How to Enable and Use Mouse Gestures in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11

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Microsoft Edge includes a built-in mouse gesture feature that allows you to perform browser actions like navigating between pages, refreshing, and managing tabs with simple mouse movements. However, this feature is disabled by default. In this guide, we’ll show you how to enable, configure, and use mouse gestures in Edge to streamline your browsing experience.

What Are Mouse Gestures?

Mouse gestures are shortcuts performed by holding down a mouse button (typically the right button) and moving the mouse in a specific direction. These gestures trigger predefined browser commands, reducing reliance on keyboard shortcuts or toolbar buttons.

Examples of Common Mouse Gestures:

  • Swipe left: Go back to the previous page.
  • Swipe right: Move forward to the next page.
  • Swipe down: Refresh the current page.

How to Enable Mouse Gestures in Microsoft Edge

Enabling mouse gestures in Microsoft Edge is straightforward. Before proceeding, ensure you have the latest version of Edge installed on your Windows 11 device.

Steps to Enable Mouse Gestures:

  1. Launch Edge Settings:
    • Open Microsoft Edge.
    • Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner and select Settings from the menu.
  2. Enable Mouse Gestures:
    • From the left-hand sidebar, click Appearance.
    • Scroll down and toggle on the option for Enable Mouse Gesture.
    Note: If the option is unavailable, you may need to enable it through Edge’s experimental features. Type edge://flags in the address bar, search for gesture, and enable the feature. Restart your browser to apply the changes.

Default Mouse Gestures in Microsoft Edge

Once enabled, Microsoft Edge provides a set of default mouse gestures that perform various browser actions. Below is a list of the default gestures and their corresponding actions:

How to Customize Mouse Gestures

If the default gestures don’t suit your needs, you can customize them to match your workflow.

Steps to Customize Mouse Gestures:

  1. Access Gesture Settings:
    • Under Appearance, click Configure Mouse Gestures.
  2. Assign Actions to Gestures:
    • You’ll see a list of predefined gestures (e.g., Left, Right, Up, Down).
    • Click the dropdown menu next to each gesture and assign a specific action, such as New Window, Open Link in New Tab, or Close Tab.
  3. Additional Options:
    • Show Mouse Track: Displays a visible trail of your mouse movements when performing gestures.
    • Show Action Hint: Provides visual cues for gesture-based actions.
    • Reset All Gestures: Restores all gestures to their default settings.

Configure Website Block List

If there are websites where you don’t want mouse gestures to be active, you can add them to the block list:

  1. Open the Configure Mouse Gestures page.
  2. Scroll to the Configure Website Block List section.
  3. Click Add and enter the website URL where you want to disable mouse gestures.

Why Use Mouse Gestures?

Mouse gestures make browsing faster and more fluid by allowing you to:

  • Navigate between pages quickly.
  • Perform actions like opening tabs, refreshing pages, or closing windows without relying on the keyboard or toolbar.
  • Customize gestures to match your workflow for a more personalized experience.

Touchpad Gestures vs. Mouse Gestures

If you’re using a laptop with Windows 11, remember that touchpad gestures are built into the operating system and may overlap with Edge’s mouse gestures. To avoid conflicts, review your touchpad gesture settings in Windows and ensure they complement your mouse gestures in Edge.

Final Thoughts

The mouse gesture feature in Microsoft Edge is a powerful tool for improving productivity and making web browsing more efficient. By following the steps above, you can enable and customize mouse gestures to suit your preferences. Whether you’re navigating between pages, refreshing tabs, or managing windows, mouse gestures simplify your workflow and save time.

If the mouse gesture feature in Microsoft Edge is not working despite following the steps to enable it, there are a few potential reasons and troubleshooting steps you can try. Below are some suggestions to help you resolve the issue:

1. Update Microsoft Edge

Ensure you are using the latest version of Microsoft Edge. Some features, like mouse gestures, may only be available in newer versions.

Steps to Update Edge:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner and select Settings.
  3. In the left-hand menu, select About Microsoft Edge.
  4. Edge will automatically check for updates and install them if available.
  5. Restart the browser after the update is complete.

2. Enable Experimental Features

The mouse gesture feature may be part of Edge’s experimental settings, which are not enabled by default.

Steps to Enable Experimental Features:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. In the address bar, type edge://flags and press Enter.
  3. In the search bar, type gesture.
  4. Look for any related flags, such as Mouse Gesture or Enable Gesture Navigation.
  5. Set the flag to Enabled from the dropdown menu.
  6. Restart Edge to apply the changes.

3. Check for Conflicting Extensions

Browser extensions can sometimes interfere with Edge’s built-in features.

Steps to Identify Conflicts:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner and select Extensions.
  3. Disable all extensions by toggling them off.
  4. Restart Edge and check if the mouse gestures feature works.
  5. If it works, re-enable extensions one by one to identify the conflicting extension.

4. Check Mouse Settings

Ensure your mouse is functioning correctly and that the right mouse button (or the button you’re using for gestures) is not disabled or malfunctioning.

Steps to Test Mouse Input:

  1. Open any other application or browser and test the right mouse button to confirm it is working.
  2. If the mouse button is not responsive, try connecting a different mouse.

5. Reset Edge Settings

If none of the above steps work, resetting Edge to its default settings might resolve the issue.

Steps to Reset Edge:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner and select Settings.
  3. In the left-hand menu, select Reset settings.
  4. Click Restore settings to their default values.
  5. Confirm the reset and restart Edge.

6. Check for Windows Updates

Sometimes, browser features depend on system updates. Ensure your Windows 11 installation is up to date.

Steps to Update Windows:

  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
  2. Navigate to Windows Update.
  3. Click Check for updates and install any available updates.
  4. Restart your computer after the update.

7. Reinstall Microsoft Edge

If none of the above steps work, reinstalling Microsoft Edge can resolve any corrupted installation issues.

Steps to Reinstall Edge:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 11.
  2. Navigate to Apps > Installed Apps.
  3. Locate Microsoft Edge, click the three dots (…), and select Uninstall.
  4. Download the latest version of Edge from the official Microsoft Edge website.
  5. Install the browser and try enabling mouse gestures again.

8. Use an Alternative Gesture Extension

If the built-in mouse gestures feature is not working, you can use a third-party extension to enable similar functionality.

Recommended Extensions:

  • Gesturefy: A highly customizable mouse gesture extension.
  • crxMouse Chrome Gestures: A powerful extension that works on Chromium-based browsers like Edge.

To install an extension:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Go to the Edge Add-ons Store.
  3. Search for a mouse gesture extension and click Get to install it.

9. Contact Microsoft Support

If the issue persists, it may be a bug or a feature that hasn’t rolled out to your version of Edge. You can report the issue to Microsoft:

  1. Open Edge.
  2. Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner.
  3. Select Help and feedback > Send feedback.
  4. Describe the issue and submit the report.

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