Switch desktops with any mouse.
Hold the scroll wheel and drag left or right to move one desktop. Click it to open Mission Control. Trackpad-style Spaces switching for the cheapest mouse in the drawer.
Version 1.0.0 · Universal: Apple Silicon and Intel · About 2 MB · No account, no trial
How it works
Three gestures. That's the whole app.
No trackpad or Magic Mouse needed. If your mouse has a clickable scroll wheel, it works.
Hold the wheel and drag
Move exactly one desktop left or right. Release and drag again to keep going, so you never fly past the one you wanted.
Click the wheel
Open Mission Control to see every window and desktop. Or switch it to App Exposé, or keep a normal middle click.
Exclude apps
Blender and other 3D tools keep the middle button for orbit and pan. Add any app to the list in two clicks.
Features
Small, focused and out of your way.
Natural or standard direction
Push the screen aside like on a trackpad, or match the arrow keys. Your call.
Adjustable drag distance
Set how far you drag before it counts, from a flick to a deliberate swipe.
Lives in the menu bar
No Dock icon. Pause it with one click, open settings when you need them.
Native macOS animation
It uses the system's own Spaces shortcuts, so switching looks exactly like a trackpad swipe.
Private by design
No network access, no analytics, no account. It only listens to the middle mouse button.
Launch at login
Turn it on once and it's there every time you start your Mac. Universal binary, about 2 MB.
Free forever
$0. Forever.
Plenty of mouse apps start free and then ask you to pay after a trial. This one never will. The MIT license means anyone can fork it and keep it free, even if this project disappears.
- No trial, no license key, no subscription
- Every feature included. There is no "pro" version
- No ads, no tracking, never connects to the internet
- Source code on GitHub, MIT licensed
Install
Up and running in a minute.
Download and drag
Open the DMG and drag the app onto the Applications folder.
Open it once
Right-click the app and choose Open. It's free and not notarized by Apple, so macOS asks you to confirm the first time.
Allow Accessibility
Turn it on in Privacy & Security > Accessibility. The app shows you exactly which switch. Details
FAQ
Questions people search for.
How do I switch desktops on a Mac with a normal mouse?
macOS only has swipe gestures for trackpads and the Magic Mouse. With this app, hold the scroll wheel and drag left or right. Without any app, you can use Ctrl + ← and Ctrl + →.
How do I open Mission Control with the middle mouse button?
Install the app and click the scroll wheel. macOS has a built-in "Mouse Button 3" option too, but it can't be turned off per app and can't switch desktops by dragging.
Is this a free alternative to Mac Mouse Fix?
For switching desktops and opening Mission Control, yes. Mac Mouse Fix does a lot more (smooth scrolling, button remapping) and asks for payment after its trial, which is fair for what it offers. If desktop switching is all you need, this does it for $0.
Does it work with my mouse?
Any mouse with a clickable scroll wheel: cheap USB mice, Bluetooth mice, Logitech, Microsoft, Razer and so on. No drivers or vendor software needed.
Will it break middle-click in Blender or my browser?
Blender is excluded by default. Exclude any other app, or set the wheel click to "Normal middle click" to keep it everywhere while still dragging to switch desktops.
Why does it need Accessibility permission?
macOS requires it for any app that reads mouse buttons system-wide or presses shortcuts for you. The app only listens to middle-button events and never connects to the internet. The code is public, so you can check.
Give your basic mouse superpowers.
Free, open source and about 2 MB. Works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs with macOS 13 or later.