" Shortcuts in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
- How to Create a "Mouse and Touchpad" PC Settings Shortcut in Windows 8.1
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