Download X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC v2.20.5 for Windows PC
X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5 remaps your mouse buttons per application — different actions in your browser, editor and games — with layers, macros...
Technical Specifications & System Requirements
Software notes
Features
- Per-application and per-window profiles let the same mouse buttons do different jobs in each program, switching automatically as the active window changes.
- Simulated keystroke macros support timed sequences, repeats and delays, so complex keyboard shortcuts and multi-step actions collapse into a single button press.
- Up to ten layers and button chording multiply what one mouse can do, effectively giving a five-button mouse several complete alternative layouts.
- Scrolling controls fix common annoyances: invert the wheel direction, scroll the window under the pointer instead of the focused one, and adjust wheel behaviour per application.
- It is clean freeware from Highresolution Enterprises with no bundled software or advertising, and a portable version is available alongside the installer.
Considerations
- The settings interface is dense and technical, so building your first useful profile takes experimentation rather than a guided setup.
- Some games and anti-cheat systems block simulated keystrokes and clicks, which means remapped buttons may be ignored inside those titles.
- It does not store profiles in the cloud, so moving a carefully built setup to another PC means exporting and importing the settings file yourself.
How X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC Compares to Top Alternatives
SharpKeys remaps keyboard keys at the Windows registry level, while X-Mouse Button Control remaps mouse buttons per application, with layers, button chording and simulated-keystroke macros.
AutoHotkey is a full scripting language for keyboard shortcuts and desktop automation, while X-Mouse Button Control needs no code at all — profiles, layers and macros are built in a settings window.
PowerToys is Microsoft's broad utility suite, whose Keyboard Manager and Mouse utilities cover basic remapping, while X-Mouse Button Control goes far deeper on the mouse alone, with per-window profiles and up to ten layers.
About & Overview: X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC
X-Mouse Button Control, written by Phillip Gibbons of Highresolution Enterprises, lets you remap almost every button on your mouse and make the mapping change with the program you are using. A side button can be a browser Back in Chrome, an undo in your editor and a push-to-talk key in a game, because XMBC matches the window under the pointer or in focus against per-application profiles. Beyond simple remapping it offers simulated keystroke macros, button chording (holding one button to change another), timed repeats, up to ten switchable layers, and scrolling tweaks such as inverting the wheel, scrolling the window under the cursor and nudging stubborn scroll wheels. Version 2.20.5 is the current stable release and the one offered here; a 2.21 beta also exists for testers. The program is freeware with no bundled software, no adverts and no nags — the developer asks only for voluntary donations — and both installer and portable builds are published on the official site.
In-Depth: X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC
Profiles that follow the window
X-Mouse Button Control, written by Phillip Gibbons of Highresolution Enterprises, lets you remap almost every button on your mouse — and make the mapping change with the program you are using. XMBC matches the window under the pointer or in focus against per-application and per-window profiles, so a side button can be a browser Back in Chrome, an undo in your editor and a push-to-talk key in a game, switching automatically as the active window changes and falling back to your default profile elsewhere. The profile list can match specific windows and processes rather than just whole programs. That per-window precision is what makes it the deepest free mouse-remapping tool on Windows. Version 2.20.5 is the current stable release; a 2.21 beta also exists for testers.
Macros, chording and ten layers
Beyond simple remapping, XMBC offers simulated keystroke macros — everything from a simple Ctrl+C to timed sequences with delays and repeats, collapsing complex shortcuts into a single button press. Button chording (holding one button to change another's job) and up to ten switchable layers multiply that further: hold a modifier or press a switch button and one mouse gains several complete layouts. The scrolling controls fix common annoyances independently of the buttons: invert the wheel direction, scroll the window under the cursor instead of the focused one, and nudge stubborn scroll wheels, with wheel behaviour adjustable per application. The built-in button highlighting helps while you learn: it flashes which control you just pressed, so your first profile takes minutes of guided experimenting rather than guesswork.
Freeware depth, with homework
XMBC is clean freeware with no bundled software, no adverts and no nags — the developer asks only for voluntary donations — and both installer and portable builds are published on the official site, with updates that still arrive. The depth comes with homework: the settings window is dense, some options are named in the developer's own shorthand, so building your first useful profile takes experimentation. Two structural limits deserve note. Some games with aggressive anti-cheat systems block simulated input, so a macro that works on the desktop may be ignored there — a platform limit, not a bug. And XMBC does not store profiles in the cloud, so moving a carefully built setup to another PC means exporting and importing the settings file yourself. It runs on Windows 7 through 11 (32-bit and 64-bit) and takes about 20 MB. If your mouse has buttons you never use, XMBC makes them earn their place.
How to Install & Verify X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC
Get the X-Mouse Button Control installer (version 2.20.5, about 2.9 MB) from the official download link at highrez.co.uk. A portable build is offered on the same site if you would rather not install anything.
Launch the installer, approve the Windows prompt and finish setup. XMBC runs in the system tray; double-click its icon to open the settings window, where the left panel lists your application profiles.
Click Add, choose the program you want custom buttons for, then click each mouse-button dropdown on the right and assign an action or a simulated keystroke. Click Apply, switch to that program, and your buttons now do their new jobs only there.
Related Windows PC Software & Alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions & Verification Guide
Is X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC free?
Yes. X-Mouse Button Control for Windows PC is freeware, so it is free to download and use at no cost. It is proprietary software from Highresolution Enterprises (Phillip Gibbons) rather than open source, so its source code is not publicly available.
Is x mouse button control safe to download?
X-Mouse Button Control is clean freeware from Phillip Gibbons of Highresolution Enterprises: the developer states it contains no bundled software, spyware or advertising, and asks only for voluntary donations. The build offered here is the current stable release, 2.20.5, published on the official site as both an installer and a portable version.
Where can I find the official website for X-mouse button Control?
XMBC is published by its developer, Phillip Gibbons of Highresolution Enterprises, on the developer's official site — that is where both the installer and the portable build of the current stable version, 2.20.5, are published. Stick to the official site rather than mirror downloads, so you get the unmodified freeware with no bundled extras.
What is X-mouse button Control and what is it used for?
X-Mouse Button Control remaps almost every button on your mouse — and the mapping changes with the program you are using, because per-application and per-window profiles activate automatically. Beyond simple remapping it offers simulated-keystroke macros, button chording, timed repeats, up to ten switchable layers, and scrolling tweaks such as inverting the wheel or scrolling the window under the cursor.
How do I set up X-mouse button Control?
Create a profile for an application or a specific window, assign what each button should do in that program, and XMBC activates the profile whenever the matching window is in use, falling back to your default profile elsewhere. The settings window is dense, so expect a few minutes of experimenting — the built-in button highlighting, which flashes the control you just pressed, helps you identify buttons while you build your first profile.
What software can I use to control mouse buttons?
X-Mouse Button Control is the deepest free option on Windows: per-app profiles, simulated-keystroke macros with delays and repeats, button chording and up to ten layers give one mouse several complete layouts. One limit to know: some games with aggressive anti-cheat systems block simulated input, so a macro that works on the desktop may be ignored there.