How to use this test
- Put the pointer inside the test area. Press each button once and release it.
- Use the middle button without scrolling, then scroll in both directions.
- Check the event log for Back and Forward buttons. Some browser or mouse software shortcuts can intercept them.
- Reset and repeat with slow, deliberate clicks if the counts do not match your actions.
Read the observations
The counters record mouse pointer-down events inside the area. The log records which button the browser reported and the wheel delta. A single physical click should usually produce one pointer-down event, but extra events alone do not identify a broken switch. Touchpads, remapping tools and intentional double-clicks can produce different patterns. Compare the same mouse on another computer and another mouse on this computer before attributing a fault to hardware.
What this test cannot tell you
This page does not measure sensor DPI, wireless latency or USB polling rate. Your pointer speed settings and operating system remain part of the path. Right-click menus and middle-click autoscroll are suppressed only inside the test area so they do not interrupt the check. Touch input is deliberately excluded from mouse button counts.
Need a closer comparison? Mouse double-clicking: build a controlled comparison.
Questions about the test
Why is my side button missing?
Its software or the browser may consume it as a navigation action. Check the mouse configuration and compare in another application.
Can I test a trackpad?
A trackpad can produce mouse events, but this does not test a separate physical mouse or all trackpad gestures.
How do I test the right mouse button?
Put the pointer in the test area and press the right button once. Its counter should increase if that button event reaches this page. The context menu is suppressed inside this area; compare the same action in another application if no event arrives.
How do I test the middle mouse button without testing scroll?
Press the wheel as a button without rotating it and read Middle presses. Turning the wheel produces separate wheel events. A working wheel rotation does not establish that its press switch also works.
What if I use left-handed or remapped mouse buttons?
The counters follow the logical button code reported by the browser. Swapped primary and secondary buttons may not match the physical left/right labels. Record your configuration and compare the reported code with your deliberate press.
Technical references
Method version 2.0 · Page updated 2026-10-20